Kenya - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

We are building a social commerce platform to empower small scale businesses to quickly and affordably establish a credible digital visibility. Businesses will benefit by being able to get online faster and benefit from having a digital visibility.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

Mtaa Mall is a business listing platform infused with a social commerce approach in its structuring, functionality and presentation. Businesses sign up to list on the platform. During the sign up, they include details of their business such as the name, location, and any other social media details. Businesses are grouped into several categories based on the products or services they offer. A listing is then published based on the information provided. On shoppers side, people looking for businesses or products search on the platform. Users can also create an account. With an account, they can bookmark businesses and get to interact with them. Businesses can enhance their offering by selecting from a range of business tools and premium offerings. Business tools encompass features that help the business manage its customers better and improve their experience. With premium offerings, the businesses can improve the level of engagement with their clients.

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

Small scale businesses face a myriad of challenges that hamper their ability to remain sustainable. For this reason, many businesses end up closing shop, resulting in unemployment for those affected by the closure. Some of the challenges that businesses face include a harsh tax climate, unpredictable policy environments, and high cost of living. The result is that they do not have adequate resources to invest in the variety of business activities that would help promote their effectiveness. These resources include capital, money, time and technical skills. In an attempt to improve their business outcomes, many small businesses have turned to digital communication tools to find customers. Without a proper understanding of the various platforms, however, or simply due to their design as social media tools, these platforms do not always enhance business outcomes. Mtaa Mall is designed specifically with small businesses in mind. Our unique approach empowers small businesses to get online

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

Credible digital visibility - Small businesses are able to quickly set up a credible digital visibility that makes it easier for potential shoppers and clients to find them. This increased visibility widens their pool of potential clients, providing an opportunity to increase their revenues. Enhanced customer engagement experience - Through our platform, businesses have an opportunity to enhance the engagement experience for their customers. They can do so by taking advantage of our engagement tools such as a landing page and chat features. Improved business outcomes - Our platform provides a variety of methods which businesses can leverage on to enhance their business outcomes. Through the business tools, they can create greater value for their customers. Secondly, our advertising model enhances visibility and provides increased targeting hence businesses perceive more value for the money spent on advertising. Businesses can also take advantage of the social capital they generate.

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

Our project is targeted at small businesses that are looking to increase their competitive advantage through a more strategic online presence. These are businesses that recognize the value of implementing a digital visibility strategy, but face the challenge of either cost, complexity, or time involved in creating digital visibility. They may have a Facebook page and a Whatsapp group,

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?

2

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

1

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

The partners are my software development partners who are handling the platform creation process. Firstly, there is Gregory, who is a computer science student and a tech enthusiast. He has gone through the ALX academy course, and is therefore well versed in modern development processes. He has about 10 months of development experience. The second partner is Anita, who is also a software developer. An alumni of Moringa School, she injects strength into the team based on her understanding of modern development practices.

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

6

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

As a startup, our goal is to empower businesses to be more sustainable in their operations. In so doing, we empower economic growth and job creation. Businesses are able to raise the GDP of the nation, families are able to feed themselves, and shoppers are able to attain products conveniently and at affordable prices. In this manner, our startup contributes to the eradication of poverty.

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

4

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

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

4

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

5

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

Our platform will feature opportunities for learning, with the goal of empowering small business owners and those using our platform to become more proficient in their use of social media and other digital communication tools.

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

6

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

Many of the small businesses we are targeting are owned and run by women. A good proportion of the employees in these businesses are also young women. For instance, one of the categories we are targeting for our pilot phase is eateries. Many of these, such as the local kibandas are operated by women. Another category that we will be targeting is grooming services. These include salons, barbershops and spas. As with the previous category, a sizable proportion of those working in this sector are women. By empowering these businesses to become more sustainable in their operations, our startup directly contributes to the attainment of the gender equality goal.

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

3

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

02.08.01 My project contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

7 - Strongly Agree

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification

We empower businesses to become more sustainable in their operations, by leveraging on the power of digital communication tools. When businesses are sustainable, they are able to provide an improved business working environment for their employees. These businesses can also diversify their offering, and in the process, create even more employment opportunities. Finally, when businesses are sustainable, the economic environment itself becomes more sustainable. Therefore, our primary aim of making businesses more sustainable in their operations leads to the attainment of decent work and economic growth goal.

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

6

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

Our startup is all about innovation. The kind of solution we are introducing is itself an innovation. We take on a new approach of business listing that combines the credibility and reliability associated with traditional listing approaches, and modernize it by invoking some of the best aspects of social media such as connecting and conversing. Businesses are able to connect with their shoppers better on a professional platform. They can have conversations and co-create solutions. On their part, shoppers are able to connect with other shoppers and form groups. They are able to share their experiences and recommend vendors.

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

5

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

By promoting economic growth, and helping to create a more stable economic environment, our startup helps to reduce inequality within countries.

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

6

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

Our startup is all about sustainability. We empower small businesses to become more sustainable. We also create a space where businesses and shoppers can come together and talk businesses. Moreover, our implementation model helps to drive connections within the community, by empowering shoppers to know about service providers within their locality who are offering the solutions that they are looking for. Our name "Mtaa Mall" is a sheng-derived variation which combines the sheng word for neighborhood, Mtaa, with the English word Mall. Thus, Mtaa Mall loosely translates to the Neighborhood Mall. We drive inclusiveness, business resilience and operation sustainability, ultimately leading to sustainable cities and communities.

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

3

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

3

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

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

3

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

4

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.

5

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.

6

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.

6

05.08 Justification

Our project is innovative not because it presents an entirely new product, but mostly because it improves on existing products. Business listing platforms are not a new thing. We have however, designed a unique implementation that combines the features associated with social commerce.

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

Our main competitors include e-commerce platforms, categorized advertising platforms, social media and other business listing platforms. All of these platforms facilitate businesses with an online space through which they can achieve visibility for their products or services. The main distinction of our platform from these other platforms is that we create a professional digital space where businesses can engage directly with the shopper. Businesses are able to achieve a more sustainable digital presence.

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

My main contribution in this regard mainly involves sharing links to opportunities.