[kictanet] ICT incubator - Expressions of interest

Tue Feb 8 16:04:41 EAT 2011

Bwana Robert.

I was at AITEC, had a powerpoint failure and had to speak last....

I don't know how my speaking or lack therof  affects incubation in Kenya.

As I have always said to you on this forum, before you ask about what
someone else can do, should do, can do differently ..... Do something

Thanks

On 2/8/11, robert yawe <robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> We need to get serious about certain issues like wanting to keep things
> small
> and cute, WiPro runs a graduate academy that hosts over 18,000 people a year
> and
> only employ 1,200.  This is the level of engagement we need to aspire for
> not
> tiny little over funded projects.
>
> It is foolhardy to say that the iHub should be feed and blotted rather than
> expanded to serve and reach more.  It would be like Henry Ford deciding to
> make
> a single Ford Model T or Bill Gates developing DOS and using it alone in
> their
> garage.
>
> If you have some time search on google about scaling and franchising as it
> might
> help you appreciate the benefit of getting out of your box and comfort zone
> and
> look at how you can have an effect on the larger population.
>
> I have said it again this it the thinking of Maria Antoinette, I do not want
> to
> be beheaded for refusing to get out of the box.
>
> The iHub is a prototype keeping it under wraps is a  disservice to the
> Nation.
>
> From Liko's comments I know understand why he offered to give a presentation
> at
> AITEC in Nairobi in 2010 and the he did not show leaving many of us
> disappointed, worst of all you did not have the courtesy to notify the
> organisers.
>  Robert Yawe
> KAY System Technologies Ltd
> Phoenix House, 6th Floor
> P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200
> Kenya
>
>
> Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Agosta Liko <agostal at gmail.com>
> To: robertyawe at yahoo.co.uk
> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
> Sent: Mon, 7 February, 2011 22:55:10
> Subject: Re: [kictanet] ICT incubator - Expressions of interest
>
> I think the ihub is way ahead on this one and it should be supported ...
> instead
> of copied ...
>
> a y combinator like model would work very well. It would take care of issues
> like busfare, living expenses etc etc
>
>
> On Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 10:50 PM, McTim <dogwallah at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> a related news item:
>>
>>http://www.fastcompany.com/1724774/afrilabs-links-startup-incubators-tech-communities-in-africa
>>
>>
>>
>>--
>>Cheers,
>>
>>McTim
>>"A name indicates what we seek. An address indicates where it is. A
>>route indicates how we get there."  Jon Postel
>>
>>
>>On Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 8:18 PM, John Kieti <jkieti at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Chris,
>>> That sounds like a useful forum for Listers interested in the economic
>>> future of ICT in the region. I like the thought of initiatives coherently
>>> fitting together, as it should be more of collaboration than  competition
>>> (not that competition I bad for raising standards).
>>> Thanks
>>>
>>> On Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 5:13 PM, Chris Foster <cgfoster at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for this, it's an interesting discussion. How do all these
>>>> different incubators, labs, entrepreneurship schemes and open spaces
>>>> that
>>>> are emerging in Kenya fit together coherently....
>>>>
>>>> On this subject, I thought I'd point out the launch of the
>>>> Infodev/DFID/Hivos report on the ICT SME Sector taking place in Nairobi
>>>> next
>>>> week (18th Feb).
>>>>
>>>> From my brief reading, this report is very much setting out the future
>>>> agenda for these donors on small ICT business development, so it might
>>>> be of
>>>> interest, and perhaps an appropriate platform to raise these issues for
>>>> debate?
>>>>
>>>> http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.673.html (outline is included below)
>>>>
>>>> Thanks
>>>> Chris
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Christopher Foster
>>>> PhD Researcher, Centre for Development Informatics (CDI)
>>>> University of Manchester, UK
>>>> Skype: cgfoster
>>>>
>>>> =======
>>>> ICT in East Africa - Report Launch
>>>> East Africa ICT SME Report Launch at World Bank, Nairobi
>>>> =======
>>>> Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are poised to play a
>>>> significant
>>>> role in the next phase of ICT industry growth in East Africa. To assess
>>>> the
>>>> market and identify opportunities infoDev, UKaid and Hivos conducted a
>>>> detailed on-the-ground study of the ICT SME landscape in East Africa.
>>>> This
>>>> study performed by the Excelsior Firm, engaged over 100 policy makers,
>>>> investors, academics, donors and entrepreneurs.
>>>> report Launch
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Sign up to attend in person, or online, at eastafricaict.eventbrite.com
>>>>
>>>> Please join us on February 18th for the launch of our report on the East
>>>> African ICT Sector: Transforming the East African ICT Sector by Creating
