LUPIAR
- Tanzania
- For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models
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Lupiar steps in to address the limited access to business opportunities due to fragmented information channels, geographical barriers, and lack of trust and transparency in the existing business ecosystem.
2.1 Industry Overview: Business Landscapes
To well understand Lupiar’s business area of impact, let’s explore the industry in three levels of business landscape:
2.1.1 Tanzania:
SME Dominance: Over 60% of Tanzania's GDP is generated by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), accounting for over 4.5 million jobs (National Bureau of Statistics, 2023).
Limited Reach: Despite their significance, access to information and marketing channels for Tanzanian SMEs remains limited. Only 15% of businesses have a website, while traditional marketplace/classifieds companies and other marketing channels primarily focus and cater to urban areas (World Bank, 2022).
Mobile Penetration: A beacon of hope! Mobile phone penetration in Tanzania has reached 82%, creating a fertile ground for mobile-based business solutions like Lupiar (Statista, 2023).
2.1.2 Africa:
E-commerce Boom: Africa's e-commerce market is projected to reach $50 billion by 2025, with a 20% annual growth rate (GlobalData, 2023).
Informal Economy: However, 70% of African businesses operate in the informal sector, lacking access to formal financial services and online marketplaces (World Bank, 2022).
Untapped Potential: Lupiar can bridge this gap by providing a platform for informal businesses to participate in the digital economy and reach a wider audience.
2.1.3 Global:
Marketplace Market Size: The global online marketplace market is estimated to reach $218 billion by 2027, showcasing the immense potential for innovative platforms like Lupiar (Statista, 2023).
Emerging Markets: Emerging markets like Tanzania and Africa present significant growth opportunities due to their rising internet penetration and increasing mobile phone usage.
Competition: Established players like Jiji, Kupatana, and international marketplace platforms like Jumia and OLX pose challenges, but Lupiar's focus on specific local needs and tailored features can differentiate us.
Problem: The limited access to business opportunities due to difficult business discovery, limited business visibility and lack of trust and transparency create a significant barrier to economic growth and development in Tanzania and Africa.
Businesses: SMEs and Informal businesses suffer from limited business visibility due to expensive marketing costs from traditional marketing avenues, social media inefficiency and geographical restriction barriers. (Source: Tanzania Investment Centre, 2022)
Customers: People suffer from difficult business discovery which involves navigating a maze of disparate irrelevant platforms, physical directories, and word-of-mouth recommendations that cost time, effort, and resources. (Source: Tanzania Marketing Association, 2023)
Users: Trust and transparency issues like lack of business validation and customer feedback lead to financial fraud, while exclusive business ecosystem and outdated platform designs discourage and reduce user engagement. (Source: World Bank, 2022)
Lupiar's comprehensive platform addresses these challenges, aiming to create accessible, transparent, and trustworthy ecosystem for businesses and consumers.
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(Check out our Lupiar Product Demo)
Solution: Lupiar is a unified business marketplace platform designed to empower, discover and connect business opportunities by creating a user-friendly platform where:
Businesses: Can post, list, organize and catalog or boost their products, services and promos from one business profile while getting access to valuable business resources and tools to help them thrive.
Customers: Can find and discover products, services, and promos, from potential business partners, owners and suppliers, instantly.
Users: Can network, collaborate and communicate with each other to build business relationships and partnerships.
Lupiar is more than just a business discovery platform; it's a unified online business solution empowering businesses, connecting them with potential partners and customers, and building business trust and transparency, while unlocking the potential of local economies.
Lupiar acts as a one-stop shop, including a diverse range of businesses, from local businesses to international businesses, freelancers to corporate service providers, microfinances to global VCs.
2.5.2 Equal Business Opportunities:
Free Platform Access: Lupiar offers completely-free registration and access to the platform and some premium features tailored to the needs of small businesses, making online visibility readily available.
Business Management Tools: We provide resources and tools to help small businesses optimize their listings, engage with customers through social media, and build their online brand presence.
Targeted Business Advertising: Lupiar provides a cost-effective boost plans tailored to prioritize businesses in search results, ensuring both rural and urban enterprises reach their target audience and compete effectively.
2.5.3 Business Trust and Transparency:
Strict Business Validation: Lupiar implements a stringent verification system, including identity checks and business license verification, to ensure users can trust the information presented.
