CONCEPTUAL AGRO-BIZMATCH DIGITAL PLATFORM BUSINESS MODEL: CONNECTEDNESS TO ENABLE AGRO-BASED BUSINESSES TO INNOVATE AND GROW

Abstract

This paper offers a conceptual Agro-BizMatch business model to solve the problem encountered by multiple customer segments in finding potential partners and marketplace, innovate, and grow their agro-based businesses. This business concept and platform offers potential benefits to people with existing businesses who need to grow their current businesses, MSMEs, start-ups, entrepreneurs from low- income backgrounds (or B40s), and business mentors who are looking for entrepreneurs to offer their mentorship services. This project is also aligned with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), including SDG 1: No Poverty (the poverty rate in Malaysia) and SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth (the employment issue). The Design Thinking (DT) methodology is used to identify problems and devise effective solutions to problems encountered by customer segments when looking for and establishing sustainable business partnerships. To identify relevant information for the proposed business venture, literature reviews were conducted, and interviews with several entrepreneurs were done to gather ideas and understand their requirements for application development. The key aspects of the business - challenges, extreme pains, essential gains, and important jobs-to-do - are figured out by using various business modelling tools, such as Business Environment Map (EM), Business Model Canvas (BMC), and Value Proposition Canvas (VPC). The Agro-Bizmatch low-fidelity prototype was designed, developed, and tested to analyze the relevancy and sustainability of the conceptual business model for the various customer segments.