Indulge Accessibility

Indulge Me is a marketplace for cultural experiences, focusing on the inhabitants of the outskirts of Brasília, Rio, and Recife. We provide online training to service providers in order to enhance communication accessibility. IBGE data show that a significant portion of the Brazilian population has some type of disability with a high degree, in addition to those who have a mild degree and who may, throughout life, have their situation aggravated.

We partner with Vouver Acessibilidade, a leading company in the development of solutions for disabled people. These disabled professionals help us develop new tools and content to improve the marketplace that runs on an app. 

All Indulge Me app services should be linked to one of the 17 SDGs. In addition to online activities, the app is able to provide face-to-face experiences that are crafted by professionals to provide a better experience to disabled and non-disabled customers.

At Indulge Me, we believe that the private sector represents the most efficient way to achieve the SDGs, as the reach of our partner enterprises goes far beyond the boundaries of any government or nation.

Our mission is to become the South American platform for experiences, enabling local communities to use their time and knowledge to earn a living by generating new sources of income from their unique knowledge. 

Historically, people with disabilities have been mistakenly marked by pejorative adjectives that place them in the violent condition of incapable beings. Mere training attitudes (discrimination, prejudice, violence) can be verified if we reflect on most job offers for people with disabilities. Most of them are underemployed only to meet a legal requirement to have people with disabilities in large companies. 

Contrary to this trend, we present solutions that make it possible for people with disabilities to be protagonists of their own ideas as possible service providers in the experience environment, which aims to be a network to also promote undertakings committed to communication accessibility and inclusion.

With regard to communication accessibility, we propose to provide accessible solutions in the application of a marketplace of experiences so that people with visual impairments and deaf people can access and feed the content on the platform.

Initially, the platform will be adapted by the developer team with the support of consultants with disabilities. The objective is to guarantee the autonomy and empowerment of the users through the programming of the system that is compatible with the screen reader programs used by people who are blind or have low vision. 

In addition to navigability, contrast features will be made available to control font size, contrast, color change. Another solution is to insert an alternative text tool in the application in which it is possible to insert the audio description of the posted images. As for the accessibility of deaf people, a “space” will be made available in which there is the possibility for advertisers to post videos with the translation / interpretation in Libra of their content.

These solutions enable the creation of an inclusive environment for advertisers and customers, leveraging, above all, the entrepreneurial bias of people with disabilities who aren't able to carry out their projects and businesses.

It is both a legal obligation and a human right for people with disabilities to be able to access information, services and opportunities offered through the partnership between the startups Indulge Me and Vouver Acessibilidade.

Our mission is to become the South American platform for experiences, enabling local communities and people with disabilities to use their time and knowledge to earn a living by generating new sources of income. 

We think of the equitable use of apps as a principle that promotes us to think about users with different abilities. Pedagogically, tutorials will be made available to guide users to the importance of communication accessibility, with tips and alternatives that seek to inspire inclusive attitudes through audio description of images and the availability of Libras of textual content in addition to other assistive technologies to promote communicational accessibility both in platform as in your daily life of entrepreneurs.

When we provide choices for your users, they will feel more free and more in control of their experience with your information. But overall, we are looking more deeply at our relationship as humans with desabled professionals and how we interact with our social environment.

In Brazil there are 46 million people have at least a slight degree of disability. Considering only those who have great or total difficulty to see, hear, walk or climb stairs, in addition to those who declared they have mental or intellectual disabilities, we have more than 12.5 million Brazilians with disability, which corresponds to 6.7% of the population. Therefore, urgent measures are necessary to promote accessibility in different contexts and repair the historical exclusion that people with disabilities are subjected to, in addition to providing opportunities for them to have their own enterprises.

In the next few years, the changing landscape of travel and personal communications will lead to significant opportunities for services worldwide. The travel industry is plummeting due to the spread of the COVID 19. At Indulge me, we see this global phenomenon as an opportunity. Our short-time goal is to promote cultural experiences within the customers´ experience area of residence. 

We have also learned that the greatest challenge in the experience economy is cost-related for many businesses that wish to promote services and market them in Latin America. We have developed an app to provide access to the global cultural and gastronomical network, to Brazilian clients at a very competitive cost. 