Public Customer Feedback: A transparent feedback system like reviews, ratings and comment sessions allows customers to share their experiences, building trust and enabling informed decision-making.
Secure Online Transactions: Our platform integrates secure online payment options, eliminating cash-based transactions and minimizing fraud risks for both businesses and customers.
2.5.4. Inclusive Business Ecosystem:
Built-in Communication Tools: Lupiar facilitates direct communication between businesses and customers through messaging and chat features, streamlining inquiries and transactions.
Community Building Features: We foster a vibrant community forum and groups where businesses and customers can network, share knowledge, and collaborate, creating a supportive and thriving ecosystem.
Inclusive Accessibility Features: With diverse accessibility features for users with disabilities (e.g., audio content and AI-powered messages), Lupiar will ensure platform inclusivity for all users.
2.5.5. Modern Business Platform:
User Customization Ability: Lupiar provides users with diverse features customization and personalization options including theme appearance, layout customization, system sounds, custom categories, and many more, catering to individual preferences and branding needs.
Comprehensive Management Dashboards: Lupiar provides users with advanced business management tools to help them track and take control of their activities like boost performance, leading to effective business activities track and control.
Data Insights and Analytics: We offer businesses with valuable data on market trends, customer preferences, and competitor activity, empowering them to make data-driven decisions and optimize their performance.
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5.1.1 Market Size:
Tanzania: Estimated at $50 million in 2023, the B2B e-commerce market in Tanzania is expected to grow at a CAGR of 22.3% between 2021 and 2026, reaching a market size of USD 2.3 billion by 2026. (Source: 2023 Research and Markets report on Tanzania online classifieds).
Africa: The African B2B e-commerce market was valued at US$472 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach US$2.3 trillion by 2030, with a CAGR of 17.5% from 2022 to 2030. (Source: Straits Research - Middle East and Africa B2B eCommerce Market)
5.1.2 Target Market Segmentation:
1. Entrepreneurs:
Individuals or small teams who establish and operate businesses, taking on financial risks and rewards.
Sub-segments:
Micro-businesses: Individuals, street vendors, informal traders seeking formalization and online presence. (Source: 2023 International Labour Organization report on informal economy in Tanzania)
Small businesses: Growing enterprises aiming for wider customer reach and efficient business management. (Source: 2022 Tanzania National Bureau of Statistics report on SME statistics)
Medium-sized businesses: Established companies looking for targeted marketing, online transactions, and partnerships. (Source: 2023 Tanzania Investment Centre report on investment opportunities in Tanzania)
2. Professionals:
Individuals who offer specialized skills and services in exchange for compensation.
Sub-segments:
Independent Professionals: Individuals operating solo or in small teams, offering specialized skills and services directly to clients. (Source: 2023 Tanzania National Bureau of Statistics report on employment and informal sector).
Corporate Professionals: Individuals employed by larger organizations who also offer additional services on the side, seeking new projects, collaborations, or personal brand building. (Source: 2023 Tanzania Professional Services Regulatory Authority report).
Professional Organizations: Groups representing specific professional communities, seeking platforms for member communication, resource sharing, and event management. (Source: 2023 Tanzania Civil Society Organizations Directory)
3. Investors:
Individuals or organizations who provide capital for businesses in exchange for equity, debt, or other forms of return.
Sub-segments:
Angel investors: Seeking high-growth potential ventures with social impact. (Source: 2023 Tanzania Angel Investor Network report).
Venture capitalists: Focusing on promising startups in Tanzania's growing tech sector. (Source: 2022 Global Startup Ecosystem Report)
Private Equity Firms: Targeting established businesses with scalable models and strong financials. (Source: 2023 African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association report)
4. Customers:
Individuals or businesses seeking products or services offered by businesses listed on the Lupiar platform.
Sub-segments:
Urban consumers: Tech-savvy individuals seeking convenient online services and reliable businesses. (Source: 2023 Hootsuite report on social media usage in Tanzania)
Rural customers: Individuals with limited internet/business opportunities but increasing mobile phone adoption. (Source: 2022 Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority report on internet usage trends)
Value Propositions and Solutions:
ENTREPRENEURS
• Foster business connection.
