N-Frnds' COVID-19 Solution

In developed countries, the majority of the population have smartphones/mobile data allowing governments & Ministries of Health (MOH) to respond to pandemics using flexible tools for instant implementation. Yet these tools are irrelevant for over 4 million people in developing countries lacking access to internet/mobile data. N-Frnds, with our unique platform (especially designed for developing countries) and strong global partnership with Microsoft have developed a targeted solution that fits the unique needs these governments and citizens. This involves a sophisticated hybrid messaging solution with searchable information and interactive communications, home-based care & diagnostics and basic case tracking. This allows MOH to monitor and take appropriate action in real time to respond to crises such as COVID-19 and is immediately expandable to general public health information for long-term solutions. It equips MOH with actionable data to manage pandemics with minimal disruption to the economy and people’s everyday lives.

Globally, over 4 million people are not connected to the internet and are thus precluded from digital services. The majority of these people are from developing countries. Therefore, tools used in developed countries to ‘flatten the curve’ (such as sharing real time updates, tracking potential carriers and warning the public of potential exposure) are not relevant for these communities. For example, in Indonesia, where the N-Frnds’ platform is currently being utilized, internet access sits at 56% and smartphone penetration sits at 24%- meaning that only a quarter of the population can potentially access such tools. Flattening the curve is particularity important in developing countries given their already limited resources and underequipped medical facilities. Effectively, this lack of smartphone penetration severely limits the government’s ability to deploy technologically efficient efforts to minimise the spread of diseases. Mobile operators with deep market penetration have tried to reach these communities but require mobile data/internet and MNO’S that do penetrate these markets are limited in technological capabilities and the nature of their business models. However, the N-Frnds platform allows for MOHs to communicate (share and receive information) with their citizens in real-time at no cost to the citizen, without requiring mobile data/smartphones.

N-Frnds together with Microsoft, a strategic partner of N-Frnds, has developed a set of digital tools tailored for the unique needs of developing country governments. Our solution offers governments/MOH an ability for monitoring, reporting and interacting with individuals and healthcare workers in urban and remote settings with no costs to citizens (no need for mobile data) in order to appropriately respond in real-time to the COVID-19 crisis.  

Our solution includes:

• A reliable channel of information enabling governments to provide clear messages to citizens (a sophisticated messaging solution with searchable information and interactive communications preventing ‘fake news’ spreading).
• Home-based Care & Diagnostics System 
• Basic Case Tracking 
• Advanced analytics and reporting

N-Frnds utilized the Microsoft Teams platform and transforms it into a “super app” for managing workforces, processes and digital ecosystems in developing countries. Teams becomes a solution designed for the specific needs of these markets, bringing all government employees, aid workers, stakeholder and citizens into one digital ecosystem that can be accessed via whichever channel they can afford (mobile App, web or USSD). This enables the management of communication, groups and processes even in remote areas while maintaining the same high standards of data security and privacy required by governments.

Our solution aids individuals at the base of the economic pyramid in developing countries. In Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa the digitally excluded population is 70% and 80% respectively. These people cannot access technological services which the developed world are benefiting from during the COVID-19 crisis. N-Frnds have extensive experience working with developing country customers on individual projects. We have identified two main challenges in providing technological benefits to lower-income users, namely, lack of robust infrastructure (digital, physical and human resource infrastructure) and lack of familiarity with technology interfaces and tools amongst the target customers. N-Frnds’ platform has been applied and proven in specific verticals to overcome these challenges. For example: in Rwanda, the platform is used to provide over 40 e-government services to the country’s citizens and businesses. We are working with Microsoft to adapt this technology for developing countries with the greatest need during the current COVID-19 outbreak and offer a technologically efficient method to ‘flatten the curve’. All information collected through our platform will be shared with governments in interactive dashboards (Microsoft Powerbi) allowing for rapid response. The solution is easy to use, readily available and economically viable (no cost to the citizen) for developing country citizens.

N-Frnds’ solution allows developing countries to access sophisticated tools to prepare, detect and respond to pandemics despite low internet penetration. N-Frnds’ information channel enables accurate real-time communication between governments’ and citizens, preventing disease spreading.

Our basic case tracking system accurately detects/maps incidents of infection. N-Frnds’ home-based care & diagnostics system (rapid response resource) provides immediate consultations to citizens, communicating their potential disease carrying risk and the respective appropriate response. These services, designed for MOH in developing countries, can be rolled out within a period of several days and are immediately expandable to general public health information for long-term solutions.