We can´t think of a world where I am not related to cultural activities in a business-driven society. Other than being a goal, we appreciate the demand for the curating processes, logistics, and the multiple ways of regarding how architecture, design, and marketing correlate to the construction of experiences, which in our way of thinking should be so surprising that it almost achieves the status of an epiphany. 

For validating purposes, we create the app with rapid prototyping technologies. On the client side the app is done with Ionic. On the server side we use Python with a MySQL database on a docker container in the AWS cloud.

At the moment the app does not have functionalities for people with disabilities, but we have been testing some technologies to start integrating them.

For blind persons we’ll use text to speech technologies, like Google Cloud Text-to-Speech. For deaf persons, we’ll integrate Hand Talk Libras technology and for people with varying degrees of visual impairment we’ll use app interface customization, like font size, contrast and colors.

To achieve the maximum flexibility on the app, we’ll rewrite the entire app with the Flutter technology. On the server side we’ll rewrite it to create an App Engine server application. This will give complete availability in all traffic scenarios. Data will be stored in the DataStore, the Google NoSQL database.

Here are links to projects developed with the core technologies mentioned in our pitch:

Flutter is the Google framework for multiplatform apps.

Google Cloud Text-to-Speech is a Google service for text to speech technology.

Hand Talk is an assistant for Libras.

Google App Engine is the solution for build highly scalable applications on a fully managed serverless platform.

That´s why we partner with Vouver Acessibilidade. Their contribution is to point out the problems and needs so that Indulge Me developers can solve them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZPWKZG8yXU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0PYjHMn-Q8

Activities

At Ingulge Me, we have identified cultural, well-being, and gastronomic experiences as an economic sector capable of generating revenue and jobs within local, underserved communities in Latin America. 

We initially designed this economic model to support the theory that experiences are excellent means through which local communities can generate revenue, create jobs, and have their environments protected. We learned through the validation process that a sustainable trip with high quality needs creates more traction than some of the smart deals we see today on the internet. The solution is a B2C marketplace, but there are several opportunities regarding the B2B offering.

Outputs

As long as we can transfer the benefit and the extra values to our clients we can keep our business model. But we also learned from 121 interviews that the forms of traveling are changing to individualized trips and short trips with friends. Most of the organized travelers will look for a kind of basic trip and design around their individual needs.

Short Term Outcomes

Our business model is adapting to the COVID 19 reality. In order to stay relevant we will have to move in two directions: closer to our 700 customers to be able to give the unique and customized services that differentiate us from the other players on the internet and at the same time closer to our incoming 250 service offerers with whom we have to work more strongly together in order to create services that are matching the needs of the traveler better and better.

Long Term Outcomes 

Create an ecosystem for 250 entrepreneurs with disabilities who are able to provide experiences in two Brazilian states (Rio de Janeiro and Amazonas) and the Federal District. Create 75 jobs to local mediators, mentors and professionals with disabilities who will work on a team of experts in assistive technologies for startups across Latin America.

Current number of people we’re serving: 120 clients, 07 B2B service providers on the app, and 04 developers.

Number of people we’ll serve in a year: 1000 clients, 150 B2B service providers on the app, 10 consultants with disabilities, 12 team members. 

Number of people we’ll serve in a year: 18000 clients, 1400 B2B service providers on the plataform/app, 60 consultants with disabilities, 180 team members.

At Ingulge Me, we have identified cultural, well-being, and gastronomic experiences as an economic sector capable of generating revenue and jobs within local, underserved communities in Latin America. 

We initially designed this economic model to support the theory that experiences are excellent means through which local communities can generate revenue, create jobs, and have their environments protected. We learned through the validation process that a sustainable trip with high quality needs creates more traction than some of the smart deals we see today on the internet. 

As long as we can transfer the benefit and the extra values to our clients we can keep our business model. But we also learned from 121 interviews that the forms of traveling are changing to individualized trips and short trips with friends. Most of the organized travelers will look for a kind of basic trip and design around their individual needs.

