At some stage in the innovation journey, customer acquisition curves start to flatten and growth strategies shift to focus on creating value for unreached customer segments. A one-size-fits-all strategy no longer resonates with consumers and businesses are challenged to ensure their products meet the diverse needs and abilities of various customers. This is particularly true for the underserved, whose inclusion represents an untapped opportunity for further business growth. By better understanding their needs, businesses can deliver tailored products and services that are more relevant and value-adding to a broader market.

In this 4 Years From Now (4YFN) session at MWC Barcelona 2022, we heard from mobile operators on the importance of partnering with start-ups to serve the needs of the underserved and how doing social good can be good business. We also learned how operators and start-ups have refined their strategies to better reach underserved populations and what their main business returns and learnings have been.

Live, universal sign language interpretation was provided during this session, thanks to our partner, DeafTawk, a GSMA Innovation Fund grantee.