The COVID-19 outbreak has drawn in hundreds of solutions to alleviate the burden placed on countries and individuals. However, what makes our solution so unique is that it is the only one designed for the needs of developing countries where people are limited in their access to technology (mobile data/internet). These governments have the same needs to access information/communicate with citizens yet they have less tools available than governments in developed countries to do so. A core innovation principal of N-Frnds is ‘in-the-box thinking’, the idea that we operate in a world of constraints and limitations. ‘Thinking outside the box’ is not a luxury enjoyed by people in the countries in which we operate who have limited resources. We believe that real innovation is the ability to come up with creative and life enhancing solutions WITHIN the constraints that make up the reality of developing countries. This is what inspired our platform, a hybrid network, using a unique cloud-based digital distribution platform for the developing countries, that can be reached from any device, even without mobile data. We have over 20M users on the platform, a proven business model, 21 patents and successful live networks in South East Asia and Africa. Our partnership with Microsoft, who have been selling N-Frnds’ solution since 2019, has lead to closing large deals with global consumer brands and financial companies. All of this has been advanced within this concept ofinnovation within constraints,which we believe leads to the most creative solutions.

N-Frnds’ solution was designed as a multi-tenant platform and supports governments, businesses and organizations to work on one scalable and flexible solution. The platform is designed with an abstraction layer that enables it to connect to any number of API platforms and systems in an efficient and very short time of integration. The design of the system and our unique internal methodologies enable N-Frnds to integrate, test and launch new services in an extremely short time frame (Rapid/Agile Development Techniques). All our solutions are working on one scalable platform and one version of code, enabling efficient support of code and upgrades. 

N-Frnds has by far the most advanced USSD platform globally offering key functionality that enables complete processes and workflows through USSD. Sample USSD capabilities include:

• Dynamic Menus – Same short-code can show different menus (e.g. different menus for women, youth, customer/non-customer etc.).
• Holds Sessions – if time-out, holds session returns to same menu to complete the process.
• Interactive Communication – Push/Pull, Pop-up, Interactive, Group Chat, Noticeboards, Chatbot (saved in USSD ‘inbox’, no limit to storage time/space so relevant also for policy details, regulation etc.).
• Searchable Knowledge bases – e.g. Wikipedia, financial products/education, tips etc.
• Search – Ability to search by location or for specific services or information.
• Surveys/Data Collection – e.g. KYC process, loan applications, register government services.
• Interoperable Cross-Application – USSD interactions with Web/Mobile App (seamless process) with integrations to Microsoft Kaizala and Teams.
• Analytics – end-to-end visibility user stats in real time dashboards and daily reports.

Our platform is usually used in digitalizing ‘last mile’ distribution networks.“Last Mile” distribution networks in developing countries are highly inefficient, significantly increasing the cost of living for billions of people in these markets. Leading global companies have invested billions in trying to solve the Last Mile challenge but failed. The N-Frnds unique “Last Mile” hybrid, multi-product distribution network for developing countries, connects consumer goods brands, insurers and financial institutions with small retailers and consumers unlocking growth. The process functions by using a hybrid network of pre-sellers (young sales reps) who are hired by N-Frnds and who, through the N-Frnds’ technology platform, are able to offer multiple physical and digital products to their customers. The pre-sellers are assigned to pre-selected wholesalers in different geographic locations, and are responsible for signing up outlets (small street stalls) and collecting orders (e.g. snacks, beverages, household products, etc.) from each outlet through the platform. These digital orders are then fulfilled by their wholesalers. These pre-sellers also offer digital financial products (such as loans/credit and insurance) to these outlet customers. In this way, the platform consolidates fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies and other value chains (e.g. banking and finance) into a unified digital distribution platform.We have over 20M users on the platform, a proven business model, 21 patents and successful live networks in South East Asia and Africa. 

Given the lack of internet access/reliable mobile data in developing countries, citizens need a convenient method of communicating with governments/MOH to benefit from information required to reduce COVID-19 spreading. If N-Frnds succeeds in this venture, lower-income consumers will be able to receive technological benefits similar to citizens in developed countries, regarding health crises. This provides a permanent solution that is easily beexpandable to other pandemics and general public health information. 

Use 

Information to Citizens 

Home-based Care & Diagnostics System 

Basic Case Tracking 

Activities

• FAQs on COVID-19 
• Symptom information
• Real-time information on outbreaks in specific areas 

• Immediate alerts of new outbreaks 
• Chat groups enabling interactive communication between healthcare workers and patients in a  particular area (incl. healthcare communication with each other & communication for areas under lockdown)
• Uses a chatbot
• Based on response algorithm categorizes cases into:

• Low Risk: recommended to stay home until symptoms desist
• Mild/Moderate: required to self-quarantine
• Severe: referral to testing/emergency center 

* Mild/Moderate cases are monitored by chatbot that sends advice, daily ‘check ins’ and recommends visiting specified healthcare center. 

