Coozin universal platform for women

According to a World Bank study, the rate of participation of women in the labor market in Uzbekistan is significantly lower than that of men, by as much as 28 percentage points. We, the Coozin project team are proud that our platform makes a significant contribution to the development of the community and business in Uzbekistan. Our goal is to make people's lives
easier and more convenient by providing access to quality products and services. We are especially proud that our project helps women housewives, who are often neglected in society. The traditional society of Uzbekistan believes that the main task of a woman is to take care of
the home and children. According to the research of the ILO, 80 percent of people in Uzbekistan prefer that man earns money in the family, and a woman takes care of the house and children. And 93 percent of people think that a woman must perform household duties even if her husband is
unemployed. Also, according to the World Bank studies on the impact of the pandemic on women’s working ability, it was revealed that despite the generally equal ratio of lost jobs among men and women caused by the crisis from the Covid-19 pandemic, it was women who had a harder time recovering and coping with the consequences. It is more difficult for women to find a new source of income, to get credits, and loans to pay off debts. Many women have no idea how to undergo such procedures.

The benefit of using Coozin is that it is a one-stop platform explicitly designed for self-employed and homeworking women. Users can sell their products and services and access professional and basic courses, training, and support to grow their businesses on one platform. Thanks to this, women save time and resources that can be directed to developing their businesses.

At the initial stage of the work of the Coozin platform, 745 women with additional assistance completed professional culinary courses, 371 women - basic courses, and 378 women successfully completed pieces of training. The total number of women was more than 1400. And our team is not
going to stop there. We work in partnership with Coca-Cola Uzbekistan, OSCE, and IT-Park Uzbekistan. Companies that share our values and aspirations to help vulnerable segments of the population - women housewives. The Coozin project has had a significant impact on society as a whole. One of the main achievements of the Coozin platform is the creation of new jobs and support for the region’s economic development. The Coozin platform is aimed not only to make money but also to have a social focus.

As a result of the project, many women housewives have been able to earn money and become financially independent. We believe that strengthening the position of women in the labor market is not only development within the country, business, and society but also our development as a project
and team. In addition, Coozin actively supports local manufacturers by offering them the opportunity to sell their products online. This, in turn, helps to develop the local economy and improve the living standards of the local population. Among other things, the Coozin project also positively impacts the ecology of the region, allowing customers to shop online and avoid car trips to traditional markets. This reduces carbon emissions and reduces pressure on road infrastructure.

The goal of our company by the end of 2023 is to attract 20,000+ women to the platform, provide them with basic and professional pieces of training and assist in placing first orders. We believe that with financial support, our team of Coozin, will achieve their goals and be able to help self-employed women access digital skills, professional growth and development, and implementation in business.

The Coozin marketplace allows vendors to list their various products and services. Among these can be presented home-cooked dishes, cakes, and other sweets, and all kinds of handicrafts, such as jewelry, clothes, decor items, and much more. In addition, on the platform, you can sell services
such as delivery, make-up artists, photographers, translators, and many others. During the MVP period, Coozin created a significant turnover of about 650 million UZS (~$60K in USD equivalent) and brought profit for vendor housewives, who accounted for 90% of the income. This means that our platform successfully solves the problem of supporting women’s economic independence, allowing them to earn a living and contribute to the development of the family, society, and the economy of the state as a whole. We are proud that Coozin helps realize the potential of talented women entrepreneurs and creates opportunities for professional and personal
growth and development. The Coozin Online Academy provides women with access to training that will help them gain the necessary knowledge and skills and help them grow their businesses. The platform offers online
courses and master classes on the most relevant and necessary business topics, such as sales management, marketing, finance, and others. Courses are taught by experienced professionals who share their knowledge and experience.

