VConnect
{{short description|Online services market in Nigeria and Ghana}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox website
| name = VConnect
| logo = VConnect new Logo.png
| logo_size = 200px
| company_type = Privately held company
| foundation = {{Start date and age|2010}}
| location = Marina, Lagos, Nigeria
| area_served = Nigeria and Ghana
| industry = Local search and discovery. Business ratings, reviews and marketplace.
| language = English
| launch_date = {{Start date and age|2011|03|08|df=yes/no}}
| homepage = {{URL|http://www.vconnect.com/}}
}}
VConnect (a product of Mplify Limited) was an online marketplace that helped users hire local professionals for service needs. There were over 100 services listed on Vconnect which ranged from repairs and maintenance, home and office improvement, events and entertainment, personal services, business services and logistics. Vconnect offered services for Nigeria and Ghana.{{Cite web |url=https://www.vconnect.com/ghana |title=Vconnect Ghana |access-date=10 March 2019 |archive-date=20 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170520055750/https://www.vconnect.com/ghana/ |url-status=dead }}
History
In 2010, after his inability to find Nigerian local businesses online, Deepankar began to assemble a team that would help collect local SMEs information that can be accessed via a Google-esque local search engine.{{cite web |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeuMcn7YNm8 |title=Little giants: Deepankar Rustagi at TEDxLagos |date=28 November 2013 |via=YouTube |access-date= 2016-08-02}}
He along with his co-founder, Anand Chander Mohan launched Vconnect.com on 8 March 2011. Vconnect was a part of Tolaram Group, which is headquartered in Singapore.{{Cite web |last=Nsehe |first=Mfonobong |title=VConnect.com Is One of Africa's Hottest Tech Startups |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2013/07/18/vconnect-com-is-one-of-africas-hottest-tech-startups/ |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=Forbes |language=en}}
Evolution
= Market by Vconnect =
On 23 June 2018, Vconnect officially launched Market by Vconnect, a service marketplace where business owners can find and connect with customers. With this, business owners could find and shop for customers with an option to pay for one customer or pay for a package plan. In conjunction, Vconnect also introduced Take a Pledge, a system to verify the identity of all businesses registered on Vconnect.{{Cite news|url=http://guardian.ng/business-services/vconnect-introduces-platform-to-support-smes/|title=Vconnect introduces platform to support SMEs|access-date=2018-06-27|language=en-US}}