Nigeria - Startup under 3 years old

Describe your project or startup in a few words

A platform that connects fashion designers and brands with African fashion artists to inspire collaboration for optimum creativity, productivity, and exposure.

01.01 Describe your startup in more detail

Due to the scarcity of job prospects and exposure for African fashion artists to grow their clientele, some end up settling for less on generic freelance sites or working as in-house designers. Others venture into different creative avenues to make ends meet, drifting away from their true passion. Conversely, fashion brands and designers, whether local or global, are on the hunt for a hub where they can effortlessly link up with skilled African artists. They seek to collaborate on culture-infused and trendy collections but struggle to locate these hidden gems. Suuave is a specialized platform enabling fashion designers and brands to engage, network, and collaborate with talented African fashion artists through streamlined tools and a user-friendly interface. Suuave aims to expand African fashion, similar to Netflix and Amazon Prime's globalization of Nollywood and South African cinema and how Spotify, YouTube Music and Apple Music spread Afrobeats and Amapiano.

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

The inefficiency and lack of access within the fashion design industry, specifically regarding collaboration between fashion designers/brands and skilled African fashion artists. - African fashion artists face limited job opportunities; often working inadequately on freelance platforms or as in-house designers. - Limited exposure poses a hindrance to the expansion of African fashion artists' clientele, impeding easy accessibility for fashion designers and brands. - Fashion designers and brands frequently encounter creative blocks that impede productivity. - African fashion artists encounter discrimination and challenges on generic freelance platforms such as Upwork and Fiverr, often stemming from biased perceptions regarding their proficiency and artistic capabilities. - Location hinders collaboration between international designers and African artists. - Existing methods for collaboration are time-consuming and lack adequate effective communication tools.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your startup provides (at least 3).

FOR FASHION ARTISTS - Increased Visibility and Exposure - Greater Earning Potential - Simplified Client Communication and Collaboration - Streamlined Workflow and Project Management - Price Determination (For Pricing Advantage) - No Application Letter Or Letter of Proposal - Low Commission Fees - Promotion and Incentives - Copyright Protection - No Discrimination FOR FASHION DESIGNERS/BRANDS - Enhanced Creativity and Innovation - Access to a Global Talent Pool - Simplified Project Management - Improved Efficiency and Speed - Quality Assurance - Offer (Readily Available Designs) - Reward Programs & Promotions

01.04 Please describe who exactly your startup’s product/service is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

AFRICAN FASHION ARTISTS • Established Artists • Emerging Talents • Specialists in Different Styles (e.g., technical flats, editorial illustration, etc.) FASHION DESIGNERS & BRANDS • High-end Labels • Independent Designers • Fast-fashion Companies • Product Development Teams

01.05 When was your company established?

2023-05-12

01.06 Are you already selling your product/service?

No

01.07 How many other owners are there within your startup?

2

01.08 Among the other owners, how many are female?

2

01.09 Please describe the profile of the other owners within your startup (skills, experience, etc.)

- Ibrahim Hamzat O. (Founder, CEO) HND, Computer Science Business/Data Analyst, Copywriter & Researcher Founder, Utopia Nurseries and Gardening Store Founder, Between The Covers (A Non-Profit Organisation for Nigerian Bibliophiles) Monitoring and Evaluation, Power Tech Office Administration and IT Assistant, Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (Internship) Microwave/Transmission Engineer, Frequency Telekoms (Industrial Training) - Femi Bandele (Co-founder, CTO) BE, Electrical & Electronics Engineering Software Engineer (Full Stack) Founder, My Aboki (A digital platform for buying and selling FX) Full-Stack Mobile Developer, Surge Freelancer

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

www.suuave.com https://x.com/SuuaveFTx https://www.instagram.com/suuaveftx https://www.linkedin.com/in/suuave-ftx-b29215278/

01.11 Which industry best describes your project?

Other: Fashion or Creative

02.01.01 My startup contributes to the No poverty goal

5

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification for my startup

By creating economic opportunities for skilled African fashion artists and also enhancing productivity for the designers and brands, we empower them to earn a sustainable income and lift themselves out of poverty. This can have a ripple effect, improving the lives of their families and communities.

02.02.01 My startup contributes to the Zero hunger goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification for my startup

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

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification for my startup

02.04.01 My startup contributes to the Quality education goal

5

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification for my startup

- Our platform potentially creates a demand for skilled artists, which could incentivize educational institutions or training programs to focus on or develop relevant skills for aspiring illustrators in the fashion industry. - We also look forward to continuous collaboration with fashion schools or design programs in Africa to offer workshops, training sessions, or portfolio review opportunities on our platform. - We shall be developing or curating educational resources accessible through our platform, such as tutorials, best practices, or industry insights. - We shall feature success stories of artists who leveraged educational opportunities to thrive.