• Simplify customer acquisition.
• Ease business management.
• Increase investment opportunities.
PROFESSIONALS
• Increase business competition.
• Promote business quality.
• Simplify deal negotiation.
• Ease project management.
INVESTORS
• Increase investment networks.
• Minimize investment risks.
• Foster investment decisions.
• Build investment portfolio.
CUSTOMERS
• Ease business discovery.
• Save customers' money.
• Save customers' time.
• Increase business credibility.
Lupiar Team: Deeply Rooted, Ready to Deliver
At Lupiar, we understand that true success comes from building a solution alongside, not just for, the communities we serve.
Team Proximity and Representation:
- My Background: As a Tanzanian entrepreneur, I have firsthand experience navigating the challenges faced by businesses in our region. This personal connection fuels my passion for creating a platform that empowers local businesses to thrive.
- One of my achievements and accoumplishments is to Successfully teach nearly a hundred high schools across all Tanzania regions in just three years from 2014 to 2017 - The mission which inspired and enlightened me to come up with a Social Learning startup project called Anepen with a mission to digitize the Tanzanian Education Ecosystem in early 2018. which later in 2022 was pivoted to Lupiar to serve a wide range of business accessibility victims.
- Diverse Team: Our team comprises individuals from various Tanzanian regions, fostering a deep understanding of the cultural nuances and business landscapes across the country and Africa.
- Community Engagement: Throughout Lupiar's development, we have actively engaged with potential users from diverse backgrounds. This included focus groups, user interviews, and surveys across Tanzania and other nearby countries. Their feedback directly shaped the features and functionalities of our platform.
Community-Driven Design and Implementation:
- Problem-solving Focus: We prioritized identifying and addressing the specific pain points voiced by the business communities we aim to serve.
- Iterative Development: Our user testing process incorporated feedback from diverse groups, ensuring the platform caters to a wide range of needs and cultural contexts.
- Continuous Improvement: We remain committed to ongoing user engagement. As Lupiar evolves, we will actively seek feedback and incorporate user suggestions to maintain a platform that remains relevant and empowering.
Beyond just our personal backgrounds, Lupiar prioritizes building a platform that is:
- Culturally Sensitive: Designed to be accessible and user-friendly for businesses of all sizes and cultural contexts.
- Language Inclusive: Supporting multiple languages spoken across the African continent to ensure broad accessibility.
- Locally Relevant: We aim to partner with local organizations and service providers to offer targeted resources and support within the platform.
By combining our diverse team expertise, unwavering user focus, and commitment to cultural sensitivity, Lupiar is well-positioned to deliver a solution that empowers businesses across Tanzania and Africa.
- Generate new economic opportunities and buffer against economic shocks for workers, including good job creation, workforce development, and inclusive and attainable asset ownership.
- 1. No Poverty
- 2. Zero Hunger
- 5. Gender Equality
- 8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
- 9. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
- 10. Reduced Inequalities
- 17. Partnerships for the Goals
- Prototype
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MILESTONES
At Lupiar, we've dedicated the past 16 months to laying a strong foundation for our one-stop business marketplace platform. This strategic timeframe allowed us to thoroughly:
- Conduct in-depth business research: This research involved understanding the current pain points of businesses of all sizes, the existing market landscape, and potential opportunities for Lupiar to fill identified gaps.
- Develop a comprehensive platform design: We focused on creating a user-friendly and intuitive platform that caters to the needs of both businesses and customers. This includes functionalities for marketing, customer acquisition, collaboration, and trust-building.
- Build and test a robust prototype: Developing a functional prototype allowed us to validate our design concepts, gather user feedback, and identify areas for improvement before full-scale development.
While we haven't launched the platform to the public yet and therefore haven't served a large customer base, this initial phase has been crucial. It has equipped us with a solid understanding of the market needs and a well-designed platform ready for further refinement.
Here are some specific accomplishments from the past 16 months:
- Market research: Conducted surveys, interviews, and focus groups with potential users to understand their needs and challenges.
- Competitive analysis: Analyzed existing business platforms to identify their strengths and weaknesses, allowing us to develop a differentiated approach with Lupiar.
- User interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design: Created a user-friendly prototype that facilitates intuitive navigation and simplifies business processes for both businesses and customers.
