Kenya - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

We offer a marketplace for pet owners to connect with pet walkers and sitters. Our pet sitters are trained and certified by our partner small animal veterinary association to ensure that pets are looked after to the highest standard in their homes.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

The pet sitters' marketplace offers pet owners the chance to leave their pets under the care of trained pet sitters when they go to work or are travelling. It also offers individuals (we will mainly target Veterinary Students) a chance to make an income while interacting with pets. We intend to set up a web and mobile application where pet sitters can register to offer this service. Individual pet sitters will determine their own service fee and working hours which will be displayed in the app with their profiles. Our main target for pet sitters will be veterinary students although other individuals can also register. We will vet these service providers and intend to offer training for basic animal handling and care (at a fee) in conjunction with the small animal veterinary association in Kenya. An access fee will be charged to the pet sitter. Pet owners can access information on the pet sitters and they can choose who they want to hire. We will then charge a service access fee.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

Being a practicing small animal Veterinary Surgeon, I have encountered pet owners who would want a pet sitter for their pets when they are either going to work during the day or travelling out of the country (or town). The conventional way to address the care of pets when owners are travelling is to put the pets in a boarding facility. The disadvantage with this is that the pet is removed from the environment it is used to, taken to a crowded place, exposed to communicable diseases and sometimes due to the change of food, end up with gastrointestinal problems. These issues have to be taken care of by the pet owners when they pick up their pets usually at a steep cost. Veterinary students usually would want to gain some experience on how to care for and handle pets especially if they come from homes that did not have pets. Being our intended main source of pet sitters, they would gain this experience while at the same time earn some money for upkeep.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your project intends to provide (at least 3).

1. Peace of mind to pet owners 2. Reduce indirect costs incurred as a result of pets boarding in kennels 3. Employment opportunities to pet sitters who will mainly be students 4. Recommendations on pet nutrition and medical care from our partner organizations

01.04 Please describe who exactly your project is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

1. Pet owners mainly those who have to send their pets to daycare or boarding facilities because of work or other commitments 2. Pet sitters who will mainly be veterinary students (not exclusive) who intend to practice their pet handling skills while earning an income

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2024-03-01

01.06 How many other partners are associated with your business venture?

None yet

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

0

01.08 Please describe the profile of each of the other partners (skills, experience, etc.)

I am a small animal veterinary surgeon and I intend to acquire the services of a web developer to make the application and the services of the veterinary association of which I am a member to train and certify the pet sitters.

01.09 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link here:

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

h) IT (digital services, equipment and software)

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

By providing employment opportunities to pet sitters

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

3

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

02.03.01 My project contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

3

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

3

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

All pet sitters will be provided an equal opportunity to offer their services regardless of their gender

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

2

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

2

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

02.08.01 My project contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

4

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

4

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

2

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

6

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

By providing at home pet sitting services, we ensure that both humans and pets get to experience the best environments for their wellbeing

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

4

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

3

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

2

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

02.16.01 My project contributes to the Peace justice and strong institutions goal

2

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

2

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

05.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.02 The product/service we envision creating represents an entirely new type of product/service.

4

05.03 The product/service we envision creating could be described as a new technology.

4

05.04 The product/service we envision creating is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.05 The product/service we envision creating could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

6

05.06 The product/service we envision creating responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

6

05.07 The product/service we envision creating is a new version of an old product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.08 Justification

05.09 Who are your main potential competitors and what makes you stand out from them?

Other individual offering pet sitting services. 95% of them offer these services informally through word of mouth. We will offer an easily accessible public platform. We will also offer standardized training to all our pet sitters. The remaining 5% may offer formal services but they don't have an easily accessible public platform for pet owners to book the sitters.

10.06 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

Yes.