D2

Solution Pitch

The Problem

With a youth population of around 52 million, Bangladesh stands to benefit from a “demographic dividend,” making it attractive for outside investment. However, if a large segment of the Bangaldeshi population cannot find employment and earn a decent living, they risk becoming a source of social and political instability or a “demographic time bomb.” Currently, youth unemployment makes up 80 percent of total unemployment in Bangladesh. 

The Solution

D2 ("Dignity and Data") is a mobile-based crowdsourcing platform connecting unemployed youth from low-income backgrounds with meaningful work that can be completed using inexpensive smartphones and an internet connection. 

A user registers as a D2 agent by installing an Android app, creating a profile, and completing an assessment. A registered agent can then select data collection tasks to work on in the app. The tasks are created by business customers looking to answer critical questions that require capturing data directly from the ground. After successfully completing a task, an agent is paid through mobile money. 

A typical D2 agent makes $12 per hour, 70 percent higher than the national average. The D2 app works on even the most low-end of Android smartphones and in offline conditions.

Stats 

A D2 user makes twice the income of an average salaried employee in Bangladesh by working half the time.

Market Opportunity

The global market research industry is worth $47 billion. In Bangladesh alone, companies spend $225 million on market research every year. D2 provides its customers with high-quality, ground-level information nearly 70 percent faster than traditional research companies, allowing its customers to respond rapidly to changing market conditions. D2 plans to scale its agent network to be able to collect near real-time data from anywhere in Bangladesh and eventually, the rest of the world. 

Organization Goals

• Reduce barriers to entry for users from lower income groups by offering zero-rated access to Android app and providing smartphones for free or at a heavily discounted rate

• Recruit more female users by leveraging new and traditional media platforms, and through community engagement

• Implement automated quality control processes using machine learning

Partnership Goals 

D2 currently seeks: 

• To expand client base to provide more opportunities to users

• To recruit more female agents

• To find creative ways to engage users on the platform