<div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:16px"><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2655" dir="ltr"><span>Friends, </span></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2655" dir="ltr"><span><br></span></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2655" dir="ltr"><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2683">The MoICT and ICT Authority are planning a 2-Day ICT Innovation Forum on the 2nd and 3rd of March, 2015. </span><a href="http://www.icta.go.ke/event/national-ict-innovation-forum/" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2885">See details on the ICT Authority website)</a></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2655" dir="ltr"><br></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2655" dir="ltr">I offered (and the Technical Committee organizing the Forum agreed) that I do 2 Op-ed pieces on the subject as a lead up to the Forum.</div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2655" dir="ltr"><br></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2655" dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.aganoconsulting.com/businessnews/archives/240" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3252">Business News » Kenya as Silicon Savannah – The need to do more!</a>; I will be posting the second piece in the next day or so.</div><div style="width:450px; font-family: 'Georgia', 'Times', 'Times New Roman', 'serif';margin-top:5px; margin-bottom: 5px; background-color: #ffffff;" contenteditable="false" id="enhancrCard_0" class="link-enhancr-attachment link-enhancr-element"><table class="link-enhancr-element" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" style="width:450px; height:auto; position: relative; display: block;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3277"><tbody id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3276"><tr class="link-enhancr-element" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3318"><td class="link-enhancr-element" colspan="7" style="height: 1px; background-color: #e5e5e5; font-size: 1px; border-collapse: collapse;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3317"><div class="link-enhancr-element" style="height: 1px; background-color: #e5e5e5; font-size: 1px; line-height:0px;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3316"> </div></td></tr><tr class="link-enhancr-element" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3286"><td rowspan="5" class="link-enhancr-element" style="width: 1px; 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do more!</span></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2655" dir="ltr"><span style="text-align: center;" class="">by Matunda Nyanchama*</span></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2655" dir="ltr"><span style="text-align: center;" class="">February 22, 2015</span></div><div class="" align="center" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center"><o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div>
<div class="" align="center" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3586"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3467">The <a href="http://www.icta.go.ke/event/national-ict-innovation-forum/" class="" style=""><b class="" style="">National ICT Innovation Forum,</b></a><b class="" style=""> </b>convened by the Ministry of
Information Communications and Technology and ICT Authority, is slated for March
2<sup class="" style="">rd</sup> and 3<sup class="" style="">rd,</sup> at the Kenyatta International Conference
Centre (KICC). Its theme is <b class="" style="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3466">Silicon
Savannah! Mind the Gap! Close the Gap!</b> <o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3467"><b class="" style=""><br></b></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3465">Participants are expected to
tackle challenges pertaining to ICT innovation in the country and the way
forward to ensure ICT innovation thrives in Kenya. Industry stakeholders are
agreed: our ICT sector has reached a tipping point: no longer just a sexy idea,
but an industry that is creating lasting change and impact.<o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3482">One may ask why the theme: <b class="" style="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3590">Silicon Savannah! Mind the Gap! Close the
Gap!</b>? <o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3482"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3483">The media coinage, <b class="" style="">Silicon Savannah,</b> has become near-synonymous
with Kenya’s technology sector. The words carry a subliminal play with America’s
Silicon Valley, home of many global technology giants such as Apple, Google,
Oracle and many others. <o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3483"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3463">As a country, we offer a series of
advantages to claim the Silicon Savannah brand. These include boasting a large
number of academic institutions offering ICT programmes; taught in English, the
global business language, steering our next generation of leaders; our laws and
regulations, favouring free market economics and more. This is in addition to
Kenya being the region’s economic powerhouse despite lacking in resources (oil,
minerals, etc.) that have been the curse of many African nations.<o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3463"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3489">The Silicon Savannah label didn’t
come by accident. A lot of time and effort has been invested in promoting the
country as a technology destination. Under a triumvirate of the Ministry of
Information of Communications and Technology, the ICT Authority and Brand
Kenya, the nation’s image as a leader in the technology sector has continued to
rise. <o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3489"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3464">And the proof of the pudding is
in the eating. Kenya’s image, as a leader in innovations, is well-known. One
case in point is M-Pesa that stands out to become a global brand in electronic
money transfer. The Konza Technology City plans, if well-executed, would
further buttress the Silicon Savannah brand. In addition, there is a lot more
