A new report released this week by the GSMA has urged startups to look beyond financial support when looking to collaborate with mobile operators in Africa.

According to the report Building Synergies: How Mobile Operators and Start-ups Can Partner for Impact in Emerging Markets, operators offer a wide range of tools that startups can use to achieve growth - and financial support is just one of the tools.

"Mobile operators can also support start-ups with customer acquisition and market insights, brand exposure and trust, advisory and mentoring, and providing access to customer touch-points, mass communication, and payments channels," stated the Report.

According to the GSMA, during the first round of its Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund, 52% of startups requested for API integration (for mobile money, USSD, SMS, billing and location), 31% asked for financial support and resources at discounted rates, 25% requested for guidance and mentorship, 20% sought customer touchpoints, 10% wanted exposure and credibility, 7% requested for access to customer insights, while the remaining 4% made other requests.

For collaboration between startups and mobile operators to 'make sense and be sustainable', the GSMA recommended that such should be balanced and mutually beneficial.

"Before going ahead with a partnership, mobile operators and startups need to clearly assess their haves and needs, and then identify specific opportunities for collaboration. However, it is important to note that a "have" on one side can fulfil different "needs" on the other side. For instance, the innovative and high-impact services a startup provides can help a mobile operator with customer acquisition and customer retention. In Nigeria, when eCommerce start-up Jumia offers exclusive discounts to MTN customers, it not only generates new customers on the operator's side, but also increases the satisfaction and loyalty of its existing customers," GSMA said.

According to the GSMA, mobile operators are uniquely positioned to create additional value across a range of industries and their ability to drive scale across other industries gives them an edge over other potential corporate partners.

In the face of decelerating revenues and increasing competition in the telecommunications sector, the report revealed that startups can provide a way for mobile operators to stay relevant.

"Startups can help mobile operators grow core revenue, create new revenue streams, or lower costs. They can also boost a mobile operator's value proposition, leading to higher customer retention, customer acquisition, and better reputation," the report stated.