As a team dedicated to empowering women who are self-employed and women with disabilities, we firmly believe that their input and involvement are paramount to creating a meaningful and effective solution. Here's how we actively engage with the community and ensure their guidance shapes our design and implementation process:

1. Comprehensive Needs Assessment: We recognize that understanding the needs of our target audience is crucial for developing a solution that truly addresses their pain points. To achieve this, we conduct comprehensive needs assessments, employing a range of research methods such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, and ethnographic studies. These initiatives enable us to gather insights directly from the women we aim to support, allowing us to understand their challenges, aspirations, and specific requirements.

2. Continuous Community Engagement: Our commitment to community engagement extends beyond the initial needs assessment. We establish ongoing channels of communication, including online forums, social media platforms, and regular feedback sessions. These channels serve as spaces for women to share their experiences, provide input, and contribute ideas throughout the development process. By maintaining a two-way dialogue, we ensure that their voices are heard and integrated into the solution's design.

3. Co-Creation and Co-Design Workshops: To ensure the communities' input meaningfully guides our solution, we organize co-creation and co-design workshops. These workshops bring together our development and design team, our CPO with expertise in product and brand strategy, and the women we serve. Through collaborative exercises and interactive sessions, we collectively ideate, iterate, and refine our solution based on their ideas, needs, and agendas. This participatory approach fosters a sense of ownership and empowers the community to actively shape the solution's features, functionalities, and overall direction.

4. Pilot Testing and User Feedback Iterations: Prior to the full-scale implementation of our solution, we conduct pilot testing with a representative group of users from the community. This phase allows us to gather real-time feedback and insights on the solution's usability, effectiveness, and relevance. We meticulously document and analyze this feedback, integrating the necessary improvements and modifications based on the input received. By involving the community as co-testers, we ensure that the final solution genuinely reflects their preferences and addresses their specific needs.

5. Accessibility and Inclusivity Considerations: Our design and implementation processes prioritize accessibility and inclusivity. We actively seek input from women with disabilities, engaging them in discussions about their unique challenges and requirements. By incorporating universal design principles and accessibility features, we ensure that our solution is inclusive and accessible to all, empowering women of diverse abilities to fully engage and benefit from our offerings.

At every stage of development, our team remains committed to embracing community input, ideas, and agendas. We firmly believe that meaningful solutions can only be created when the individuals we aim to serve are actively involved in the design process. By leveraging the expertise of our experienced development and design team, along with the broad knowledge of our CPO, we ensure that the end product is not only user-centric but also a result of genuine collaboration with the community.

At the initial stage of the work of the Coozin platform, 745 women with additional assistance completed professional culinary courses, 371 women - basic courses, and 378 women successfully completed pieces of training. The total number of women was more than 1400. And our team is not
going to stop there. We work in partnership with Coca-Cola Uzbekistan, OSCE, and IT-Park Uzbekistan. Companies that share our values and aspirations to help vulnerable segments of the population - women housewives. The Coozin project has had a significant impact on society as a whole. One of the main achievements of the Coozin platform is the creation of new jobs and support for the region’s economic development. The Coozin platform is aimed not only to make money but also to have a social focus.Also, we have launched our educational platform in Tadjikistan for women.

As a startup dedicated to empowering women who are self-employed and women with disabilities, we recognize the immense potential for our project to create a positive impact on a global scale.

Expanding our project into new markets presents a significant opportunity for growth and extends our reach to those who can benefit from our services. However, we understand that each market presents unique challenges, and overcoming these barriers effectively is crucial for sustainable success. We firmly believe that participation in your esteemed program will equip us with invaluable insights, tools, and strategies to navigate these complexities with confidence.

Here's how our participation in the Solve will greatly contribute to our goal:

1. Comprehensive Market Analysis: We aim to gain a deeper understanding of the cultural, social, economic, and regulatory landscapes of potential international markets. Through the program, we seek to refine our market analysis skills, enabling us to identify viable opportunities and anticipate potential obstacles more accurately.

2. Strategies for Localization and Adaptation: We recognize the importance of tailoring our project to meet the specific needs and preferences of diverse international audiences. By participating in the program, we aim to acquire knowledge and expertise in localizing our offerings effectively, ensuring cultural sensitivity, and adapting our business model to different markets.

