LISTEN NOW: The Rise of Digital Superplatforms

Presented by David Porteous, co-founder of Digital Frontiers, this webinar tells the story of the rise of digital superplatforms and discusses their impact on the digital finance ecosystem and financial inclusion. The webinar begins by outlining this white paper on Inclusive Digital Ecosystems of the Future.

The White Paper, Inclusive Digital Ecosystems of the Future, identified new types of technology that will influence the digital finance ecosystem, such as AI, AR and VR. What was interesting was that it was not the technology itself, but how it was harnessed and deployed that led to success. Some of the most compelling deployments of this new technology are happening in particular places. This led to the realisation of superplatforms. It is not their size alone that makes them ‘super’, but their ability to collect and leverage data that influences their success.

This webinar looks at Jumia, Africa’s largest player with a current valuation of $7 billion USD, and explores its potential for success and barriers to sustainability. It also explores the use of social media (Facebook/WhatsApp) to generate income for SMEs and how this was leveraged by China’s government to provide skills training and industry support for this use.

The success of digital commerce will depend on policymakers and their regulations. The webinar concludes with a discussion on two recent e-commerce policies (the African Union’s roadmap and India’s policy) and rules on data privacy and sharing.

Watch the webinar here and download the Inclusive Digital Ecosystems of the Future paper.