Curtfire Online Marketplace

We are in a world of evolving technology and especially with covid 19 pandemic most business models had to change and this boosted Ecommerce. This made it easy for customers to purchase goods online and have goods delivered to their doorstep. This was a different case of Africa, internet is still scarce and regarded as a luxury commodity. While Africa accounts for 15.0% of the world's population, only 6.2% of the World's Internet subscribers are Africans. Africans who have access to broadband connections are estimated to be in percentage of 1% or lower. This is the reason why Africa has the lowest number of exports, as customers shop on the internet. We are going to create Ecommerce platform that African vendors to the world, making it easier for them to sell products and for customers to receive good in a timely manner all on one platform. 

Africa has the highest unemployment rate recording of 2020 and 2021 shows a need rate 41.5% and 41.7% which is very high and alarming. Youth unemployment rate for 2020 and 2021 are 21.4% and LU3 is 38.5% and 38.4%. Employment to population ratio for 2020 and 2021 is 80% which show imbalance as 20% of the population is employed. The extreme working poverty rate is 75.3 and 73.8. Over 80% of African population are employed in the informal sector or self-employed. Over 1 billion Africans make products, like handbags, shoes, detergents, recycled glass ornaments, tea etc. Unfortunately these goods are only accessible locally due to lack of platform that expose their goods to the rest of the world. Most ecommerce platform cater for the organizations only which leaves the informal sector to relay on local purchases which do not offer enough revenue for business growth. Looking at China Alibaba, Made In China etc have increased revenue for Chinese products as this allowed people to shop for goods from China without even visiting China and have them delivered to them. Africa has a lot of raw materials and finished goods that have potential for high demand.

Curtfire is an online market, that connects vendors to customers all around on the store. Looking at the customers the platform provides

We are in a world of evolving technology and especially with covid 19 pandemic most business models had to change and this boosted Ecommerce. This was a different case of Africa, internet is still scarce and regarded as a luxury commodity. While Africa accounts for 15.0% of the world's population, only 6.2% of the World's Internet subscribers are Africans. Africans who have access to broadband connections are estimated to be in percentage of 1% or lower. This is the reason why Africa has the lowest number of exports, as customers shop on the internet. We are going to create Ecommerce platform that African vendors to the world, making it easier for them to sell products and for customers to receive good in a timely manner all on one platform. By creating such a platform we increase the number of risk taker and employment opportunities, increase in revenue in countries.

Our target population is African youth, as they are the ones that the highest unemployment rate that have made them resort to drug abuse, prostitution, armed robbers and some even murderers as they have ideal minds and may resort to find easy ways of surviving. Most African government do not have enough funds support African youths such as unemployment pay out, funds for startups or small businesses. Over 75% of African youths are unemployed or employed in the informal sector. Education in Africa seems unnecessary as even after you graduate you are not guaranteed a job. We held focus group with youths and we identified what are the major problem they have. We noted most of them are well educated or have gone through vocational training unfortunately their limited to none opportunities to exploit skills they have learnt. Africa has a handful of risk takers willing to create opportunity of employment which does not match up with the number of youths looking for employment. Considering that youths are "hustling" which is the name they give to informal sector why not create a platform that allows them to sell their products all around the world, increase revenue in the business, create opportunity of growth, create opportunity of employment. Just by them loading the products on the site and making them visible to the whole world to make purchases. This becomes a wider net for African entrepreneurs and increase in possibility of investments in their business.

Technology is always we moved from letters, to fax and telegram now we moved to cellphones. With Covid 19 hitting the world hard most companies have moved to digital. Companies have resorted in account opening via mobile apps, queries are being resolved by Facebook, twitter and whatsapp. This has shown a need for African youth that they need a platform they can display their product and not be restricted selling products locally even push to sell goods internationally. This needs a digital platform connecting vendors to customers, allowing transaction to happen from all ends of the world with no limits.

Curtfire has just moved from pilot to growth stage, we are running in 3 African namely Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa. We are also available in UAE and China. We are training and encouraging Africa youths to list their products on the site and create their virtual store. We are working with a lot of cargo and shipping companies that will handle the movement of goods, clearance and deliveries. Business has been slow as we have limited resources and gaining trust from clients as some of them have had bad experience. We have managed to sell a number of products listed on our site. We hope to generate more income to run campaigns promoting the site as a lot of youth are relying on us. We have helped a number of youths start a small business and generate income and have moved local goods to customers in West Africa.

