Solarkiosk proudly introduces “THE PULSE”:
a network of interconnected, solar powered, rural business, trading, leisure & service centers, tailored to the needs of underserved rural communities throughout Africa, transforming the lives of millions of people at the Base-of-the-Pyramid (BoP), creating thousands job opportunities and new micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) in a multi-billion USD market.
Untapped consumer markets at the Base-of-the-Pyramid (BoP)
4 billion people worldwide live in BoP communities, which creates an annual USD 5 trillion consumer market, USD 429 billion in Africa alone. Rural markets make up for 80% of BoP populations in Africa. These rural marketplaces are underserved, supplied only by informal traders and therefore mostly untapped, despite their enormous potential.
In Rwanda for example, the market size per community including catchment area is approx. half a million USD - per month!
Lack of basic infrastructure in rural communities
Why has nobody yet tackled these markets? Because of lacking basic infrastructure it is very difficult to build a lasting presence in these markets, particularly building a profitable business. The greatest obstacles are no access to energy, random supply chain for essential goods (food, staple products), unmet needs for capital, connectivity, education, information, health services. The absence of a formalized competitive market environment results in the “poverty penalty”: the poorest people pay the highest price for low quality products.
Creating a “pulsating” permanent physical presence for business, trading and leisure in rural marketplaces – THE PULSE
Rural business & service centers (“THE PULSE” centers) tailored to the needs of rural communities provide a dynamic “pulsating” infrastructure for local entrepreneurs, national & international companies, NGOs and GOs as the central access & market point in the last mile community, empowering & transforming the rural BoP from within, leapfrogging development and infrastructure.
THE PULSE centers consist of:
- Solar power & connectivity for the whole site which can host hundreds of people and several businesses
- A retail shop as the “anchor business”.
- Fully equipped and powered business & office premises for various local businesses tailored to what the community needs: restaurant, viewing hall, barber, tailor…
- Infrastructure for social and leisure activities: light, shaded and serviced seating, music, TV, WiFi, toilets, security, transport for people and goods, etc.
- wholesale of essential goods (food, staple products, beverages, solar lights) to other retailers in the catchment area
- Reliable supply chain
Solarkiosk will guarantee for successful implementations and operations
Solarkiosk knows what people in rural areas need to thrive.
- Solarkiosk has 8 years of operational experience in 6 Sub-Saharan countries. Solarkiosk successfully operated hundreds of rural solar powered retail shops in rural areas throughout East Africa.
- Solarkiosk reached millions of customers and created thousands of jobs at the BoP.
- Solarkiosk tested 25 rural business and leisure market centers which are the basis for THE PULSE business model.
Based on this unique and invaluable experience Solarkiosk is ready to make THE PULSE a success.
In 2021, Solarkiosk will launch THE PULSE in designated areas throughout Africa.
If you are interested as an investor or partner: please contact us!
