Startup studio 1888EC partners with Mastercard Foundation to create digital solutions for the tourism sector in Ethiopia

Startup studio 1888EC announced a partnership with the Mastercard Foundation to create Ethiopia’s first travel and leisure platform aimed at creating digital solutions and job opportunities within the contry’s tourism sector.

1888EC, a unique and innovative startup studio established through the partnership, is the first-of-its-kind in Ethiopia. The studio aspires to create disruptive innovators and change-makers and will champion digital transformation, venture building, and job creation.

1888EC recognizes that a significant part of Ethiopia’s economy is dependent upon travel, tourism, leisure, and hospitality. The newly-formed studio’s pilot project will be a digital platform that provides tourists with a myriad of options to explore and experience the “Land of Origins”.

The platform, which will be developed as a prototype in the coming months, will be a modern and user-friendly interface for travelers to access more tourist destinations, book accommodations easier, feel safer by using a trusted app that tracks information, and offer packages to promote increased travel across the country while attracting greater foreign currency to boost the economy.

Its features and services will include access to verified tour guides, accommodation bookings, a best local attraction locator, local experience offerings, and many more options for travelers. The platform will showcase a diverse pool of vendors, including travel and tour service providers, vetted and trained drivers, tour guides, translators, and even local experience buddies. The platform will curate from existing service providers as well as onboard and train new providers. It will also recruit freelancers and train them to provide quality customer service.

1888EC’s mission is to cultivate an ecosystem that will increase access and use of technology, while promoting job creation led by startups, entrepreneurs, and collaborative efforts with global partners.

Solomon Kassa, Founder, 1888EC: “The partnership with the Mastercard Foundation – to develop and pilot digital solutions is a crucial step towards empowering young people, fostering entrepreneurship, and supporting job growth in Ethiopia –  is enabled by digital transformation and the digital economy. We have a vision to play a significant role in building the startup ecosystem as well as leading the way on how to leverage emerging digital innovation to spur radical digital transformation and boost job creation in the tourism sector.” 

Kidist Tesfaye, startup Consultant and Social Entrepreneur: “The tourism and travel industry is a key development area for Ethiopia yet it has been hit the hardest from the COVID-19 pandemic. The residual effects of this global crisis translate to a slow and long recovery ahead in this industry and 1888EC is coming in at a critical time to accelerate this process. Ushering in a digitally-enabled tourism platform, will fuel job creation, expand access to services, enhance consumer information, and position the nation to a higher acceleration in the digital transformation domain.” 

1888EC will support young entrepreneurs to build their companies from the ground up. The objective of the studio is to guide young entrepreneurs who do not have the experience or knowledge of how to run a business. This will inherently mitigate and by-pass the risks young people would experience if they were to establish a company on their own. This will ensure young people are able to remain committed to their dream of entrepreneurship, and in turn, provide them with much needed business development support.

mastercardfdn.org