Africa is the hub of resources, raw materials such as coffee, tea,tobacco, cotton etc are grown in Africa then export to other countries that later sell finished goods back to Africa. Africa does have its own finished goods but these goods are limited to country it is being produced. Kenyans are the only ones that are familiar with Kericho tea and only Zimbabweans are familiar with Mazoe drink and Cerevita cereal which could be famous in many other countries. Africa does have little to none Ecommerce platforms especially those that push goods out of country moving to parts like America, Europe and Asia to name a few. This makes African products have less exposure. One has to wait for someone to come back to home country and purchase good in Africa then bring them back and sell them at very high prices when one can purchase the good online at the actual price and choose the affordable cargo or shipping platform to deliver the goods. It is high time we create such a platform where anyone anywhere across the world can purchase goods in Africa and have them delivered. A platform that allows customers to pick suitable delivery system that affordable for them. A platform that allows goods to move within Africa and increase productivity and increase employment opportunities. When there is increase in sales of goods on the site it increases demand, productivity and need for labor which has positive impact for the country.

Currently our site is serving over 50 people at the current at the moment and we have over 15 vendors on the site. In a year we expect to have over 250 customers shopping on the sit and over 150 vendors on the site. In the next five years we expect over a million transactions on the site and over 500 000 vendors on the site.

First Goal is No poverty, Africa has always been known as developing continent and yet it is rich with resources. Most country get raw materials from Africa and resell finished goods back to Africa. Poverty rate in Africa is at 56% which is very high and it could be worse due to covid 19. Unemployment is also high as they are no jobs and leading to poverty. By creating such a platform we are creating an opportunity for Africans to move way from poverty and jump on to the wagon of being an entrepreneur. People get to market goods internationally from homemade goods to manufactured products. First Goal is No poverty, Africa has always been known as developing continent and yet it is rich with resources. Most country get raw materials from Africa and resell finished goods back to Africa. Poverty rate in Africa is at 56% which is very high and it could be worse due to covid 19. Unemployment is also high as they are no jobs and leading to poverty. By creating such a platform we are creating an opportunity for Africans to move way from poverty and jump on to the wagon of being an entrepreneur. People get to market goods internationally from homemade goods to manufactured products.

We have 5 employees

We are Africa youths that have trying to get a job or live our dream, graduated with great results but unfortunately what we expected is not the world gave us. You are lucky if you get a job and blessed that it is in the field that you studied. Most of us were stuck in a job we are do not have passion in, no room for growth and we were poorly treated by the employers. Some of us got a jobs years later after we graduated. We are driven by passion to create opportunities for our generation and generations to come. We need more risks takers to create opportunities of employment. We are all passionate about technology and how we can use it to solve day to day problems. We have an app EMF which has assisted a lot of youths in Zimbabwe, we have worked with ministry of youth and have held training programs with youths on how to market goods online, youtoube channels and business management. We are constantly looking for ways as a team to assist youths to start businesses and push sales.

Currently we are team of young people and as we grow we continue to hire more youths as this project is for them. We are going to use different management styles that pushes the team to contribute ideas and let them think outside the box. As a female CEO in technology i am using this platform to encourage female youths in Africa to have leadership roles, empower women to be bosses. Especially with early child marriage it is important to show girls that they can independent and be more than just a wife.

I am applying to solve because i want to help African youths and change their lives. It is hard to see graduates on the street corners selling tomatoes to support their families because they cant find a job. It is sad to know some people are surviving on porridge the whole day because they can not afford foo. With covid 19 it has made the situation even worse no jobs, child marriage and prostitution is on the rise. I am keen in trying to find solutions using technology to solve day to day problems that African youths face. Even though we have very little funds we are pushing the dream to make sure the platform is up and running so that they can generate income. Us having solve grant will allow us work at maximum country and have offices in other Africa countries making sure goods are moving.

Financial - we need help with how to manage finance, how to strategize finance management, how to pitch to investors and how to create financial forecast that attract investors.

Public relation - advertising space on big platforms, getting celebrities to talk about our site, getting endorsed by big companies

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We are bringing technology to everyone making it easy for every African entrepreneur can sell their products to the whole world. Imagine a farm in the rural area exporting maize to America through curtfire. We need the money for marketing, operational costs, salary, warehouse, opening offices in more African countries. We hope to have training programs of how to list on the site and manage store. We also want to run campaigns in the rural areas making sure they join the site and list their products. We also want to increase the number of employees we have and machines that we have, we also want to move to a bigger space so that we are able to manage the number of visits. Everyone in Africa has a smart phone these days but under utilizing it, if we are able to make every Africa youth have a mobile store to sell products will be beneficial to them. To show them you do not need a physical store to be a business person you start small until you can afford to have a physical store

We are bringing technology to everyone making it easy for every African entrepreneur can sell their products to the whole world. Imagine a farm in the rural area exporting maize to America through curtfire. Considering in Africa most women are unemployed and use their hands to feed their families, like making bags, detergents, mats etc. By creating such a platform we creating a market for women that we generate income for them, moving goods from one country to another. We need the money for marketing, operational costs, salary, warehouse, opening offices in more African countries. We hope to have training programs of how to list on the site and manage store. We also want to run campaigns in the rural areas making sure they join the site and list their products. We also want to increase the number of employees we have and machines that we have, we also want to move to a bigger space so that we are able to manage the number of visits.