Our business model is adapting to the COVID 19 reality. In order to stay relevant we will have to move in two directions: closer to our customers to be able to give the unique and customized services that differentiate us from the other players on the internet and at the same time closer to our incoming offerers with whom we have to work more strongly together in order to create services that are matching the needs of the traveler better and better.

Understanding the methodologies behind how data has been collected and what it means has been a difficult process. Fortunately, we have developed substitute approaches and alternate solutions that allow us to overcome many of these challenges. 

When data sets, such as the customer archetype, it was possible to use data and develop models from customers with similar demographic and economic characteristics. We also use data-scraping off Google Forms or publicly available resources that allowed us to extract information that may not otherwise be available.

Amid so many doubts, a greater question stands out: this constancy in the pandemic extension does not open space for a prejudiced and recurrent view of the person with disabilities as just an outcast from society who shouldn't be taken seriously? It does not just reinforce insane stigma of these citizens who know how to be great in their perception of the world? 

There is a need for a truce for disabled entrepreneurs so that we can see them through other biases and this further amplifies our speech in power, in addition to the pragmatic vision of the "winner takes everything"; very common in the interpretation of startups of the beginning of the 21st century.

Perhaps all these questions will come to my mind from the place where I speak: of someone who has already been able to follow a theatrical process that resulted in my belief in changing the system, launching a startup that will certainly reverberate in the 2020s.

01 Indulge Me Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

01Indulge Me Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

01 Indulge Me Chief Experience Officer (CXO) 

01 Accessibility Coordination 

01 Executive Producer 

01 Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) speaking deaf consultant

01 Oralized Deaf Consultant

01 Blind Consultant

01 Consultant With Low Vision

03 Audio Description Professionals

03 Libras Interpreters

01 Video Recording Technician

01 Audio Recording and Editing Technician

In regards to the feasibility of the project Indulge Accessibility, we will need to locate a recording studio. The studio can be substituted by a software licence, a professional microphone, and a PC.

Accessibility is a broad concept that calls us to think about diversity, and we started out by investigating the creative potential of this universe in the performing arts. What other issues emerge from this context? 

In 2018, I was working as a curator for the Brazilian Social Service of Commerce (Sesc) when I was struck by an arts accessibility project during the Palco Giratório Festival, a national performing arts project that travels the country with 20 performning arts groups, and formative activities. That's how I came across the work of Vouver Acessibilidade, our main partner in Solve. 

Audio description, as an accessibility resource for the enjoyment of the show, was preferably inserted in the silent intervals of the scenes. It was up to the audio-mediator to choose the most relevant visual aspects of the performances that would be narrated to audience with disabilities. 

A great challenge, given the visual power of the show in a short time. During the phase of experimentation, we had to think about strategies, bridges to access the poetic and visual universe of the work more broadly. So, we proposed a mediation action with spectators of the audio description, minutes before the show began. Mediation was inspired by the work's aesthetic elements, exacerbated senses and description as a possible awakening of actions and movements that could be experienced in the body itself.

This vast research was the tip of the iceberg of our main theme in this solution: the humanization of technological devices.

As a team solution we have already carried out 28 activities for independent producers, cultural and governmental institutions in Brazil such as Sesc, Caixa Cultural, Itaú Cultural, PE Public Ministry,Chesf, SEBRAE, and the Government of Pernambuco. Check the partnership program on this link. 

Customer Problems

IndulgeMe developed a niche marketplace related to cultural, gastronomical and health-related activities to help travelers find unique experiences in Latin America that exacerbate its unique heritage.

My customers can´t find tailor-made experiences related to culture, gastronomy, and well-being activities.

01- Transaction Fee Model (One revenue model)

Indulge Me business model matches the demand for people looking for a travel experience with supply from partners around the world providing travel accommodations and experiences. When this match is created the startup collects commission from partners and consumers. The non-hotel revenue comprises experiences, restaurants, and health-related activities.

Indulge Me receives commissions from two sources upon every booking, namely from the offerers and customers. For every booking, we charge the customer 6-12% of the booking fee.

Our medium ticket is US$ 15 for a one-hour online experience.

 02- Subscription Model

Making money with two simple plans: basic and premium, giving access to two experiences (basic) during the year and sending a package with surprise gifts form selected gastronomic partners.

