Tendo: Enabling African Start Online Retail Businesses With Zero Capital

Tendo aims to address the challenge of economic exclusion and limited entrepreneurial opportunities, particularly in underserved communities. Globally, millions of people lack access to traditional employment opportunities, with a significant portion residing in regions with limited access to capital and resources for entrepreneurship.

Problem we are solving:

An estimated 32% of all e-commerce sales in Africa happen on Facebook. Social interaction has become an essential part of commerce on the continent.

However, the majority of people who would like to take advantage of this opportunity and sell online are unable to do so due to two main reasons:

1. High capital investment requirements for inventory, logistics, and warehousing

2. Complexities involved in finding trusted suppliers

Tendo eliminates all that.

Africa has over 30 million young unemployed people but there are currently over 140 million active social media users on the continent. Tendo presents an opportunity for millions of people to earn a decent income.

Reaching 10% of the unemployed populace presents an opportunity to give more than 14 million people access to a decent job and to earn a decent income.

Tendo is a platform that enables anyone to start an online business with zero capital investment. We have built an app -Tendo Reseller App, that bridges the gap between independent resellers and suppliers by offering products at wholesale prices directly through an intuitive app available on Android, iOS, and the web. This app provides resellers with extensive product details, including descriptions, images, videos, and marketing materials. Resellers can easily set their profit margins and share products on social media platforms. When a sale is made, Tendo handles delivery and cash collection, ensuring the reseller's profit is safely transferred to their mobile money wallet.

This unique approach democratizes access to advanced e-commerce tools, making it possible for entrepreneurs to leverage the same level of technology and tools as giants like Amazon.

Tendo's solution directly tackles barriers to entrepreneurship by providing a platform for individuals to start businesses without upfront capital investment. By leveraging technology and social networks, Tendo empowers aspiring entrepreneurs to reach new markets and create sustainable income streams.

Link to Product Demo-  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HY7u3CNW3w0

Our target market is young people (ages 20-35) who are active on social media. These individuals often lack access to traditional financial resources,employment and face barriers to entrepreneurship. By providing a platform for starting businesses without upfront capital investment, Tendo empowers them to overcome barriers and unlock economic opportunities. This enables them to start and grow businesses, generate income, and improve their livelihoods, ultimately contributing to poverty alleviation and economic development in their communities.

Women make the majority of our users as they are quicker to adopt the solution and able to make more sales (About 70% of our current user base is female). As such, this is a group we're targeting.

Revolutionizing e-commerce by empowering resellers with capabilities previously reserved for large ecommerce companies, transforming how entrepreneurs in emerging markets engage in digital commerce. We're redefining the digital entrepreneurial landscape, removing barriers to entry, and setting a new standard for ecommerce in emerging markets. Tendo is changing what it means to be an entrepreneur in the digital age, thereby fostering economic empowerment and growth.

The team is based in Ghana and close to the community we serve, hence intimately understands the challenges faced by aspiring entrepreneurs in the region. With a diverse team reflecting community demographics, we meet-up and engage regularly with users, gathering feedback to inform platform design which helps to ensure relevance and impact in these communities. Our proximity to users and commitment to their success position us as trusted partners in driving positive change and economic empowerment across Africa.

We(Co-founders) have known each other for over five years, sharing a commitment to leveraging technology in addressing some of Africa's most pressing challenges, including poverty and gender inequality. Our team is uniquely positioned to build this solution due to our deep understanding of our users and the market, coupled with our capability to rapidly test ideas and innovate using the most basic and efficient tools available. Our journey began with the launch of Tendo as a WhatsApp group, where we managed orders through Google Forms and Spreadsheets. This nimble approach enabled us to gain a deep insight into our users' needs, allowing us to develop a solution that more effectively met those needs. Leveraging this foundation, we scaled Tendo to thousands of users and secured a spot in YCombinator, even before developing our mobile app.

Felix Manford, Co-Founder and CEO, started his career at Goldman Sachs London before returning to Ghana to develop solutions addressing the continent's significant challenges, such as poverty and unemployment. As the CEO and co-founder of Tendo, he has steered the company to empower Africans, particularly in Ghana and Nigeria, to start online retail businesses without initial capital. Tendo, under his leadership, has attracted over $1 million in funding from prominent investors including YCombinator, Google and Catalyst Fund, and has made a remarkable impact, with over 70% of its users being women. Felix is dedicated to empowering one million Africans to start digital businesses, driving change, and fostering entrepreneurship across Africa.