02.05.01 My startup contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification for my startup

- With data analytics, we would track the demographics of our users and highlight the percentage of female artists who find success through our platform. Although. the industry is predominated by women. - We shall facilitate mentorship opportunities, connecting experienced artists (including women) with aspiring talent. This can empower female artists and foster a supportive community.

02.06.01 My startup contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification for my startup

02.07.01 My startup contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification for my startup

02.08.01 My startup contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

7 - Strongly Agree

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification for my startup

- Creating Income Opportunities: Connecting African fashion artists with local and international brands provides them with a platform to showcase their talent and earn a living. - Empowering Women and Youth: The fashion industry is a significant employer of women, and our platform empowers female African fashion artists and extensively helps female-owned brands and other female fashion professionals. - Promoting Decent Work: Fostering collaboration and clear agreements between designers and artists, it can encourage fair working conditions within the fashion industry.

02.09.01 My startup contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

7 - Strongly Agree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification for my startup

- Promoting Innovation: By facilitating collaboration between designers and artists from different backgrounds and with different skill sets, we encourage creative innovation within the fashion industry. - Sustainable Industrialization: We shall contribute to a more sustainable fashion industry by promoting ethical sourcing and production practices, as we look forward to integrating more features and functionalities into our product in the long term. - Digital Infrastructure: This is one of the huge gaps in the African fashion industry despite its growing market and potential. Our product serves as a bridge that connects our users to create chic collections.

02.10.01 My startup contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification for my startup

- Cultivating a dynamic network to foster collaborative efforts, nurturing both artistic and business development. - Promoting cultural exchange within the continent and globally. - Job creation, income opportunities and skill development. - Boost of Africa's exports by connecting fashion artists with international fashion brands to bridge the economic gap between developed and developing countries. - Attraction of investment, and fostering a culture of innovation within the tech sector. - Increase of consumer interest and market growth.

02.11.01 My startup contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification for my startup

02.12.01 My startup contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification for my startup

02.13.01 My startup contributes to the Climate action goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification for my startup

02.14.01 My startup contributes to the Life below water goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification for my startup

02.15.01 My startup contributes to the Life on land goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification for my startup

02.16.01 My startup contributes to the Peace Justice and Strong Institutions goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.16.02 Peace Justice and Strong Institutions- Justification for my startup

02.17.01 My startup contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

5

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification for my startup

- The core of our business model is built on fostering partnerships between fashion designers/brands and African fashion artists. This directly contributes to SDG 17 by promoting collaboration and knowledge exchange across borders and sectors. - We have existing partnership with a top fashion artist and designer who will assist us in providing skills development for to further enhance their employability and business growth. We are in talks with other prospective partners in the legal profession to serve as assist in product development and also help our users on Intellectual Property protection.

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

5

06.02 The product/service represents an entirely new type of product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.03 The product/service could be described as a new technology.

4

06.04 The product/service is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.05 The product/service could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

5

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

7 - Strongly Agree

06.07 The product/service is a new version of an old product/service.

1 - Strongly Disagree

06.08 Justification for my startup

Even though we acknowledge our competitors who are global giants, what we do is ultimately unique, as it caters to the a large specific industry industry . We carried out intensive research on our competitors to learn their strengths and weaknesses. We also learnt from the users of the platform to learn about their likes and dislikes.

06.09 Competitive Analysis

Our main competitors are Upwork, Fiverr, 99designs and Truelancer. We decided to play detective and peek into the competitive world of our market to up our game and get cozy in the creative universe. Our competitive advantages are: - An exclusive market that focuses solely on African fashion, offering a unique and targeted talent pool. - Streamlined process to simplify collaboration and communication. - Copyright Protection: to grant illustrators full control over how their work and prevent unauthorized use or theft of original work. - Enhanced onboarding process and support features for increased efficiency and reliability. - Authenticity, diversity and cultural exchange. - Community building via webinars, workshops, and contests to foster engagement and learning. - Fair and Mutual pricing that benefits both parties. - Verification in the sign-up and collaboration process to ensure high-quality delivery.

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

Yes. I founded a book club, which also acts as a non-profit service organisation, to bring together, forward-thinking individuals of diverse backgrounds and ethnicities, without age or gender restriction, to develop the mental strength of the people and bring tremendous reforms to the face of education in Nigeria. Our startup deals in an industry that is predominated by women, and we look forward to serving and empowering them.