• All cases are required to submit basic information such as: Location, number of household members etc. COVID-19 healthcare providers will have similar reporting systems to input data that can be tracked by MOH.
• Using this information -create a dashboard mapping patients nationwide (and suspected cases) based on location and status 

Output

Citizens in developing countries are able to access information and communicate with healthcare professionals with ease even without internet access.

Citizens can monitor their health remotely even without mobile data/internet without overloading medical centres unless necessary.

MOH can to track potential outbreak areas and alert citizens in potential high-risk areas.

Short-term Outcomes

Allows governments to prepare for pandemics using real-time communication with citizens to immediately prevent disease spreading even in rural ‘unconnected’ areas.

More testing in communities.

Citizens able to recognise symptoms and self-isolate when needed.

Better detection and tracking of COVID-19 aiding MOH in policy making based on this information..

In the long-term, we aim to extend this technology to general public health enabling more efficient healthcare systems in developing countries.

Current number of people serving: Currently, the N-Frnds platform serves over 20 million users. 

Number serving in 1 year: 22 million

Number serving in 5 years: 50 million

We have found that our regular business model provides a great transformative impact by enabling our corporate customers an opportunity to align their core business with significant social impact, improving the living standard of communities in which it operates. Our model, already implemented across Indonesia, makes use of a technology based, agent-enabled platform to drive digital services (banking, insurance, digital commerce etc) to individuals and small businesses across the country. This platform has provided such a transformative impact through the following channels (amongst others):

• Increasing the productivity of small businesses through technological efficiency by extendingthe reach of formal distribution channels (ensuring the communities access to both basic necessities and life enhancing digital and physical products).
• Generating new income streams from digital channels, particularly for youth in rural areas who serve as the agents who are core to our model as they drive sales and technology and adoption and awareness in their communities.
• Allowingfor financial inclusion by extending access to credit as financial partners are able to extend both to small and micro-businesses who previously had no digital records.

Our goals in the next year is to expand expand to 4 additional countries in Africa and Asia Pacific and to expand across Asia Pacific and Africa and entry into LATAM in the next 5 years.

Our COVID-19 model can offer a highly impactful solution to governments in developing countries to manage the current crisis as well as future public health crises thereby improving the efficiency of public health in these nations.

Like all companies COVID-19 has challenged us and this has impacted our ongoing business operations, funding and expansion plans. In terms of other barriers mentioned:

Financial - Funding is always a challenge for any growing business particularly in the current environment and the rate at which we are able to raise investment will impact the rate of our expansion.

Legal – We work in the current legal and regulatory framework, sometimes this can cause challenges in terms of slowing down processes. 

Cultural – There is a high importance to understanding the local cultural environment in each country in which we operate

Market – We work in a very competitive space with many new entrants and startups trying to do what we do. 

We have managed to leverage COVID-19 as an opportunity expanding our platform capabilities and adapting it to the needs of developing country governments and businesses as well as working closely with Microsoft to develop joint solutions for addressing this challenge. We believe that if we are able to support developing countries now in the short-term we can leverage those relationships as well as their use of our technology to develop lifelong relationships as these institutions see the value of our solution and continue using it well after COVID-19 subsides. 

Financial – By pivoting to address the challenges of COVID-19 in developing countries we believe that we can access new sources of funding while making a significant impact on the countries in which we operate. 

Legal – We work with local experts who understand the regulatory framework.  

Cultural – We set up local JVs and/or work closely with local partners who understand the local context and culture. 

Market – We have a unique technology; business model and relationships that are very difficult to duplicate. 

We have assigned a team of 15 people to work on the COVID 19 solution. These include:

• Project/Product Manager
• Human Centered Design Experts
• Designers
• Front End Developers
• Back-end Developers
• Integration experts (developers)
• BI developers
• QA – auto testing developers
• Dev Ops
• Analytics Team
• Operations Team

N-Frnds has 21 patents, extensive R&D, highly experienced development team with over 150 years’ worth of human development invested in our existing platform. Our business model and know-how has been developed through our extensive experience in developing countries and our business leadership teams’ complimentary business acumen (e.g. serial entrepreneur co-founders who have founded multiple successful companies and investors with over 20-years-experience investing in companies in Asia and Africa). 