Primerose Katena, Co-Founder and COO, has been a pivotal figure in the software business sector and serves as an inspiration for many women in the African tech startup ecosystem, especially in Zimbabwe. Prior to Tendo, she co-founded an event-planning software company.

Derrick Mungai, Co-Founder and CTO, is an accomplished software engineer with significant experience at Safaricom as a Tech Lead and Microservices Engineer. He excels in automating software builds and deployments in cloud-native environments. He once built a web scraper to win a Black Friday scavenger hunt on Jumia.

Evans Boateng, Co-Founder and Product Lead, is a self-taught coder with a background as a qualified nurse. He shifted his focus to software development and now spearheads product design at Tendo. He founded his first tech startup, SARA - Safe Antenatal Resource App, which connects pregnant women to health services, while studying nursing at university.

• Tendo entrepreneur have made over $1million in sales  

• Over 2500 entrepreneurs have been able to start their own business on Tendo with zero capital and reach than 32,000 end customers

• Women are quicker to adopt the solution and able to make more sales. Hence, more than 70% of our current user base is female. 

• Average top reseller income has grown from $20 to $150 monthly.

• Market Expansion Strategy: Tendo’s goal for the year is to launch in Europe and empower at least 5000 creators and influencers to start their own online stores with no capital. We would like to work with the program in achieving this goal and making our technology accessible to millions of creators in the Europe

• Embedded Finance Strategy: Collaborating with program mentors, we aim to integrate financial tools such as savings, investments, and credit into Tendo. This year, we forecast Tendo's entrepreneurs and creators will generate over $1.5 million in income on our platform. Our objective is to enable them to significantly enhance this income through our embedded finance services. Partnering with the accelerator program is a strategic step towards achieving this goal, as it will provide our users with the means to not only earn but also grow their income in a sustainable and impactful manner.

• Investor and Partnership Connections: We will leverage the program’s network to establish valuable connections with potential investors and strategic partners to fuel Tendo's growth.

Tendo's innovation is reflected in its scalable model, leveraging technology to reach a wide audience and promote entrepreneurship. The platform addresses the challenge area of unemployment and reduced inequalities by offering a practical solution that is both relevant and innovative in the African context which directly contributes to economic growth.

Tendo proffers solutions by eliminating the need for upfront investment, which lowers barriers to entry and democratizes entrepreneurship. It introduces the Zero Capital Business that allows individuals to start their own online businesses without the need for any initial investment. Its integration of social media as a distribution channel harnesses the power of personal networks and organic reach, maximizing exposure and sales potential. Tendo's platform streamlines the supply chain process, handling inventory management and order fulfillment, making it effortless for resellers to focus on promoting and growing their businesses.

The e-commerce sector in Nigeria and Africa is undergoing significant growth, driven by increased internet and smartphone usage. Consumers are increasingly drawn to online platforms for shopping, seeking convenience and variety. Despite challenges like logistics and payment barriers, the market is competitive with a mix of international and local players. Tendo is positioned at the intersection of e-commerce and entrepreneurship and aligns with the dynamics of the sector. Its focus on creating economic opportunities, empowering youths to generate income, and integrating its platform to all socials makes it relevant in the current landscape, addressing both the challenges and opportunities present in the e-commerce sector in the region.

Tendo's impact stems from its unique approach, empowering individuals to overcome barriers to entrepreneurship. By providing a platform for zero-capital online businesses, Tendo enables aspiring entrepreneurs to access products, manage inventory, and conduct sales effortlessly. This leads to immediate outputs like increased participation in e-commerce and income generation. Since launch, the outcomes include economic empowerment through jobs that have been created with over 2500 entrepreneurs who have started their own business on Tendo with zero capital and reach 32,000 end customers leading to enhanced livelihoods for the target population. Evidence supporting this theory of change includes positive feedback from our users, market research proving the demand for such solutions.

Tendo's impact goals revolve around empowering individuals to achieve economic independence and improved livelihoods through entrepreneurship. We measure progress through indicators such as the number of entrepreneurs onboarded, the volume of sales generated, and the increase in income levels among our users. We track metrics related to sales, customer satisfaction, retention rates, and the expansion of our user base to gauge the effectiveness of our solution in creating sustainable impact. Our ultimate goal is to contribute significantly to job creation, income generation, and economic empowerment in underserved communities, thereby fostering inclusive growth and poverty alleviation.

