Service Provider for Matchmaking Event

1. Background

SNV Netherlands Development Organization, as a result of an international competitive commercial tender, has been selected by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) as the Fund Manager to run the Vietnam Business Challenge Fund (VBCF) from September 2012 until the end of 2015. The overall purpose of VBCF is to support the private sector in Vietnam to develop innovative Inclusive Business models that deliver both commercial benefits for the private sector and developmental benefits for poor people, in terms of job creation, income improvements and availability of more affordable goods and services.

VBCF has provided business mentoring support and awarded non-reimbursable funding of selected proposal budgets to companies operating in Vietnam through competitive calls for relevant business proposals that will handle the market challenges innovatively, benefit the poor and be commercially sustainable and replicable in the long run. Funding was available for up to USD 800,000 per project for proposals in three sectors – agriculture, low-carbon growth and infrastructure and basic services.

The Inclusive Business Accelerator (IBA) was subsequently established by SNV, the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) Innovation Center and VC4Africa. The IBA is an online hub that uses the three components of the IB Accelerator Global, IB Accelerator Local, and IB Accelerator Online to support and streamline innovative and local inclusive business initiatives. Specifically, the IBA facilitates the acceleration of impactful entrepreneurship of the BoP markets by enabling inclusive innovators to be investment-ready and connecting them to relevant members, tools, and services. The IBA aggregates information from each business in order to create tangible track records and reduce due diligence costs for prospective partners, mentors and investors. The IBA focuses and supports inclusive businesses in the sectors of agribusiness and food, water and sanitation, sustainable energy, and ICT. The IBA works with potential high growth inclusive businesses that require between 50,000 and 5 million USD in capital.

In light of the phase-out of support and funding for the selected business proposals by the end of 2015, VBCF in collaboration with SNV and IBA will be organizing the first edition of a matchmaking event between potential investors and investees. This matchmaking event strives to bring together investors and investees of inclusive and sustainable businesses seeking commercial funding and it will take place the 25th of September, 2015 from 8.30 AM to 12.30 PM at the Pullman Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It is expected that more than 25 companies will participate, including VBCF funded initiatives and IBA’s clients, as well as various commercial and impact investors and funding facilities such as Lion Global Investors (LGI), Lotus Impact, VIIP, Mekong Capital, Dragon Capital, and Leopard Capital. VBCF is seeking a service provider that will design and implement this half-day matchmaking event.

2. Objective

The service provider will be responsible for developing the online design, invitations, marketing, registration, online matchmaking, inputs on a venue design, and organizing follow-up activities of the matchmaking event.

3. Detailed description of the task

A.Possible event structure

a.The event will last 4 hours and could be structured in the following manner:
a.i.8.30 AM - 9.00 AM: Registration and Coffee
a.ii.9:00 AM – 9:30 AM: 5 companies pitch for 5 minutes
a.iii.9:30 AM – 10:00 AM: Networking Break
a.iv.10:00 AM – 10:30 AM: 5 companies pitch for 5 minutes
a.v.10:30 AM – 11:00 AM: Networking Break
a.vi. 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM: 5 companies pitch for 5 minutes
a.vii.11:30 AM – 12:30 AM: Individual Meetings
b.Time dedicated for questions and answers (Q&A) will take place exclusively during meetings between investors and investees (with investment officers and specialists from VBCF and IBA as facilitators or observers);
c.In the case that a meeting results in an investor establishing a deal with an investee, this will be announced at the end of the event.

B.Online design

a.The service provider will be responsible for developing a dedicated page on the official IBA platform website. The tab for this dedicated page will be labeled as Events and should include the following features:
a.i.The purpose and nature of the event, the required criteria specifying the eligibility of applicants, a program description, and co-hosts;
a.ii.A formal invitation form, which includes a request for response (RSVP) to a corresponding email address, the RSVP and registration deadlines, and the time and place of the event;
a.ii.1.The RSVP and registration deadline is the 24th of September 2015.
a.iii.Dedicated systems that support the registration process and the uploading of relevant documentation. The system will obligate investees to choose between either signing up for an open pitch, the set-up of a stand, or both. The registration process should enable:
a.iii.1.Investees to provide:
a.iii.1.a.Contact information: name, e-mail, and telephone number of a representative;
a.iii.1.b.A summary of the idea and product and/or service;
a.iii.1.c.An overview on the Inclusiveness of the business model, source of current revenue, and financial projections;
a.iii.1.d.A description of the structure and team members;
a.iii.1.e.The possibility of uploading a pitch video;
a.iii.1.f.The opportunity to specify interests and the desired outcomes to be achieved through the event.
a.iii.2.Investors to provide:
a.iii.2.a.Contact information: name, e-mail, and telephone number of a representative;
a.iii.2.b.A summary of visions, missions, and approaches;
a.iii.2.c.An indication on the current strategic and financial position;
a.iii.2.d.A description of the structure including a list of founding members and partners;
a.iii.2.e.An overview of the current portfolio comprising focus sectors, locations, and investees;
a.iii.2.f.The opportunity to specify interests and the desired outcomes to be achieved through the event.
a.iii.3.Participants to sign up for either an open pitch, the set-up of a stand, or both:
a.iii.3.a.Clear information on the maximum duration of 5 minutes per pitch should be provided.
b.The Events dedicated page will remain on the IBA platform website and will feature photos and results of the event. It will also be used as a basis for the organization and replication of future similar natured events and as a reference for the documentation of these events.