US$ 1,99 and US$ 4,99 per month for two simple plans: basic and premium, giving access to two experiences (basic) during the year and giving access to two experiences and also sending a package with surprise gifts form selected gastronomic partners during the holiday season (premium).

03- Advertising and Other Revenues

Those comprise revenues from:

For sending referrals to customers and advertising placements on the app;
For reservation fees, and subscription fees;
For advertising on IndulgeMe website;
Branded accommodation marketing and business analytics service.

Indulge Me is founded on the principle of helping put people in contact with local service providers, thus developing meaningful cultural ties. The main revenue shall come through the app, whereas the website is the communication tool that catapults the customer to the online marketplace. 

Small businessmen and women in mid-size cities and small towns will be encouraged to join the Indulge Me marketplace as long as they are in consonance with our approach towards organic foods, traditional cultural heritage, responsible management of natural resources and other factors related to the 17 SDGs.   

In addition to our seven online activities, the app is already capable of delivering experience in loco, including short-term rental features for overnight stay on the experience locations, during the post-pandemic period. Our twelve-month goal is to reach 600 customers, with monthly revenue of US$ 16.000,00, and 400 service providers, B2B. During our validation process, we´ve identified 239 activities carried out in ateliers, art galleries and residences of regional gastronomy specialists that are not listed in any marketplaces.

We count on a networking forged over ten years ahead of cultural activities of Sesc DF and the Chamber of Creative Economy of Fecomércio DF. Our team: Leo Braga, CEO; Francisco Idelson,Chief Experience Officer (CXO), and Miguel Garcia, our Founder Institute Brasília colleague, CTO.

At IndulgeMe, being committed to one of the 17 SDGs isn´t any extra effort. This is part of our core business. Our CEO has been developing a nationwide network for the last ten years, as part of an on going curatorial process that started in the Brazilian Social Service of Commerce (Sesc). 

On the other hand, well-known experience marketplaces are present in major Latin American cities, but they are not able to contemplate the profusion of cultural services in small Latin American towns. 

Through a validation process, we learned that the cultural experience is indeed the most attractive feature of a planned leisure trip, representing 78.5% of the customers´wish list of desirable things to do, followed by natural wonders (67,1%), historic architecture (50,7%) and traditional gastronomy (49,3%). Adding to that, our competitors’ don´t reach out to most middle-size Brazilian cities and have very little penetration in small towns in Latin American. 

The consumers in the 2020s are responding with several changes of their own. Whether it’s the demand for radically-transparent SDGs practices, a prioritization of experiences and self-actualization over owning “stuff,” or a growing desire for healthier lifestyles, the empowered individuals are forcing today’s companies to adapt. This growing self-awareness also means that consumers are increasingly mindful in selecting the experiences that they choose to participate in.    

We believe that the Solve Challenge is a great opportunity to exchange knowledge and refine our networking in a deeply divided society.  

Indulge Me is a marketplace where customers can discover unique experiences. Local hosts can be individuals or independent businesses. Experiences are activities designed and led by inspiring locals, who participate in mentoring processes to enhance the level of accessibility of their our projects online and off-line. 

Indulge Me is founded on the principle of helping put people in contact with local offerers, thus developing meaningful cultural ties. 

We go beyond by immersing guests in a unique world where all active businesses on the app have to pass through the approval of specialized curators to participate in the marketplace.

Our best possible partners would be institutions and companies specialized in the following subjects:

1- Tourism Mobility & Accessibility;

3- Gamified Tours & Augmented Reality;

4- Waze for Bikes & Psychogeography;

4- The Ethics of Data in the Hospitality Business.

We think that to change a destination as a whole a framework of cooperation needs to be created between the players and stakeholders in the tourist sector. Cooperation obviously depends on a willingness to communicate. 

With the GM Prize on Good Jobs our company would be able to enhance our activities, creating a version of the “Disabled Acess Day” in Brazil, an initiative to promote the implementation of B2B agreements on accessible itineraries in small towns in Latin America. Thus integrating disability into tourism for the general public and making the population more aware of the rights of handicapped people are key steps for making positive change.