Dorron Mottes (CEO and co-founder) has over 20 years of experience in management, business and technology. He is a serial entrepreneur having founded several globalstart-ups. He has extensive experience working with international mobile operators, global multi-national and start-up companies, developing and implementing strategies, markets, partnerships, business models and new technology systems and services. He has a proven track record of taking ideas from inception to sales tens of millions of dollars. Stanley Sacharan (VP R&D & Co-Founder) has over 20 years of experience in software engineering, program management, R&D and system architecture. He has managed R&D for several start-ups and large companies managing 50+ people in development. Gil Zaidman (CTO & Co-Founder) has over 30 years of technical leadership experience. He is the founder and former CTO of multiple companies and has managed multi-million project with 50+ people in development. Our technology focusses on emerging markets, designed for the constraints of base of the pyramid eco-systems. We also have global technology and marketing partnerships with Microsoft, MasterCard and others.

N-Frnds has global strategic partnerships with following companies:

Microsoft- Microsoft has been selling N-Frnds solution since 2019 closing large deals with global consumer brands and financial companies. We are a key partner for driving Office 365 sales to small businesses in developing countries. 

Coca-Cola-Coca-Cola selected N-Frnds and signed a strategic long-term agreement with us to provide and manage their “last mile” indirect distribution network in developing countries (ordering, fulfilment, loyalty and financial services). The estimated value of this agreement in Indonesia alone is $2 billion of sales (a network of over 1M outlets). Coca-Cola was impressed at the significant growth and impact on their revenues from joining the N-Frnds network, as well as on the quality of the valuable new data and transactions we generate in a previously “data-white space” enabling us to create unique loyalty plans for the Last Mile.

AXA-AXA, the second largest insurance company in the world, has selected N-Frnds as a strategic partner for driving insurance uptake for Emerging Customers (an AXA key focus segment).

In addition we have multiple national and global partners in the FMCG, banking, insurance, government, payment and technology space.

N-Frnds usual business model is based on either commission from our customers (governments, banks, FMCGs, insurance companies etc.) paid for each user/transaction on the system and/or a SaaS model with monthly fees for our managed service. 

For our COVID-19 solution for MOH in developing countries our long-term business model will be based on a similar model where we will provide the solution as a managed service charging a set monthly fee to our government partners for the full services (including hosting, development, design, adaptations, iterations, analytics, reports, dashboards etc.). However, for the first 6-month while governments are still trying to come to terms with the crisis and have yet to see the long-lasting effects, we plan to offer the service for free with minimal setup costs. We are applying for Solve to cover these initial costs to enable us to reach additional MOH in developing countries. 

We will offer our COVID-19 solution to developing country governments for free for the first 6-months with our partners at Microsoft similarly offering their services for free for initial 6-months. Once the local governments see the value we bring we believe that they will be willing to pay for the solution which will be relevant for a much broader set of challenges beyond COVID-19 both for public health and beyond. This is based on our SaaS model which is our regular business model for last mile distribution and has proven to be a sustainable and lucrative model over the long run once we have covered our setup costs and proven the effectiveness of our technology.

We see huge potential for applying our technology, which is already prevalently implemented in developing countries, to help governments deal with the COVID-19 crisis and future public health outbreaks or ongoing challenges. However since this is a deviation from our core business we require grant support to cover the setup and initial costs to enable us to make this pivot while continuing our regular business as usual. 

While our main goal as stated above is financial support to enter an adjacent field, we welcome any marketing and media exposure that MIT can bring us by being part of this challenge. In addition, we believe we can benefit from partnerships and collaboration with other entities associated with MIT.

Governments or Ministries of Health in developing countries (particularly Africa); large NGOs operating in these countries that can benefit from our technology, multinational institutions looking for solutions for managing their workforces in developing countries during COVID-19 restrictions or individuals who have access to such entities. 

In order to apply AI and machine learning based solutions you need data. In the contexts in which N-Frnds works namely, in developing countries, getting such data is challenging since the majority of the population lacks reliable access to the internet/mobile data. Through the N-Frnds solution we are able to gather such data even without any internet connectivity. This enables us to extend the immense potential of AI and machine learning to the 4 billion people who live at the base of the economic pyramid and use this data to positively impact their lives and futures.

Women are generally the most disconnected from digital technologies and have the least access to smartphones or digital tools to improve their lives and the lives of their families. Because the N-Frnds solution can be accessed on ANY mobile device even with no internet/mobile data/smartphone it is particularly impactful on women as it provides them with knowledge, information and key communication tools even from the most basic phone with no internet connection. In our work across Africa and South East Asia we see that women are often the primary users. For example, in Indonesia over 80% of the micro-businesses we work with are run by women.