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Retailers (kiosks) of daily items affiliated with WASSHA (the left)  Motorcycles used for delivery (the right)
Retailers (kiosks) of daily items affiliated with WASSHA (the left)  Motorcycles used for delivery (the right)

Press release -

Yamaha Motor & WASSHA Evaluate Logistics Business - Utilizing Tanzania Retail Network Platform Created by UTokyo Start UP -

IWATA, December 24, 2019 - Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (Tokyo: 7272) today announced that the company in association with WASSHA Co., Ltd. (WASSHA), a University of Tokyo-based startup aiming to build the largest retail network platform in East Africa, will evaluate a logistics business utilizing a retail network platform created in Tanzania from 2020.

Since 2015, WASSHA has partnered with a small grocery stores (kiosks), which are the starting point for the everyday life and purchasing behavior of general consumers in Tanzania, to build a retail network platform for residents in yet to be electrified areas. Here the work is focused on an Energy as a Service (EaaS) type of business that rents lanterns for LED lighting.

In Tanzania and other African countries, highly efficient logistics systems are not yet fully available, which is one of the main factors hindering economic growth. Through the partnering with WASSHA, the two companies hope to help solve this social problem and further contribute to the economic growth of emerging countries by improving the efficiency of last mile logistics through agile mobility, delivery tracking, and delivery route optimization technology.

To date, Yamaha Motor has continued to contribute to help resolving social issues in the African market by selling and servicing motorcycles, fishing boats and outboard motors, boats, generators, small water purifiers, and also providing technical guidance.
In the last few years, through investment in Nigeria's on-demand motorcycle taxi company MAX and in cooperation with Kenya's drone service company Astral Aerial Solutions, Yamaha Motor has been promoting business development that can contribute to improving some of the social issues in Africa and also booster the progression toward sustainable growth.

 

■ WASSHA

President and Representative Director: CEO Satoshi Akita

Headquarters: Room 305, Entrepreneur Plaza, University of Tokyo
7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
Established: November 28, 2013
Capital: 2,013.5 million yen (including capital reserves)
Business Details: Platform business utilizing kiosks
Energy as a Service (EaaS)
(Provision of electricity services to yet to electrified areas using IoT technology)

Notable Achievements:
Affiliated stores: Approximately 1,500 stores (as of December 2019)

Main Overseas Offices:
Tanzania branch (Japanese Staff: 3, Tanzanian Staff: 150)
Uganda Branch (in preparation)
*As of December 2019

 

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Yamaha Motor (TOKYO:7272) is a world-leading producer of motorcycles, marine products, power products and robotics.

Yamaha Motor (TOKYO: 7272) is a world-leading enterprise manufacturing land-mobility such as motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, and electrically power assisted bicycles, marine products such as boats and outboard motors, robotics products such as surface mounters and drones, as well as engagement in the finance business. The company's diverse businesses and wide variety of products are built around its proprietary technologies focused on powertrain, chassis and hull, electronic control, and manufacturing technologies. Yamaha Motor operates global development, production and sales networks through 140 subsidiaries and equity-method affiliates in 30 countries and regions, working to realize our Corporate Mission of being s "Kando* Creating Company."
About 90% of consolidated net sales are generated in more than 180 countries and regions outside of Japan.
Please visit http://global.yamaha-motor.com.

*This is a dedicated website providing Yamaha Motor PR materials for viewing by media journalists.
We request that you refrain from using the materials and photographs on this website for purposes other than media reporting.