3. Overcoming Legal and Regulatory Hurdles: Expanding into new countries often involves navigating complex legal frameworks and compliance requirements. We aspire to gain insights into best practices for addressing legal and regulatory challenges associated with international expansion. This knowledge will enable us to streamline processes and ensure full compliance, mitigating potential risks.

4. Building Global Networks and Partnerships: We understand the significance of establishing strong networks and strategic partnerships to support successful market entry and expansion. The program's networking opportunities will allow us to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs, industry experts, and potential collaborators, fostering valuable relationships for future international endeavors.

5. Scalability and Sustainability: By participating in the program, we aim to enhance our understanding of scaling strategies and sustainable business practices in global markets. Equipped with this knowledge, we will be better prepared to develop robust expansion plans, secure funding, and create long-term value for our target audience.

We are fully committed to actively engaging with the program's curriculum, sharing experiences with fellow participants, and implementing the knowledge gained to drive our project's international expansion successfully. Our dedication to empowering women who are self-employed and women with disabilities remains steadfast, and we believe that participating in the Solve will be a pivotal step in realizing our vision on a global scale.

Thank you for considering our application. We eagerly look forward to the opportunity to learn from industry experts, mentors, and fellow participants through this program. Together, we can overcome barriers and create a more inclusive world for women entrepreneurs and individuals with disabilities.

Our solution stands out as an innovative platform that empowers women, including those with disabilities, by providing them with an opportunity to sell their homemade food and products and earn a sustainable income. What sets our startup apart and makes it innovative are the following key factors:

1. Dedicated Marketplace for Women Entrepreneurs: Our platform is exclusively designed to cater to the unique needs and aspirations of women entrepreneurs. By focusing on this specific demographic, we create a supportive environment where women can showcase their skills, talents, and homemade creations, gaining visibility and recognition in the market.

2. Empowering Marginalized Communities: We understand the challenges faced by women and women with disabilities when it comes to accessing economic opportunities. Our solution aims to bridge this gap by providing a platform that specifically addresses their needs. By focusing on inclusivity and empowerment, we enable these individuals to break down barriers, overcome social biases, and gain financial independence.

3. Facilitating Home-Based Businesses: Our startup recognizes the value of home-based businesses and the entrepreneurial potential they possess. By providing a dedicated marketplace, we unlock opportunities for women who prefer to work from home or face limitations in traditional work settings. This innovative approach embraces the growing trend of home-based entrepreneurship and allows women to leverage their skills and passions to generate income.

4. Leveraging Technology for Convenience: Our platform harnesses the power of technology to make the selling process seamless and convenient for women entrepreneurs. Through our user-friendly interface, sellers can easily create their profiles, upload product listings, and manage their sales. We leverage secure payment systems and logistics support to ensure a smooth experience for both sellers and buyers, eliminating traditional barriers to entry.

5. Community Building and Support: Our solution goes beyond just being a marketplace. We foster a sense of community and provide a support network for women entrepreneurs to connect, learn, and grow together. Through interactive features such as forums, mentorship programs, and educational resources, we facilitate knowledge sharing, skill development, and networking opportunities, encouraging collaboration and boosting the overall success of our users.

In summary, our innovative solution addresses the specific needs of women and women with disabilities, providing them with a dedicated platform to sell their homemade food and products. By focusing on inclusivity, convenience, and community building, we empower these entrepreneurs to thrive in the market, catalyzing positive change and enabling economic independence.

We have big goals and ambitious plans for 2023. By April 2023, a platform update is being prepared, new professional and basic courses for women will be added, and new opportunities for their implementation and access to a larger number of users and regions. 

The goal of our company by the end of 2023 is to attract 20,000+ women to the platform, provide them with basic and professional pieces of training and assist in placing first orders. We believe that with financial support, our team of Coozin, will achieve their goals and be able to help self-employed women access digital skills, professional growth and development, and implementation in business.

