Business Strategy

Project: Barclays was currently looking at how to provide technology solutions for market-failing segments in sub-Sahara Africa such as affordable housing, infrastructure, education, etc. by utilizing technology to mobilize and create shared value opportunities commercially in the region through project BETA – Barclays Enterprise Tool for Africa. BETA’s objective was to use affordable housing as a proof-of-concept by utilizing technology to bring together a broad range of stakeholders (i.e., government agencies, developers, landowners, and financers) who would be interested in launching their housing projects through an online portal. The portal would allow for more efficient and effective matching of stakeholders to projects and to one another. The SGE Immersion team developed the business case for a portal to address affordable housing needs in sub-Saharan Africa with focus on meso-financial needs ($20,000-30,000). The team assessed how to best target MNCs, government agencies, credit unions, pensions, etc. in order to create a financial one-stop-shop opportunity for retail banking (mortgage), corporate banking (for govt. agencies, pensions), and investment banking (re-financing).