C.Marketing

a.The service provider will be responsible for the marketing of the event and will use existing collateral in terms of  a one pager describing the event and VBCF and IBA graphics, logos, images, photos, and texts in order to:
a.i.Provide a deal book presenting an overview of the different companies;
a.ii.Develop a detailed agenda for the event;
a.iii.Provide a flyer for the promotion of the event;
a.iv.Draft articles profiling the companies and to showcase them as investment opportunities;
a.v.Provide investor fact sheet templates for each company participating.

D.Registration and matchmaking

a.In collaboration with VBCF and IBA the service provider will oversee the registration, screening, and selection of the investors and investees in accordance to the set criteria to be provided;
b.The service provider will develop an overview of the selected participants on the Events dedicated page and produce a deal book. The service provider will also provide templates for investor fact sheets. VBCF will be responsible for filling in the investor fact sheets used to profile the company’s participating in the forum;
c.Development of an effective matchmaking program, which will enable networking to occur on 3 levels:
c.i.Level 1: online matchmaking between investors and investees based upon compatible profiles and interests;
c.ii.Level 2: physical matchmaking where investors can meet companies that have participated and presented in the forum;
c.iii.Level 3: manual matchmaking where VBCF, SNV or IBA ventures suggest an investor or investee to match with a counterpart;
c.iii.1.These three levels of matchmaking will provide investors and investees the opportunity to formally match-make with a relevant counterpart prior to the event, but also the flexibility in deciding whether to meet with a counterpart of interest at the event.
d.Development of a formal notification system, which will use the e-mail addresses and telephone numbers provided in order to:
d.i.Inform applicants of admission or non-admission to the event;
d.ii.Notify participants of confirmed meetings;
d.iii.Remind investors and investees of the event via e-mail and text message 30 minutes prior to the event.

E.Follow-up

a.A representative from SNV along with 2 or 3 people provided by a third party local facilitator will guide, coordinate and control the event. These people will also be responsible for surveying investors and investees after meetings have taken place. 3 to 5 tablets will be circulating around the event in order to record responses from the survey. The survey should cover the following aspects:
a.i. Interest of both parties in following up on their meeting;
a.ii. The possibility of eventually reaching a deal;
a.iii. The overall opinion and impression of the event;
b.The service provider is responsible for ensuring that event participants and partners are able to submit their feedback and provide assessment.
c.The service provider is responsible for processing and aggregating feedback from the event and any results. The aggregation of results should enable the identification of trends and should be given to VBCF when completed;
d.The service provider should coordinate activities with the third party local facilitator.

F. Setting up the stage

a.Provide SNV and the local facilitator with design input for the stage, backdrop, table/chair/lighting arrangement so that an optimal design and desired effect is achieved.

4. Deliverables

The service provider is expected to deliver the following deliverables:

• A functional, informative, and easy-to-use dedicated event page on the IBA website that enables users to:
• Register, sign up for an open pitch, set-up of a stand, or both and upload necessary documentation;
• View relevant information and profiles of participants;
• Detailed event agenda;
• Necessary promotional and marketing materials;
• Matchmaking support, which connects investors and investees with compatible counterparts;
• An effective notification system that informs and reminds investors and investees of admittance to the event and confirmation of meetings;
• Processed and aggregated results from the event;
• Input design layout of the venue to achieve optimal impact.

5. Workload and budget

The costs for the tasks of setting up a web page, creating promotional marketing deal materials, setting up automated matchmaking, notification, and follow-up systems, and input on a venue design are subjected to a competitive bid. SNV, VBCF and IBA request all details for the commercial proposal, which should include all fees, costs, and taxes for the above tasks.

6. Qualifications

The service provider is expected to possess the following qualifications:

• Significant experience in web page design, implementation, online marketing, and event management;
• Sufficient capacity, human resources, and expertise in the above areas;
• Documentation provided on past similar natured events;
• Excellent written English.

7. Timing

The timeframe for the above tasks is from the 27th of July 2015 until the 15th of October 2015. The dedicated event page on the IBA platform website should be up and running by the 7th of August latest in order to allow potential applicants to register and upload relevant documentation. The RVSP and registration deadline is set to the 24th of September. The invitations of the event should be submitted by August 10th. The basis of promotional materials should also be completed with the establishment of the official event page, but should be updated continuously with information regarding for instance the official registration and selection of investees and investors. The notification system through the IBA platform website should also be established shortly after the set-up of the event page in order to guarantee that potential investees and investors are informed about confirmation of participation.

The deadline for submitting a proposal is on the 27th of July.

Contact person

Ms. Nguyen Quyen
Programme Assistant
Vietnam Business Challenge Fund
E: [email protected]
www.snvworld.org/en/regions/asia
www.vbcf.org.vn