To measure our progress towards our impact goals, we utilize key metrics focused on the number of employed and educated women. By tracking these specific indicators, we gain valuable insights into the tangible outcomes and positive changes our startup is generating. Here's how we clearly express this measurement approach:

1. Employed Women: We measure our impact by monitoring the number of women who have successfully secured employment opportunities through our platform. This metric reflects our ability to connect women entrepreneurs with income-generating activities, providing them with sustainable livelihoods and financial independence.

2. Educated Women: Another important aspect of our impact measurement is tracking the number of women who have accessed educational resources or training programs facilitated by our startup. We monitor the participation and completion rates, illustrating our commitment to empowering women through educational opportunities that enhance their skills, knowledge, and capacity to succeed in their entrepreneurial journeys.

By consistently monitoring and analyzing these metrics, we gain a comprehensive understanding of our progress in achieving our impact goals. The number of employed and educated women serves as a tangible and quantifiable measure, demonstrating the positive influence our startup has on the lives of the women we aim to support. Additionally, it allows us to identify areas for improvement, adapt our strategies, and continuously enhance our impact as we strive towards creating meaningful change.

Our project is designed to have a significant impact on addressing the problem of gender inequality in employment and education for women. Here's how we can clearly communicate this:

1. Empowering Economic Opportunities: By providing a platform for women to sell their homemade food and products, our project directly contributes to empowering women economically. We believe that economic empowerment is crucial in narrowing the gender gap in employment, as it enables women to access income-generating opportunities, achieve financial independence, and break free from traditional gender roles.

2. Equal Access to Education: Our commitment to education is a key component of our project. We aim to provide women with access to educational resources and training programs that enhance their skills, knowledge, and entrepreneurial capabilities. By ensuring equal access to education, we strive to bridge the gender gap in educational opportunities and empower women to pursue their aspirations and thrive in various professional fields.

3. Breaking Stereotypes and Challenging Social Norms: Our project challenges societal norms and stereotypes that limit women's employment and educational opportunities. By showcasing women entrepreneurs and their successes, we aim to challenge the prevailing gender biases and inspire broader societal change. We firmly believe that when women are given equal opportunities and support, they can contribute significantly to economic growth and social development.

4. Ripple Effect on Communities: The impact of our project extends beyond the individual level. By empowering women economically and educationally, we create a positive ripple effect within communities. When women are economically empowered, they can invest in their families' well-being, contribute to local economies, and serve as role models for future generations. This multiplies the positive impact, fostering a more inclusive and equal society.

5. Advocacy for Gender Equality: As a project that explicitly targets gender inequality in employment and education, we actively advocate for gender equality. We collaborate with relevant stakeholders, organizations, and policymakers to raise awareness, promote policy changes, and drive collective action toward creating an environment that supports equal opportunities for women in all spheres of life.

Through our project, we are committed to making a lasting impact on the problem of gender inequality in employment and education. By empowering women economically, providing educational opportunities, challenging social norms, and advocating for gender equality, we aim to create a more inclusive and equitable society for all.

Application, website

Our organization values diversity and inclusion, and we strive to create a workplace where employees of all backgrounds feel welcome and respected. In terms of religious diversity, our workforce represents a range of different beliefs and practices. We have employees who identify as Christian, Muslim, and other faiths, as well as those who are non-religious or spiritual but not affiliated with any specific religion. We have policies in place to accommodate religious practices and observances, and we encourage employees to share their beliefs in a respectful and inclusive way. We are also committed to gender diversity and to providing equal opportunities for all employees regardless of their gender identity. Our workforce is approximately 50/50 male and female, and we are proud to have women in leadership positions throughout the organization. We provide training and development opportunities to help all employees reach their full potential, regardless of their gender or other characteristics. Our workforce includes employees ranging in age from their early twenties to their late sixties, and we recognize the unique strengths and experiences that each generation brings to the workplace. We provide opportunities for employees of all ages to learn from one another, and we are committed to creating a workplace that is inclusive and respectful of employees of all ages.

