Platforms for Tomorrow
Acceleration Program in Tunisia
The GSMA Mobile Innovation Hub – Tunisia
Supported by the Special Training and Employment Initiative – “Invest for Jobs” mandated by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development in Germany (BMZ), the GIZ Tunisia has partnered with the GSMA Mobile for Development to create a Mobile Innovation Hub, through its Digital Transformation Program. Together with the Tunisian government and the local digital ecosystem, GIZ and the GSMA will collaborate on the development of mobile digital solutions and promoting the platform economy across various sectors, with specific emphasis on creating decent work and work opportunities.
Platforms for Tomorrow Acceleration Program
The Platforms for Tomorrow Program is an initiative under the GSMA Mobile Innovation Hub in collaboration with the GIZ, supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development in Germany (BMZ). The program will support innovators, from different sectors in Tunisia, that champion the platform economy business model. By assisting platforms to thrive, we aim to support users and operators of platform economy to reap the benefits by creating jobs, increase in productivity and generating economic opportunities.
Based on the Tunisian market analysis, platform economy business models are facing many challenges such as:
- Work quality: Challenges in providing decent work conditions to workers and operators of platforms. High turnover and quality of skills.
- Traction and value proposition: Difficulties in onboarding different parties to use the platform
- User adoption: Challenges to guarantee the participation of producers and consumers
- Scaling potential: Hardship in diversifying products portfolios or markets
- Data management: Limited technical capabilities in data collection, management, governance, and analysis.
For this reason, the program will provide targeted and customized technical assistance to the selected innovators to optimize their solutions, increase their ability to scale and improve their socio-economic impact (e.g. create employment, improve livelihoods, and support sustainable growth in the country).
A tailored support for innovators
Selected innovators under the program will benefit from tailored support provided by a dedicated team and industry experts.
- Needs Assessment
There is no one size fits all approach, and every need is different depending on each business. A needs assessment will help identify the “gaps” and prepare a plan to address your specific needs.
- Design Thinking
Design Thinking can help put customers at the centre of your business, tailor new prototypes for testing, understand the business ecosystem and improve your internal processes.
- Workforce Development
We will support platforms in developing a thriving work environment for their workforce especially on the ground platform workers.
- Product Development
Support the innovator in enhancing their product offering by supporting the deployment of new versions or iterations of existing digital solutions. Our support may encompass search engine optimization, user interface/user experience and/or technology advisory depending on the needs of the selected innovators.
- Partnership Building
We will offer selected innovators the opportunity to connect with Mobile Network operator’s ecosystem locally and internationally. Our workshops and industry expertise will help you identify synergies and create valuable business opportunities.
- Investor Readiness
We will support you to craft your pitch for various investors—from business angels to VCs, implement the right processes and methods from tailor-made pitch decks, create data rooms and connect you with active investors.
- Visibility
We provide innovators with opportunities to showcase their innovations through world-class events such as GSMA Mobile World Congress. We also feature innovators and their solution in blogs, insights, case studies and other promotional pieces.
Who can apply?
The Platforms for Tomorrow program will support innovators that leverage platform economy models in Tunisia, but what is a platform economy?
Platform economy refers to business models that enable connections, matchmaking, and exchange opportunities between supply and demand through digital intermediaries. They result in facilitating economic and social interactions while generating value and scale.
This is an intense acceleration program developed for advanced innovators active in the following sectors (but not limited to) can apply:
- Transport and Logistics
- Education
- Finance and Insurance
- Retail/Commerce
- Public Administration
- IT
Innovators that fit the above definition of platform economy and the respective categories in addition to the criteria below, are encouraged to apply:
- Solutions already demonstrating traction in the form of active users, early sales, product launched.
- Solutions with potential for high social and economic impact.
- Solutions matching supply and demand leveraging digital platforms.
- Solutions with a potential scalable product or service with a significant total addressable market.
- Innovators eager to improve the quality of their workforce performance and wellbeing by providing dedicated training.
- Potential for synergy with Mobile Network Operators (telecoms).
Innovations led by women and with a high potential for creating employment are strongly encouraged to apply.
Timeline
Overview
| Organizer | GSMA Innovation Fund |
| Website | Visit website |
| Targets | Tunisia |
| Sectors | E-commerce, Education, Financial services, ICT, Information technology, Insurance, Retail, Transport and logistics |
