How South Asia's Gig Economy is Revolutionizing Entrepreneurship

• Street vendors adopt apps and e-Commerce to grow and stabilize incomes.
• Training programs teach digital literacy, online selling, and financial skills.
• Vendors gain income and agency, but face tech access, safety, and regulatory hurdles.

In the bustling markets of Delhi's Chandni Chowk or Dhaka's New Market, street vendors have long been the unsung architects of South Asia's informal economy. Selling everything from spicy chaat to fresh produce, these nano-entrepreneurs power daily life for millions, yet they operate in the shadows of formal systems vulnerable to evictions, erratic incomes, and limited access to markets.

Enter the gig economy's quiet revolution, a digital makeover that's turning these sidewalk hustlers into app-savvy entrepreneurs. Drawing from real initiatives like India's PM SVANidhi scheme and Skill India programs, this transformation isn't just about tech adoption, it's a profound reimagining of livelihoods.

As platforms like Zomato and Swiggy partner with vendors for home deliveries, and training schools from digital literacy workshops to platform-led skilling emerge as gateways, South Asia's 10 million-plus street vendors stand at the cusp of economic empowerment.

So, let’s explore the shift through data-driven insights, ground-level stories, and forward-looking strategies, revealing how digital tools are scripting a more equitable future.

Anshul Jain, Co-Founder, Roadcast, says, "e-Commerce has become a catalyst for the growth of small and big businesses. With the proliferation of low-cost data and digitization, it has risen sharply over a decade.

Embedding Gig Skills in Schools

The revolution extends to formal education, preparing Gen Z for a gig-driven future. India’s Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) integrates gig curricula into 1,000+ virtual school labs. Class 10 students in Uttar Pradesh simulate Uber driver routes or Etsy seller dashboards in AI-for-Entrepreneurship modules. Rajasthan’s Gig Labs let teens shadow vendors, mastering QR code payments alongside math. In Bangladesh, GIZ’s digital skills program trains 10,000 students yearly in Fiverr freelancing and content creation. A Viet Nam-India-Bangladesh consortium adds ethical AI modules, ensuring youth navigate data privacy in cyber gigs. SIDH data shows 70% of under-25 users report higher employability.

From Streets to Screens

Imagine a fruit seller in Delhi's Yusuf Sarai market, once harassed by municipal raids, now listing inventory on a neighborhood e-Commerce app. This is the essence of digital makeovers, powered by frameworks like the RISE model from India's Digital Street Project. Launched by ICFAI Business School and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in 2022, RISE stands for Risk Mitigation (using GIS for secure vending zones), Income Generation (credit via PM SVANidhi loans up to INR 50,000), Skill Building (digital payments training), and Empowerment (community connections via open-source platforms like ONDC).

Real mechanics shine in partnerships, In six Indian cities, Swiggy and Zomato collaborate with PM SVANidhi to onboard street food vendors for app-based deliveries, boosting incomes by 20-30% through wider customer bases.

Platforms like Hokart provide B2B2C infrastructure quality supplies, digital access, and even pop-up spaces organizing chaotic vending into scalable models.

 Magicpin, targeting 500 street vendors, integrates chaat stalls into its hyperlocal network, turning foot traffic into algorithmic gold. In Bangladesh, e-commerce literacy programs target women vendors, teaching ICT basics to navigate Daraz or Chaldal apps.

Some companies like MAKSPay uses QR codes for repayments, building credit histories that unlock formal loans. These tools don't just digitize, they hybridize blending street-side charm with screen-based efficiency, reducing manual drudgery and amplifying voices long ignored.

Training the Next Wave of Entrepreneurs

No brick-and-mortar campuses here these are pop-up workshops, app tutorials, and community huddles rebranded as gig economy schools. India's Skill India initiative kicked off in 2021 with a pilot upskilling 2,500 Delhi street food vendors aged 23-55 on digital literacy, e-selling, and health protocols under PMKVY 3.0. Trainees learn UPI transactions, inventory apps, and customer chatbots, graduating to platforms that formalize earnings.

In Bangladesh, GlobalGiving's ICT literacy drives train 600 vulnerable women on computer basics and English for freelancing, extending to vendors via mobile modules. Pakistan's mobile-based post-literacy programs deliver SMS lessons on banking and e-Commerce, empowering rural sellers.

Also the Digital Street Project's 2022 consultations in Delhi and Bangalore gathered 50+ experts, birthing curricula on financial literacy and algorithm navigation crucial since 24% of delivery workers (many ex-vendors) are over-educated for their roles.

Outcomes?

Recent report notes 75% of trained vendors report stable incomes, with women citing entrepreneurship as a top motivator. These schools foster not just skills but agency, turning vendors from gig takers to creators launching micro-brands on Instagram or WhatsApp Business.

Also Read: Career Opportunities for Gen Z in China Amid the AI-Driven Tech

Navigating Pitfalls

This makeover isn't seamless. Algorithmic biases sideline small vendors, while 25% of women lack smartphones versus 41% of men. In Pakistan, regulatory voids expose freelancers to exploitation, Bangladesh's million gig youth face vulnerability without social security. India's CoSS 2020 mandates contributions, but enforcement lags. Digital divides exacerbate inequities low-skilled vendors (31% of gigs) risk obsolescence without inclusive training. Safety looms large, 83% of women report harassment in location-based roles. Addressing these demands hybrid policies, differentiated regulations for small platforms, micro-insurance via e-Shram (27 crore registrations by 2022), and women-only silent stations like Amazon's.

The Finish Line

As one trained Delhi vendor quips, ‘The street was my first school, the app is my degree’. This digital renaissance isn't just economic it's a testament to human ingenuity, proving that in South Asia's vibrant chaos, every smartphone is a launchpad for dreams.