>>>> a
>>>> Business Engine for SMEs. This event will be held at the World Bank
>>>> Offices
>>>> in Upper Hill Nairobi on 18 February from 10:00am to 12:00pm. We will be
>>>> presenting the report and hosting a question and answer session with the
>>>> project team and donor communities.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Background
>>>>
>>>> The information and communications technology (ICT) sector has been the
>>>> major driver of economic growth in East Africa over the last decade
>>>> growing
>>>> on average by as much as 40%. To date, growth has largely come from
>>>> world-class innovation by large multinational and local enterprises.
>>>> Small
>>>> and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are poised to play a bigger role in
>>>> the
>>>> next phase of industry growth. However, they must overcome a multitude
>>>> of
>>>> system-wide challenges in order for them to succeed in the marketplace.
>>>>
>>>> To understand the interventions required, a consortium comprised of
>>>> members from infoDev, UKaid and Hivos conducted a detailed on-the-ground
>>>> study of the ICT SME landscape in East Africa. This study performed by
>>>> the
>>>> Excelsior Firm, a US and Africa based advisory firm, engaged over 100
>>>> policy
>>>> makers, investors, academics, donors and entrepreneurs.
>>>>
>>>> The findings suggest that the vision of a robust and dynamic ICT sector
>>>> driven by SMEs that create jobs and world-class innovation is possible,
>>>> and
>>>> the likelihood of this outcome can be improved with a few targeted
>>>> interventions. The five proposed interventions consist of the
>>>> development of
>>>> a fully connected SME network, filling the skills gap in advanced
>>>> business
>>>> and technical knowledge, providing start up and early stage funding for
>>>> companies, enabling job creation for knowledge workers and upgrading the
>>>> business environment. Together these interventions form the components
>>>> of a
>>>> potential East African ICT Business Engine that could boost performance,
>>>> not
>>>> only within the ICT sector, as well as continue to expand the economic
>>>> development of the region.
>>>>
>>>> We would like to sincerely thank the over 100 entrepreneurs, ICT
>>>> professionals, academics and experts who participated in interviews,
>>>> workshops and numerous discussions over the past 3 months. We appreciate
>>>> their dedication to the advancement of the ICT sector in East Africa and
>>>> their invaluable contributions to this report.
>>>>
>>>> Full Report
>>>>
>>>> Transforming the East African ICT Sector by Creating a Business Engine
>>>> for
>>>> SMEs
>>>>
>>>> Executive Summary
>>>>
>>>> Transforming the East African ICT Sector by Creating a Business Engine
>>>> for
>>>> SMEs - Exec Summary
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 07/02/11 17:18, McTim wrote:
>>>>
>>>> On Mon, Feb 7, 2011 at 4:18 PM, John Kieti <jkieti at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Thanks McTim for good insights
>>>> I still think it is too early to conclude though. Consider the following
>>>> :-
>>>>
>>>> Strathmore - am not sure they have had time to graduate any incubatee as
>>>> yet
>>>> (any updates?)
>>>> NaiLab has not taken off as yet. Their space (on the 4th floor of Bishop
>>>> Magua house?) is still an empty hall.
>>>> mLab (infoDev, iHub, UoN, Web Foundation, eMobilis) is still at infancy.
>>>> Currently building out on the empty space on the 3rd flr of Bishop Magua
>>>> House.
>>>> ictpark.com (Any updates on some graduates will help)
>>>> KIRDI - (Any updates on some graduates will help)
>>>>
>>>> Perhaps you mean that the above and other incubation programs are
>>>> founded
>>>> on
>>>> wrong premises.
>>>>
>>>> no, I just mean that we seem to have several, so questioning the need
>>>> for more at this point.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> kictanet mailing list
>>>> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
>>>> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
>>>>
>>>> This message was sent to: jkieti at gmail.com
>>>> Unsubscribe or change your options at
>>>> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jkieti%40gmail.com
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> My Blog - www.gmeltdown.com
>>> '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
>>> Keep on doing what you know is right ...
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> kictanet mailing list
>>> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
>>> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
>>>
>>> This message was sent to: dogwallah at gmail.com
>>
>>> Unsubscribe or change your options at
>>> http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/dogwallah%40gmail.com
>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>kictanet mailing list
>>kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke
>>http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
>>
>>This message was sent to: agostal at gmail.com
>>Unsubscribe or change your options at
>>http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/agostal%40gmail.com
>>
>
>
>
>

-- 
Sent from my mobile device