Yani Fitriyah: Siglo - The future of mobile transactions and connectivity in high growth markets

USE CASES

In emerging markets, increased access to cellular connectivity creates new economic opportunities, "Siglo founder and CEO Joel Phillips said in a statement." The Siglo protocol will empower smartphone users in this market by eliminating barriers that previously prevented them from participating in the digital economy. "

Over 70% of the worlds’ mobile phones are prepaid and individuals in emerging markets struggle to have consistent connectivity, largely due to the high cost. On the other side, brands and other stakeholders are willing to become sponsors of an increased connectivity in exchange for user attention, consumer insights, or even brand surveys. The first app to use the protocol from day one is called Pig.gi, currently operating in Latin America with a million registered users who earn reward coins and spend them on airtime top-ups and other digital or offline products. Most of these users have never had a traditional bank account or performed a mobile financial transaction before Pig.gi. The Siglo protocol will facilitate transactions between users, stakeholders like brands who wish to sponsor these users’ connectivity, and providers like mobile operators.

After extensive testing and build-out of the protocol, Siglo will be opened for other apps to use, with the purchase of a small stake of Siglo tokens.

WHAT IS SIGLO?

Siglo is the future of mobile transactions and connectivity in high growth markets, where increased access to networks is paid for by brand sponsors. Siglo is a catalyst for digital and financial inclusion

ABOUT SIGLO

VALUE PROPOSITION

Siglo facilitates digital and financial inclusion in emerging markets by allowing users of mobile applications that use its protocol to accrue value and exchange that for increased mobile access and for other goods and services. Users accumulate this value by sharing their attention and, when they choose, select data or opinions, and then exchange it for mobile connectivity in the form of airtime top-ups with mobile operators. The first app to use the Siglo protocol is called Pig.gi and monetizes the consensual use of data and passes these earnings back to its 1 million registered users In Mexico and Colombia.

TEAM

Currently, there are 14 full time individuals from 6 countries between the Siglo and Pig.gi teams. This includes a technical development team, commercial and sales, campaign management, an editor producing content for Pig.gi, and marketing.

Joel and Isaac Phillips are brothers and co-founders of Pig.gi and Siglo. They have visited over 50 countries, mostly emerging markets with prepaid connectivity. They have spent the last 3 years living and running a company with operations based in Mexico City. It was important to go beyond theory and be on the ground in an emerging market to understand how users live, think, connect, and consume internet. At the same time, working with providers, brands, and even mom & pop stores in emerging markets is vastly dif-ferent than in the highly developed ones.