The Digital Hustle

The global gig economy has boomed over the past decade, with increased digitization and broad mobile phone adoption helping to build an app-based on-demand economy and create new jobs in service roles such as ridesharing and delivery.

In emerging markets, gig platforms are bringing informal workers closer to the formal economy. In the United States, gig work has provided greater flexibility and supplemental income but often does not provide the security and stability of full-time employment.

Across the globe, we have found many workers in the digital gig economy are struggling to get by and make ends meet. COVID-19 and the ensuing economic dislocation caused great hardship, and while the struggles these workers face is not new, the current crisis exacerbated their financial instability. As the world continues to grapple with the challenges of the current crisis, we realized there was an opportunity and a responsibility to listen to this vulnerable segment of workers and learn from what they tell us.

As a global fintech investor committed to helping people improve their financial lives, Flourish Ventures seeks to elevate the voices of the financially underserved and share learnings with the financial services ecosystem. Our Global Report and the complete Digital Hustle Series provide a view into the financial lives, concerns, and aspirations of more than 3,000 gig workers across five countries with burgeoning digital gig economies: Brazil, India, Indonesia, South Africa, and the United States.