- Prototype testing: Gathered valuable feedback from a diverse range of users through usability testing of the prototype.
With this strong foundation in place, we are now prepared to move forward with further development, beta testing, and a strategic launch plan.
Lupiar Seeks Growth Through Solve Startup Program
Lupiar is thrilled to apply to the Solve Startup Program! We believe this program aligns perfectly with our mission to empower businesses and foster a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem. While we've made significant progress in the past 16 months, we recognize the value of Solve's comprehensive support in overcoming key challenges and accelerating our growth.
Specifically, we seek Solve's assistance in addressing several key areas:
- Market Validation and Expansion: We are confident in Lupiar's potential, but gaining further market validation through Solve's network of experts and potential customers would be invaluable. This could involve user testing with a wider audience and refining our approach based on their feedback.
- Strategic Partnerships: Building strong partnerships with complementary businesses can significantly enhance Lupiar's value proposition. Solve's connections could assist us in identifying and forging strategic partnerships that benefit our platform and users.
- Mentorship and Guidance: Navigating the startup landscape can be complex. Solve's mentorship program would connect us with experienced entrepreneurs and advisors who can provide invaluable guidance and support as we refine our business model and navigate potential roadblocks.
Lupiar understands that Solve offers much more than just financial support. While funding is always a consideration for startups, our primary motivation is to leverage Solve's comprehensive program to:
- Validate our market fit: Gaining valuable user feedback and insights from a diverse audience.
- Forge strategic partnerships: Connecting with businesses that complement Lupiar's mission and expand our reach.
- Benefit from mentorship: Learning from experienced entrepreneurs to make informed decisions and overcome challenges.
By becoming a Solve Startup Program participant, Lupiar aspires to not just secure funding, but to emerge as a stronger, more impactful platform that empowers businesses and fosters connections across the entrepreneurial landscape.
- Business Model (e.g. product-market fit, strategy & development)
- Financial (e.g. accounting practices, pitching to investors)
- Human Capital (e.g. sourcing talent, board development)
- Product / Service Distribution (e.g. delivery, logistics, expanding client base)
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Lupiar approaches business accessibility with a unique blend of features and functionalities that set it apart from existing solutions. Here's how:
Unified Platform: Lupiar goes beyond just connecting businesses. We offer a one-stop shop for marketing, customer acquisition, collaboration, and trust-building, streamlining processes for businesses of all sizes.
Focus on User Empowerment: Lupiar empowers both businesses and customers. Businesses gain access to marketing tools, customer discovery features, and collaboration opportunities. Customers experience a simplified process for finding businesses, building trust, and connecting directly with business owners.
Community-Centric Design: Lupiar is not just a platform, it's a community. By fostering collaboration and trust-building features, Lupiar encourages businesses to learn from each other, share resources, and create a more supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Broader Positive Impact: We believe Lupiar can inspire positive change across the business landscape:
- Increased Business Creation: Simplified accessibility can encourage more individuals to become entrepreneurs.
- Enhanced Innovation: Collaboration fosters knowledge sharing and potentially groundbreaking ideas.
- Financial Inclusion: Lupiar empowers individuals to participate more actively in the formal economy.
Market Transformation Potential:
Lupiar aspires to disrupt the market by:
- Shifting the Paradigm: Moving away from fragmented business solutions towards a unified platform.
- Democratizing Business Tools: Making advanced marketing, customer acquisition, and collaboration features accessible to all businesses, regardless of size or resources.
- Empowering Local Economies: By fostering connections and growth within African business communities.
Lupiar's innovative combination of features, community focus, and commitment to empowerment positions us to not just solve a problem, but to fundamentally change the way businesses connect and thrive in Africa and potentially beyond.