in the works with the vibrant activities happening in incubation hubs,
university ICT departments, government, and the private sector. The future is
bright; the future is IT.<o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3464"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3462">With Government and the private
sector working in tandem, the Silicon Savannah brand value can only grow. Others
would claim that we have a huge gap between that brand promise and where we
are. In spite of the achievements to date, serious work needs to be done to
fully realize the benefits of that gilded metaphor.<o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3462"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3527">There is a need to accelerate the
pace of the sector’s growth via deliberate efforts, plans, actions and
performance monitoring. These efforts must tap into the amount of energy
devoted to innovation in order to harness its full potential. The approach
should result in a well-oiled innovation ecosystem that would deliver the
promise.<o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3527"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3529">A thriving innovation ecosystem needs
key components synergistically working towards a common goal: exponential ICT growth
that has wide-ranging, knock-on benefits. Key among these are the laws,
regulations and policies; access to knowledge and expertise; access to capital;
ongoing research and development; deliberate promotion of the sector’s products
and services; and a vibrant network of incubation hubs with clear tentacles to
the market, academia and financiers. <o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3529"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3461"><b class="" style="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3460"><u class="" style="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3459">Laws, Regulations and Policies & Promotion of Kenya ICT Products
& Services<o:p class="" style=""></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3490">The public sector, including
national and county governments, public agencies and state corporations, are
major consumers of ICT products and services. The national ICT spending across
the public sector could be in the range of hundreds of billions of Shillings. Now,
suppose Government regulations and policies required that we give priority to
the local ICT sector, driving innovation at home. This would assure a ready
market for Kenyan ICT products and services; the resultant process would create
jobs, build local ICT capacity and provide a springboard towards regional and
international growth for the sector.<o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3490"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3528">There is more. <o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3528"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3458">With the recognition of the
significance of the ICT sector, Government could make deliberate effort to
promote the sector abroad. It is key to include ICT sector representation in
international trade fairs and promotions the country participates in. In part,
it would help the sector’s targeted contribution of 8% GDP and 180,000 jobs by
2017. <o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3458"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3530"><b class="" style="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3533"><u class="" style="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3532">Knowledge and Expertise <o:p class="" style=""></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3534">In recent years, Kenya has seen a
substantial growth of institutions: universities are expanding both in student
population and in programmes offered. This is the good news.<o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3534"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3531">The bad news is that higher
learning in Kenya appears to be more of the business of education than the
quality of the programmes and relevance to the market. There is a disconnect
between what we are teaching and the needs of local industry, such that universities
stand accused of a failure to proactively tune their programmes to market
needs. The term “yellow notes” has been mentioned in relation to use of the
same material from year to year by some lecturers and professors, caring less
for the dynamic nature of knowledge.<o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3531"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3457">ICT education and knowledge is a
fast-paced affair. Knowledge and its packaging evolves rapidly, as do the delivery
modes. Academic institutions must keep up with these changes if their graduates,
especially in ICT – a key pillar to the President’s Digital Promise - have to
find relevance in the market.<o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3457"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3535">There is more. There are few
institutions with focus on bridging gaps between what is learnt in universities
and what the market needs. Further, as a relatively young (e.g. compared with
engineering) discipline the sector does not have a clearly defined professional
path for growth. <o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3535"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3557">Nonetheless, the need for
programmes that bridge gaps between academic qualifications and practical
industry needs has never been greater. There are yawning gaps in this space.
Indeed, it is this realization that resulted in the establishment the recently
launched Presidential Digital Talent Programme to address government ICT needs.<o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3536">Sadly, there is still more bad
news.<o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3536"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3537">As we celebrate the mushrooming
of universities we appear to have forgotten the key role played by tertiary and
vocational training institution. Our universities appear to have grown at the
expense of polytechnics and, in the process, left a gap in human capital development.