Our business model is centered around creating a sustainable and impactful ecosystem for women entrepreneurs, specifically focusing on those who sell homemade food and products. Here's how we can explain our business model clearly:

1. Marketplace Platform: We operate a digital marketplace platform that connects women entrepreneurs with potential buyers. Our platform provides a user-friendly interface where sellers can showcase and sell their homemade food and products directly to consumers. We earn revenue through transaction fees or commissions on successful sales made through our platform.

2. Value-Added Services: In addition to the core marketplace functionality, we offer value-added services to enhance the selling experience for our users. These services may include marketing and promotional support, logistics assistance, customer support, and access to educational resources. We monetize these services by offering them as optional upgrades or charging a separate fee for their utilization.

3. Partnerships and Collaborations: We actively seek partnerships and collaborations with relevant stakeholders in the ecosystem. This can include partnering with local suppliers for sourcing ingredients, collaborating with delivery service providers for seamless order fulfillment, or teaming up with organizations that offer complementary products or services. These partnerships not only enhance our offerings but can also result in mutually beneficial revenue-sharing arrangements.

4. Advertising and Sponsorships: We leverage our platform's reach and user base to offer advertising opportunities to relevant brands and businesses targeting our customer demographic. Through strategic advertising placements, we generate revenue from advertising fees. Additionally, we explore sponsorships and brand collaborations where partners can align their products or services with our platform and target audience, creating value for both parties.

5. Data Insights and Analytics: As our platform facilitates transactions and interactions between sellers and buyers, we gather valuable data and insights. We can leverage this data in an aggregated and anonymized manner to offer analytics and market intelligence services to interested parties such as researchers, policymakers, or market analysts. This data monetization strategy allows us to generate revenue while preserving user privacy and confidentiality.

Overall, our business model revolves around providing a robust marketplace platform, offering value-added services, forging strategic partnerships, capitalizing on advertising and sponsorships, and leveraging data insights. By combining these revenue streams, we create a sustainable and scalable business model that supports our mission of empowering women entrepreneurs and promoting their homemade food and products to a wider audience.

Our goal is to achieve financial sustainability through a multifaceted approach that involves collaborating with partners, selling products and services, as well as raising funds, and engaging with investors. Here's a clear way to express this:

1. Partnerships: We actively seek strategic partnerships with like-minded organizations, businesses, and institutions that align with our mission. These partnerships not only enable us to leverage shared resources and expertise but also create avenues for generating revenue through collaborative initiatives. By working together, we can amplify our impact and achieve mutual financial sustainability.

2. Revenue from Products and Services: Our startup generates revenue through the sale of products and services. By providing a platform for women entrepreneurs to sell their homemade food and products, we facilitate transactions and earn a commission or fee. Additionally, we may offer value-added services such as advertising, marketing, or logistics support, which can further contribute to our financial sustainability.

3. Fundraising Efforts: We actively pursue fundraising opportunities to support our operations and growth. This may include organizing crowdfunding campaigns, seeking grants from foundations or government agencies, or engaging in impact investment programs. By diversifying our funding sources, we enhance our financial stability and sustainability, ensuring the long-term viability of our project.

4. Investor Engagement: We recognize the value of investor involvement in driving our growth and impact. We actively seek strategic investors who share our vision and can provide not only financial support but also expertise, networks, and mentorship. By involving investors who are aligned with our mission, we create a symbiotic relationship that fuels our financial sustainability while benefiting from their guidance and industry knowledge.

Through a combination of partnerships, revenue generation from products and services, fundraising efforts, and investor engagement, we aim to achieve financial sustainability. This approach ensures that our project can operate independently, grow its impact, and create lasting change for women entrepreneurs.

We were a participant in the A-hub accelerator program where we took second place and received a cash prize. A-Hub (icesco-accelerator.org)

OSCE Project Co-ordinator supports self-employment of women as post COVID-19 economic rehabilitation | OSCE