Tendo is a mobile platform that seamlessly connects independent resellers with suppliers, allowing individuals to sell online with zero capital. Users simply choose products from Tendo's catalog, set their prices and share their selections on social media, thus bringing the offline reselling efficiency to the online realm. This unique approach democratizes access to advanced e-commerce tools, making it possible for entrepreneurs to leverage the same level of technology and tools as giants like Amazon.

Integrating deeply with social media, Tendo taps into the natural shopping behaviors and trust inherent in social networks, facilitating transactions in a way traditional ecommerce platforms cannot. Our technology suite includes AI-driven product recommendations, seamless logistics, market analytics and personalized storefronts, all optimized for mobile use. This not only broadens our market reach but also fortifies our competitive moat by melding social engagement with comprehensive ecommerce functionalities.

Tendo is revolutionizing e-commerce by empowering resellers with capabilities previously reserved for large ecommerce companies, transforming how entrepreneurs in emerging markets engage in digital commerce. We're redefining the digital entrepreneurial landscape, removing barriers to entry, and setting a new standard for ecommerce in emerging markets. Tendo is changing what it means to be an entrepreneur in the digital age, thereby fostering economic empowerment and growth.

Number of full time staff

16    

Number of full time contractor(s) 

12

Number of part time employee(s) *

0

Number of part time contractor(s) *

4

The project started in 2021. It’s been 3 years of fully committing to seeing the company scale, attain and also maintain a competitive edge whilst providing great quality of work. It's been full time till date.

Tendo is an organization that is committed to promoting diversity in its workforce, and thus, it has a heterogeneous team of employees from different racial, ethnic, gender, and cultural backgrounds. We value diversity and ensure that all employees, regardless of their age, gender, nationality, or religion, feel respected, included and heard. Tendo values diversity at all levels, from the top management to entry-level employees, and focuses on creating a culture of inclusion, tolerance, and mutual respect. 

We prioritize providing equal access to professional development, training, and growth opportunities for all staff. 

We also have an inclusive and diverse organization where everyone is encouraged to contribute their unique perspectives, ideas, and experiences, which enrich our work environment and help us better meet the needs of our customers.

Tendo has a platform for ongoing feedback mechanisms to solicit input on our culture and practices.

At Tendo, our business model revolves around empowering aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly in underserved communities, to start and grow their online businesses with zero capital investment or inventory. 

Our mobile app connects wholesalers to independent resellers who add their profit margin to products on our platform, share on social media and earn money each time a purchase is made. Thousands of African entrepreneurs earn an income on Tendo with no upfront risk.

How it Works

• Users log into the Tendo App and explore our diverse catalog of 3000+ products in fashion, beauty, electronics, and personal care.

• They have the flexibility to add their profit margin (typically ranging from 20-50% of the price) and effortlessly share these products with their social media community.

• Tendo simplifies the sharing process by automatically generating appealing images, detailed descriptions, and a personalized storefront, along with a convenient payment link for the resellers.

• Once a reseller successfully secures a sale, Tendo takes swift action, handling the product delivery directly to their customer(s).

• The profit, including the added margin, is promptly deposited into the reseller's account, completing the seamless transaction cycle.

• Our users are more attracted to our platform because it eliminates the barriers of upfront capital investment, supplier sourcing, and inventory management, allowing them to focus on building their businesses and generating income.

Since inception,

• Tendo has made over $1million in sales  

• Over 2500 entrepreneurs have been able to start their own business on Tendo with zero capital and reach than 32,000 end customers

• During the pilot, we realized that women were quicker to adopt the solution and were able to make more sales. More than 70% of our current user base is female.

• Average top reseller income has grown from $20 to $150 monthly.

We have been able to secure investments from well renowned investors like Y-Combinator, Catalyst Fund (Mastercard Foundation), Google for Black Start-up, Multichoice Africa Accelerator Award.

Tendo has grown to be an established business that has gained significant traction since its launch in 2021- launched in Ghana to scaling operations in Nigeria and recently launching in South Africa As of the latest update, the platform boasts 1100 monthly active users.

Asides from these external funding:

• We source products at wholesale prices before they're listed on the platform.

• We add a 10-30% margin to products before they are listed

• Resellers pay a $5 monthly subscription fee for premium features.

• We will also allow suppliers to pay for ad placements on our app soon.