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The pre-Lupiar landscape in Tanzania and Africa painted a fragmented picture for business discovery, connection and empowerment, hindering growth and visibility for many enterprises. Here are the specific challenges:
2.2.1. Limited Reach and Fragmented Channels:
Traditional Classifieds: Existing platforms primarily cater to urban areas, offering limited business reach and opportunities especially to rural businesses and audiences. Their outdated interfaces and lack of advanced search functions made finding specific products, services and promos cumbersome. (Source: Tanzania Advertising Research Foundation, 2022)
Informal Marketing: Many small businesses rely on word-of-mouth and physical marketing materials like flyers, restricting their customer base and limiting potential. (Source: World Bank, 2022)
Social Media Reliance: While social media offer some visibility potential, categorization and organization of business listings remained ineffective, making it difficult to manage and navigate through the sheer volume of content. (Source: Hootsuite, 2023)
2.2.2. Information Asymmetry and Lack of Trust:
Unverified Listings: The absence of verification mechanisms on existing platforms leave users vulnerable to scams and inaccurate information, hindering trust and discouraging transactions. (Source: Consumer Protection Tanzania, 2022)
Limited Reviews and Ratings: Without a reliable system for customer feedback and business reputation building, discovering trustworthy businesses remain a challenge. (Source: Tanzania E-commerce Association, 2022)
Offline Transactions: Reliance on offline payment methods and cumbersome communication channels further erode trust and transparency in business interactions. (Source: Bank of Tanzania, 2022)
2.2.3. Limited Growth Opportunities:
Marketing Inefficiency: Traditional marketing channels are often expensive and inaccessible for small businesses, limiting their ability to reach wider audiences and grow their customer base. (Source: Tanzania Investment Centre, 2022)
Lack of Business Resources: Existing platforms rarely offer tools or resources to help businesses with branding, marketing, or financial management, hindering their growth potential. (Source: Tanzania Chamber of Commerce & Industry, 2022)
Data Gap: Limited access to market data and business analytics further restrict the ability of entrepreneurs to make informed decisions and capitalize on emerging opportunities. (Source: Tanzania National Bureau of Statistics, 2023)
In summary, the existing business industry lack a comprehensive, accessible, and trustworthy platform for discovering and connecting businesses with potential customers, stifling growth and innovation. This void in the market present the perfect opportunity for Lupiar to disrupt the landscape and empower businesses of all sizes across Tanzania and Africa.
Lupiar is a unified business marketplace platform disrupting business accessibility. Lupiar's arrival promises to transform the business landscape in Tanzania and beyond, fostering growth, accessibility, and trust across the ecosystem. Here are the anticipated impacts:
2.3.1. Increased Visibility and Reach:
National and Regional Expansion: Lupiar's comprehensive platform will connect businesses across Tanzania, providing both urban and rural businesses with equal business opportunities like visibility and accessibility.
Global Potential: Our platform's multilingual features and focus on African markets can bridge the gap between local businesses and international customers, opening doors to new export opportunities. (Source: McKinsey Global Institute, 2023)
At Lupiar, we are driven by a vision of transformational impact on the lives of entrepreneurs and the overall business landscape in Africa. Here's how we define our impact goals and the methods we use to measure progress:
Impact Goal 1: Empower 1 Million African Businesses by 2030
- Rationale: By increasing accessibility and resources, Lupiar aims to unlock the entrepreneurial potential of millions across Africa.
- Measurement Indicators:
- Number of registered businesses actively using the Lupiar platform.
- Growth rate of active businesses on the platform.
- Surveys gauging user satisfaction and platform effectiveness in empowering businesses.
- Case studies highlighting success stories of businesses that thrived using Lupiar.
Impact Goal 2: Facilitate 5 Million Successful Business Connections by 2030
- Rationale: Connecting businesses leads to increased opportunities, partnerships, and overall ecosystem growth.
- Measurement Indicators:
- Number of connections formed between businesses on the platform.
- Conversion rate of connections into successful collaborations or transactions.
- User-reported data on the platform's effectiveness in facilitating valuable connections.
- Independent surveys analyzing user experiences and the impact of connections fostered through Lupiar.
Impact Goal 3: Contribute to a 10% Increase in New Business Creation Rates in Target African Markets by 2030 (aligned with UN SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth)
- Rationale: Lupiar's simplified accessibility aims to encourage more individuals to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors.
- Measurement Indicators:
- Partnering with local and regional organizations to track new business creation rates in target markets.
- Conducting surveys and studies to assess the correlation between Lupiar usage and business creation decisions.
- Contributing to regional economic reports by providing data on the platform's impact on entrepreneurial activity.
Going Deeper: Data Collection and Partnerships
We recognize the importance of data-driven decision making and impact measurement. Beyond the indicators listed above, we plan to:
- Implement a robust user analytics system to track platform usage and user behavior.
