Three Wheels United is a social enterprise aiming to improve the quality of life of the millions of auto-rickshaw drivers in Asia and reducing their ecological footprint. The company is looking for a grant to expand its community activities.

2. Company description
Three Wheels United is a social enterprise aiming to
improve the quality of life of auto-rickshaw drivers
and their families; and at the same time aiming to
reduce the pollution which auto-rickshaws cause

3. Target group: our community
Auto-rickshaw drivers and their families, who live
under marginal circumstances in the slums of big
Indian cities with an average daily income of 2-4
USD

4. Objectives
TWU aspires to improve the living conditions of one
million drivers and their families by increasing their
income by 70%, providing access to the financial
system of India and reducing the emissions of their
vehicles by at least 40%. Within the next five years
TWU wants to organize 40.000 drivers in Bangalore
and extend their activities to other Indian cities

5. The
problem

6. A
large
unorganised
group
of
people
(100
mln
in
Asia)
that
has
difficul9es
to
free
themselves
from
the
poverty
trap
•
Limited
Earning
Poten4al
•
No
access
to
finance
from
Banks
•
Exploited
by
Private
Money
Lenders
•
No
Social
Security
•
Noise
and
Air
pollu4on
(emission
1
rickshaw
=
ca.
50
European
cars)
•
Low
Self
Esteem

7. The solution

8. Financial Services
• Financing
ownership four
stroke engines
• Providing bank
savings and
recurring deposits
accounts to
drivers
• Life and Health
Insurance

9. Additional revenues
for drivers
• Advertisements in
auto rickshaws
• Micro Franchise –
AirTel, etc
• SMS /App based
application to
generate rides for
the drivers;
customer calling
drivers for pick-
up

10. Clean Technology
• Replacement of 2
stroke Vehicles
with 4-strokes
• Implementation of
cleaner
technologies
• Higher income for
the driver and
positive impact on
environment

11. Three Wheels United has direct impact on the following:
• Increases the net income of drivers by 70% to 400%
• Allows the drivers to be off one day a week
• Loans for drivers (against interest rates of 11-13 % instead of 30-70%)
• Provides access to basic health and life insurance
• Regulates livelihood and default fund in order to prevent falling back
into poverty
• Creates partnerships (amongst drivers, families of drivers, banks,
suppliers and TWU, others in the industry)
• Organizes the drivers’ community
• Provides ownership of the vehicle for the auto-rickshaw driver

12. Three Wheels United has indirect impact on the following:
• Increased self-confidence and self-esteem of the drivers
• The organized drivers by TWU experience less abuse by the police,
politicians, malicious financiers and gain bargaining power for better
access and services such as hospitals, schools etc. in their localities.
• Contributes to the group power and ability to negotiate with suppliers
in order to develop customized products and services, therefore
improving quality of life of the drivers family

13. Most important: Happy drivers!

14. • Ini4al
mee4ngs
with
driver
families
• Value
proposi4on
intro
Period
0
• Intro
to
the
system
• Forma4on
of
JLG
of
drivers
–
self
selec4on
• Savings
for
driver
begins
• Drivers
covered
under
life
insurance
cover
/
loss
of
work
compensa4on
insurance
scheme
Period
0-­‐6
months
• Qualifying
drivers
get
ready
for
loan-­‐
documenta4on
• Loans
processed
at
bank
(3-­‐4
weeks)
Period
6-­‐8
• “Namma
auto”
branded
vehicle
for
drivers
• Daily
repayment
of
loan
• Daily
savings
built
in
• Adver4sements
on
vehicles
• Cross
selling
of
products
–
mobile
prepaid
cards
Period
9
onwards
What does it mean for a driver?

15. Number of TWU drivers 2012 - 2014
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
2012
2013
2014
Non-­‐loan
Loan
Save
program
Total

16. Business Partners that have committed in 2013

17. In
2013
we
also
made
arrangements
with
various
adver4sers
and
prepared
a
TWU
loyalty
card
that
will
be
introduced
in
May
2014.
This
allows
drivers
to
get
a
discount
on
e.g.
gasoline
and
groceries.
The
discounts
of
the
Loyalty
Card
will
be
extended
to
different
kinds
of
products
and
services
that
aim
to
improve
the
net
income
and
quality
of
life
of
drivers
and
their
families.
In
2013
we
inspired
thousands
of
people
through
the
media
and
won
the
second
price
in
the
Rickshaw
challenge
for
social
enterprises
in
India
(Cash
prize
25.000
USD$,
2014).
Also
the
United
Na4ons
awarded
in
2013
Three
Wheels
United
as
top
100
most
promising
sustainable
start-­‐ups
in
the
world.

18. Product/ Service
Income generated
Financial Services
Rs.15 per day per driver
Advertisements
Rs.1000 to Rs.1500 per vehicle per month
OEM Sales
commission
Rs. 5000 per vehicle
Other income
Interest Income
TWU its revenue model

19. Next steps 2014 and beyond
Further
growth
of
the
community
in
Bangalore
to
5000
in
2015
Inves4ga4ng
feasibility
of
two
new
ci4es
Mul4-­‐
distribu4on:
Development
of
TWU
drivers
trust

20. Grant request
Three
Wheels
United
aims
to
establish
a
TWU
Drivers
Trust;
providing
thousands
of
rickshaw
drivers
the
perspec4ve
to
organize
themselves
to
work
towards
an
improved
quality
of
life
in
a
sustainable
way.
The
TWU
Drivers
Trust
will
be
the
infrastructure
to
scale
TWU
throughout
India.
In
order
to
design
and
start
the
TWU
Drivers
Trust
an
ini4al
grant
is
needed
of
EUR
309.459,-­‐.
We
are
looking
for
one
or
more
financiers
to
cover
this
budget.
For
more
details
we
can
provide
you
with
a
more
detailed
ac4on
plan
and/or
a
personal
presenta4on.

21. Ramesh Prabhu
(CEO): Ramesh is a
Chartered Accountant and
MBA graduate from the
Indian School of Business
(ISB, Hyd). He has over 4
years of work experience
in the financial markets
space with about 5 years
of entrepreneurial
experience.
The entrepreneur

22. Maggie Thomas (not in
picture):
Maggie has over 20 years
of experience working at
the grass roots engaging
in community building
activities.
Community Manager

23. Pradeep Esteves
Pradeep has more than
three decades of
experience in the social
sector, working at the
grass roots. He shoulders
the responsibility of our
community building
activities / partner
management
Supervisory Board

24. Mahesh
Jain
Mahesh
is
the
CEO
of
a
large
IT
services
company
Integra
Micro
and
inventor
of
the
MMS
technology.
Supervisory Board

25. Jan Nijssen (not in
picture)
Jan was the Global
Pensions Head and CEO
of ING Central Europe
Insurance.
Supervisory Board

26. Stef Van Dongen
CEO and founder of
Enviu, Netherlands, a
pioneer in the field of
sustainability and
innovation.
Supervisory Board

27. Contact
person
in
India:
Ramesh
Prabhu
CEO
of
Three
Wheels
United
pvt.
ltd
Mahesh
Jain,
non-­‐execu4ve
board
member
Contact
person
in
The
Netherlands:
Stef
van
Dongen,
founder
and
CEO
of
Enviu
E:
stef@enviu.org
M:
+31
6
24650788