Nigeria - Startup under 3 years old

Describe your project or startup in a few words

A Renewable Energy (Solar Electricity) based solar mobile charging station. Aim: To offer affordable and premium services for charging electronic gadgets, including phones, MP3 players, rechargeable batteries, power banks, laptops, etc.

01.01 Describe your startup in more detail

Brand Name: Quick Charge Services Nature of Business: Renewable Energy (Solar Electricity) Aim: To offer affordable and premium services for charging electronic gadgets, including phones, MP3 players, rechargeable batteries, power banks, laptops, etc. Competitive Advantage: Affordable Pricing: Our rates (N100, N150 per device) are significantly lower than those of other vendors (N200, N300). Low Running Costs: We eliminate expenses related to fuel and generator maintenance. Ease of Operation: Automated systems like solar charge controllers and inverters handle most functions, reducing manual intervention. Our engineering and design team has over four years of experience in electronics engineering, allowing us to eventually replace purchased inverters and chargeBusiness Projects / Plan: Our target areas are both rural and urban communities with limited electricity supplyBusiness Projects / Plan: Our target areas are both rural and urban communities with limited electricity supply

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

Help people in communities and areas without access to electricity affordable means to charge their mobile phones using solar Energy. Nigerian are the highest users of cell phone and yet we're the 4th most energy poverty striken country. This provides opportunity for our business. We have visited communities that see electricity twice in a month or not at all. In summary 1)Creation of Job 2)Make charging cellphone affordable and accessible

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

1) Reduce cost of charging cell phones : currently cost account for 50% of daily expenses of a phone charging vendor. Using solar we reduce the cost of charging cellphones phones. 2) mobility : fuel generator for charging phones are noisy most time and can be allowed in most places . Using mobile solar charging stations , we can reach out to academic institution ,GRAs etc . 3) scalability and management : currently the business generates 130k /month just from one charging unit. 40 to 35 % of this money is paid to the sales person . If we scale this up and with proper management we can generate enough cash flow in the business, employ more people . Hence creating micro businesses and job in the society In summary 1) Affordable and accesible phone charging 2) Creation of job and micro businesses

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

1)Communities that do not have access to steady electricity 2) Traveller and business people

01.05 When was your company established?

2023-09-05

01.06 Are you already selling your product/service?

Yes

01.07 How many other owners are there within your startup?

1

01.08 Among the other owners, how many are female?

0

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

Name : Somto David Uzodinma Email : assured160@gmail.com Years of Professional Experience :4years , 2020 till date I studied Electrical engineering in the university of Nigeria from 2017 to 2023. I have skills in embedded system development, so i do digital elctronics designs for my clients ,that's been a major source of funding for my innovation. Also in 2022 I and my team won a 1 million naira grant in a competition where we were tasked to solve an energy problem in Nigeria using a very innovative approach. So we designed a portable hydro generator that can convert water running from roofs and low water head sources to charge security light batteries and other low power applications, voila ! We won ! ☺️. The money we took a part of it developed prototype for our solar based charging system for mobile phone .September 2023 ,we launched our first prototype into the market. I have interest on developing solutions

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

https://www.linkedin.com/in/somto-uzodinma-621977227

01.11 Which industry best describes your project?

a) Energy (equipment, services, sustainable energy and fuel)

02.01.01 My startup contributes to the No poverty goal

6

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification for my startup

Our micro business employs mostly women as our sales agent , creating passive income jobs and reducing poverty. As more solar charging units are established more jobs are created

02.02.01 My startup contributes to the Zero hunger goal

5

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification for my startup

Creating job opportunity means our employees have money to buy at aleast food or save up for something they eventually move on with later on in life.

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

2

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

02.04.01 My startup contributes to the Quality education goal

3

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification for my startup

02.05.01 My startup contributes to the Gender equality goal

5

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification for my startup

Our micro business factors in young boys , girl and women especially in rural communities. This way we give them access to side hustle.

02.06.01 My startup contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

2

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification for my startup

02.07.01 My startup contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification for my startup

Using solar Energy reduces both noise and air pollution.

02.08.01 My startup contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

5

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification for my startup

Creation of microbusinesses like this will help less privileged in the society especially women to earn side income .

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

Yes it's already doing that already in two communities we launched the product . Solar is quite novel in many place in africa especially Nigeria,. Usingsolar to charge mobile phone creates awareness and brings home direct applications of renewable energy . This will also spark interest of young people especially entrepreneurs in these innovative approach we've used.

02.10.01 My startup contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

4

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification for my startup

02.11.01 My startup contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

6

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification for my startup

People now have cheaper to charge their mobile phones

02.12.01 My startup contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

4

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification for my startup

02.13.01 My startup contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification for my startup

Reduce noise and air pollution from using fuel generator

02.14.01 My startup contributes to the Life below water goal

2

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification for my startup

02.15.01 My startup contributes to the Life on land goal

3

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification for my startup

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

3

02.16.02 Peace Justice and Strong Institutions- Justification for my startup

02.17.01 My startup contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

6

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification for my startup

As seen in previous entries we achieved about 5 sdg goals by creating this micro business

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

6

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

5

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

7 - Strongly Agree

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.

7 - Strongly Agree

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.

5

06.08 Justification for my startup

Already , this is an existing ,What we are doing different here is providing affordable and stable means of rendering mobile phone charging services , then scaling it up into its hundreds in different locations and versions as it suits those location in Nigeria and beyond

06.09 Competitive Analysis

Competitive Advantage: Affordable Pricing: Our rates (N100, N150 per device) are significantly lower than those of other vendors (N200, N300). Low Running Costs: We eliminate expenses related to fuel and generator maintenance. Ease of Operation: Automated systems like solar charge controllers and inverters handle most functions, reducing manual intervention. Our engineering and design team has over five years of experience in electronics engineering, allowing us to eventually replace purchased inverters and charge controllers with our own designs. This will further reduce overhead costs for new installations.

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

Yes , charity starts from home. We intentional included in our team of 4 persons, a female , and she is paid weekly. Also all our sales rep are the female gender, recieving fair play. We hire young girls who just finished their secondary school and hustling for money to Enroll in a university. In our interview we enquire about their background and find ways to support them to reach their goals