- Partner with research institutions and universities to conduct independent studies on Lupiar's impact on the African business landscape.
- Collaborate with government agencies and economic development organizations to share data and contribute to regional economic growth initiatives.
By employing a multifaceted approach that combines user data, case studies, independent research, and partnerships, Lupiar strives to measure its impact comprehensively and contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goal of fostering decent work and economic growth. This commitment to measurement allows us to continuously refine our approach and maximize the positive impact we have on African entrepreneurs and their communities.
Lupiar leverages a combination of modern technologies to create a user-friendly platform that fosters connections and empowers businesses. Here's a breakdown of the core technologies:
- Web and Mobile App Development: Lupiar is accessible through a web-based platform and mobile applications for iOS and Android devices. This ensures broad accessibility and caters to user preferences.
- Cloud Infrastructure: We utilize secure cloud infrastructure to ensure scalability, data storage, and reliable performance as the user base grows. This focus on security protects sensitive business information and user data.
- User Management and Authentication: Robust user management systems ensure secure logins, account verification, and differentiated user roles within the platform (businesses, customers, etc.).
- Search and Matching Algorithms: Sophisticated algorithms power search functions and connection recommendations. These algorithms consider user profiles, business categories, location data, and other factors to facilitate relevant connections.
- Communication Tools: Integrated communication features like messaging, video conferencing, and file sharing allow businesses to collaborate seamlessly within the platform.
- Data Analytics and Machine Learning (Future Integration): As Lupiar evolves, we plan to integrate data analytics and machine learning to personalize the user experience, recommend relevant connections and resources, and optimize platform functionality based on user behavior.
Balancing Modern Tech with User Needs:
While Lupiar utilizes modern technologies, we prioritize user-friendliness. The platform is designed to be intuitive and accessible even for individuals with limited technical experience.
Focus on Security and Privacy: We understand the importance of safeguarding user data. Lupiar employs robust security measures and adheres to relevant data privacy regulations to ensure user trust.
Conclusion:
Lupiar's technology core goes beyond just functionality; it emphasizes user-friendliness, security, and accessibility. This combination allows us to deliver a powerful platform that empowers businesses and fosters a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem across Africa.
1. Customer Segmentation & Persona Creation: Lupiar has features like geolocation that allow segmenting customers based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.
2. Campaign Personalization: Lupiar can boost and personalized marketing campaigns considering trends and seasonality.
3. Campaign Performance Forecasting: We implements AI algorithms that us historical data and analysis to forecast campaign results.
Marketing Content Creating & Testing1. Content Creation Platform: Lupiar empowers users to use text, images, videos and audio. for their marketing contents.
2. Advanced Search Engine: We implements AI-powered search functionalities to optimize ease business finding.
Communication Tools for International Partners1. Facilitate Cross-Cultural Communication: Lupiar implements built-in chat application with language translation functionalities to capture multi-national widespread cultures.
2. Improve Partnership Management: We build a platform that facilitates easy finding and discovering business partners.
E-commerce Market Monitoring & Sales Optimization1. E-commerce Market Tracking: We implement e-commerce features that track pricing, inventory, demand/supply, trends, and external factors in the e-commerce market.
2. Sales Process Automation: We develop features to support ERPs, peer-to-peer delivery, and sales/marketing systems for process automation.
- A new application of an existing technology
- Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning
- Audiovisual Media
- Behavioral Technology
- Big Data
- Crowd Sourced Service / Social Networks
- Software and Mobile Applications
- Tanzania
- Kenya
We are several members in the team with different backgrounds.
Full Time Employees: 2
Part time employees: 3
Contractor 1: 1
17+ Months since 2022.
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Key Team Members & Expertise
8.1.1 Lucas Damas: Chief Executive Officer
Experiences:
Technology Consulting: 7+ Years leading digital transformation projects in Information Technology companies like Lure Inc. and Aneglobe.
Startup Venture Building: Co-founding and running a social learning platform named Anepen.com in Tanzania.
Awards and Nominations: The Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Program 2019 Accelerator, Young African Leaders Initiative 2020 Program, The Aggregator Startup Matchmaking 2020.
