Dots for, Inc.
Tokyo, Chiyoda Ward
In Africa, many individuals still live in small rural communities, with many areas untouched by the wave of digitization. Due to concerns about profitability, existing telecommunications companies have been reluctant to invest in rural infrastructure, leading to a lack of sufficient digital infrastructure. As a result, wage disparities are widening between urban and rural areas across Africa because of the gaps in information and opportunities. This has given rise to a serious divide depending on the presence or absence of a digital environment. Dots for leverages data collected by edge server Wi-Fi and a Rent-to-Own smartphone system to offer a credit score program to rural residents. This provides the ability to purchase supplies on a payment installment plan and promotes farming as a side business. Additionally, Dots for offers digital employment opportunities at salaries comparable to those in developed countries, such as AI annotation, significantly increasing income in rural areas. In cooperation with local partners, Dots for also offers a digital platform aimed at tackling many issues faced by villages.
Hiroya Oba