Contributions:
1. Visionary Founder and Architect:
Idea Development: Conceived the initial Lupiar idea, recognizing a crucial need in the Tanzanian business landscape.
Idea Validation: Conducted thorough research to validate the viability of the platform and define its target audience.
Idea Refining: Iteratively refined the concept through brainstorming sessions, ensuring its strategic alignment.
Platform Design: Transformed the vision into tangible design by crafting wireframes and designing the entire user interface and user experience of the platform.
2. Tech and Development Lead:
Project Roadmap: Provided critical technical guidance and expertise to the development team, ensuring efficient execution and quality control.
Platform Development: Spearheaded the platform development process, utilizing his coding skills to bring the design to life.
Technical Feasibility: Actively participates in refining development ideas, contributing valuable insights and technical feasibility assessments.
3. Strategic Business Mastermind: Founding Member: Business Analysis: Success Oriented:
References:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lu...
8.1.2 William Kawesa: Chief Innovation Officer
Experiences:
Venture Building: Co-founding, running and working for welding and aluminium companies like Kawesabros Company in Tanzania.
Startup Investment: Investing in Lupiar and former IT company named Aneglobe, parent company of Anepen.com platform.
Industry Experience: 10+ Years working with diverse companies and organizations like Umoja Bank, serving them with the best services from the industry.
Contributions:
1. Founding Member and Investor:
Project Funding: Played a key role in establishing Lupiar from its inception, providing financial backing and entrepreneurial vision.
Idea Validation: Played a pivotal role in Lupiar's inception, leveraging his extensive welding and metal fabrication expertise to identify a critical need within the Tanzanian business landscape.
Mission Development:
Partnership Forging:
2. Innovation Catalyst and Idea Forge: Ideas Development: Ideas Improvement: Ideas Refinement:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wi...
8.1.3 Shemm Mang’erere: Developer
6+ Years leading the development of web and mobile applications for local and international clients like Steara & UBX Tanzania.
Qualifications:
Strong Technical Leadership:
Computer Science Knowledge:
Visionary Thinking and Innovation:
Analytical Sills and Knowledge:
Communication and Collaboration:
References:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sh...
8.1.4 Salma Nurdin: Financial Officer
Qualifications:
Proven Financial Acumen:
Strategic Thinking and Planning:
Risk Management Expertise:
Communication and Collaboration:
Leadership and Teamwork:
8.1.5 Jackline Julius: Marketing and Sales
5+ Years crafting and implementing impactful brand strategies for different local companies.
Qualifications:
Marketing Expertise and Vision:
Strong Analytical Skills:
Creativity and Storytelling:
Collaboration and Relationship Building:
Market Awareness and Understanding:
Lupiar's success relies not just on technology, but also on the diverse skills, experience, and passion of its team members. By fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and mutual respect, we empower each other to achieve our shared vision of transforming the Tanzanian business landscape.
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Lupiar's success hinges on a diversified and sustainable revenue model that unlocks value for both users and investors.
9.1.1 Freemium Model:
Lupiar caters to a diverse range of businesses in Tanzania, each with varying needs and budgets. We understand the financial situations of our target market, therefore, we implement a completely free access to the platform business model strategy, in order to attract and retain more users.
Value Proposition:
User Profiles: Create and manage free user accounts, connect with other users and engage in different activities on the platform.
Business Pages: Create and manage business pages, showcase products, services and promos, and reach more customers.
Search Engine: Find relevant businesses and potential customers through basic search functionalities.
Communication Tools: Initiate basic communication with other users through messaging or contact forms.
Community Access: Participate in forum discussions, network with other users, and gain insights from the community.
9.1.2 Targeted Advertising:
As our primary business model focus, targeted advertising presents a significant potential revenue stream. Lupiar offers advertising space on its platform for businesses to boost and promote their products or services. This includes boosted contents, banner ads, and featured products or services.
Pricing Tiers:
Single Boosts: Providing businesses with options for boosting individual contents to maximize visibility in searches and specific categories.
Bundled Boosts: Creating cost-effective options for businesses to boost multiple related contents together, reaching a wider audience.
Value Proposition:
Business Visibility: Providing businesses with high visibility advantages.
Targeting Granularity: Offering different tiers with varying levels of audience targeting precision (e.g., demographics, interests, behaviors).
Campaign Management: Including campaign management support in higher tiers for complex campaigns.
Performance Reporting: Provide detailed performance reports with each tier to justify the pricing.
Customer Acquisition: Driving user engagement with boosted posts and pages, hence increase conversion rate.
9.1.3 Premium Model:
The cornerstone of our recurring revenue, premium plans cater to businesses seeking to maximize their exposure, reach and lead generation, or simplify their business management. Lupiar will charge businesses a fee to use its advanced features on the platform. The subscription fee can be a one-time payment or a recurring subscription fee, depending on the type of business and the services they offer.
Value Propositions:
Premium Features: Unlock high value platform features with maximum functionalities and performance that contribute to business success.
AI-powered insights: Leverage AI and machine learning to provide personalized business recommendations and data-driven insights.
Lead management: Streamlining advanced advertising tools, communication and conversion of potential customers.
CRM integration: Providing premium subscribers with the essential business control features like invoice and order management.
Customer support: Ensuring faster response times and dedicated account management for premium users distinctly from freemium users.
9.1.4 Transaction Fees:
For successful business transactions facilitated through Lupiar's platform, we earn a small commission, acting as a value-added intermediary. Lupiar will charge a commission fee for each transaction that occurs on the platform. The commission fee can be a percentage of the transaction value or a fixed amount per transaction.
- Organizations (B2B)
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At Lupiar, we are committed to building a financially sustainable organization that can deliver long-term impact. Our plan incorporates a diversified revenue model to ensure long-term stability:
With our dynamic business model in place, let's shift gears and unlock the treasure chest of projected revenue! These are just projections based on market research, competitor analysis, and our target user base. Actual results may vary, but they offer a compelling glimpse into Lupiar's potential for growth and profitability.
Our diversified revenue streams, coupled with a focus on user value and strategic partnerships, position us for sustainable growth and long-term financial success. With four pricing tiers for each type of target advertising boosts, we initially focus on the first three boosts; Basic, Standard and Premium Boosts, while Targeted Boosts await as we keep on acquiring more users and data.
9.3.4 Cost Optimization Strategies:
Leveraging Technology: Utilizing automated tools and open-source platforms to reduce development and operational costs.
Outsourcing and Freelancing: Partnering with skilled freelancers and outsourcing non-core activities to ensure cost-effectiveness.
Strategic Partnerships: Collaborating with complementary businesses to share resources and leverage existing infrastructure.
Prioritize core functionalities: Focus development resources on features that deliver maximum value to users within budget constraints.
Data-driven decision making: Analyze marketing campaign performance and optimize spending based on ROI.
Outsourcing non-core tasks: Consider outsourcing specific tasks like accounting or IT maintenance to cost-effective providers.
Negotiate with vendors: Seek competitive pricing and explore long-term contracts for cost savings.
Early Traction and Funding Success:
While still in development, Lupiar has taken initial steps towards financial sustainability:
- Bootstrapping: We have utilized $60,000 to date, from Personal Savings, Family Members, and Kawesabros Company contributions to cover initial development costs.
- Grant Funding: Lupiar is actively pursuing grant opportunities from organizations that support entrepreneurship and technological solutions for economic development in Africa. We are confident in securing grants that will further fuel our development and user base expansion.
- Funding Requirement: We are seeking $300,000 in funding from strategic investors who feel and share our vision. Our Exit Strategy include: Company Acquisition, Initial Public Offering (IPO), and Secondary Share Offering
Future Funding Considerations:
- Impact Investing: We see potential for attracting impact investors who share our vision of empowering African businesses and fostering economic growth.
- Series A Funding: As Lupiar establishes a strong user base and generates traction, we will explore the possibility of raising Series A funding to accelerate growth and expand our reach across Africa.
Transparency and Future Success:
We understand the importance of financial transparency and accountability. Once operational, Lupiar will prioritize financial reporting and responsible management of all revenue streams. This ensures long-term sustainability and allows us to continuously reinvest in platform improvement and user experience.
By implementing a diversified revenue strategy and securing initial funding, Lupiar is well-positioned to achieve financial sustainability. We are confident that our solution will not only empower businesses but also create a self-sustaining organization that can create lasting positive impact on the African entrepreneurial landscape.

Co-Founder and CEO at Anepen.com