<o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3537"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3558">Finally, considering that ICT is
expected to play a key role in economic growth, there is a need to ensure that
ICT graduates come out of university equipped with even basic business
knowledge, such as knowledge of intellectual property and how to secure it; and
how to turn the intellectual property into a business venture, how to raise
money and how to run an enterprise. <o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3558"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3559"><b class="" style=""><u class="" style="">Access to Capital <o:p class="" style=""></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3563">According to recent private
equity surveys, Kenya is missing out to its African neighbours, Nigeria, and
South Africa. The challenges in Kenya include lack of innovator awareness of
the varied range of sources of capital and the required preparedness to obtain
risk capital. This has also been blamed on lack of viable business plans for early-stage
businesses. <o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3563"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3562">On the other hand, most investors
stake their money in tried and tested ventures such as in real estate; and they
have poor understanding of the technology sector. Clearly, there is a need to
address the gap via (say) a venture capital fund that would help start-ups go
through the early stages of development while raising awareness on the
potential for growth that the sector presents.<o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3562"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3561"><b class="" style=""><u class="" style="">Research and Development<o:p class="" style=""></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3560">Innovation pertains to
improvements (product, service, process) that addresses a key need. Often
innovation takes ideas from different disciplines, combines these to realize
something new. A good example is M-Pesa that significantly improved the
movement of money using mobile phone and messaging. It was an innovation that has transformed
lives.<o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3560"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3456">In order to experiment with and
test ideas, there is a need to have ongoing research and development. The need
for collaboration and cooperation between the ICT sector and academic
institutions, has never been greater. In addition, companies - public and private
- need to set up research and development departments that would be charged
with continual innovation.<o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3456"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3564">Often significant value can be
realized through incremental changes via co-innovation, e.g. through
customization and incremental change to an existing product, service or
process. <o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3564"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3455">Research and development activity
can be substantially enhanced through government incentive programmes. <o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3455"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3565"><b class="" style=""><i class="" style=""><u class="" style="">The Innovation Hubs<o:p class="" style=""></o:p></u></i></b></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3566">A number of these exist in the
country. They are run as independent businesses, components of businesses or
academic institutions. There is no doubt that a lot takes place in these hubs,
with respect to testing and incubating ideas with a view to commercialization.<o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3566"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3448">The need for stakeholder collaboration
has never been greater. There is a need for greater awareness of their role and
structure and value they add to the innovation value chain.<o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3449">…<o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3450">The need for focus in ICT
innovation has never been greater. Deliberate action is needed in order to
create a well-oiled innovation ecosystem with a friendly policy and regulatory
environment, aided by a supportive incubation ecosystem, supplied with relevant
skills, fed by ongoing research and development, served with risk capital, and actively
promoted nationally and globally by all.<o:p class="" style=""></o:p></div><div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3450"><br></div>
<div class="" style="text-align:justify" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3452"><i class="" style="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3451">Dr. Matunda Nyanchama is a Director and Managing Consultant at Agano
Consulting Inc., and a Technical Advisor in the Ministry of Communications and
Technology and can be reached at </i><a href="mailto:mnyacnhama@aganoconsulting.com" class="" style="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3454"><i class="" style="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_3453">mnyacnhama@aganoconsulting.com</i></a><i class="" style=""> <o:p class="" style=""></o:p></i></div><div></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2684"> </div><div class="signature" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2691"><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2690"><font size="2" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2708"><span style="font-family:times, serif;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2707">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span><br style="font-family:times, serif;"></font><font size="2" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2893"><span style="font-family:times, serif;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2894">Matunda Nyanchama, PhD, CISSP; mnyanchama@aganoconsulting.com</span><br style="font-family:times, serif;"><span style="font-family:times, serif;">Agano Consulting Inc.; </span><a rel="nofollow" style="font-family:times, serif;" target="_blank" href="http://www.aganoconsulting.com/" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2892">www.aganoconsulting.com</a>; </font><font class="Apple-style-span" size="2" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2896">Twitter: <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/#%21/nmatunda" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2895"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1298476732_5" style="color:rgb(54, 99, 136);">nmatunda; </span></a></font><font class="Apple-style-span" size="2" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2719"><span style="text-decoration:underline;"></span>Skype: okiambe</font><font size="2" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2891"><br style="font-family:times, serif;"><span style="font-family:times, serif;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2890">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></font></div><div style="font-family:times, serif;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2721"><font size="2">Manage your ICT risks</font><span style="line-height:1.22;font-size:10pt;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2720">! We are the experts you need! The trusted partners you deserve!</span></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2726"><span style="font-family:times, serif;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2725"><span style="font-size:10pt;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2724">Call: <span style="font-weight:bold;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2889">+1-888-587-1150 (Canada) +254-20-267-0743 (Kenya) </span>or <a rel="nofollow" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2723" href=""><span style="font-weight:bold;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2722">info@aganoconsulting.com</span></a></span></span></div><div style="color:rgb(0, 0, 255);font-family:times, serif;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2887"><span style="line-height:16px;font-weight:bold;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2888"><var id="yui-ie-cursor"></var>Licensed by Communications Authority of Kenya (CA)</span></div><div style="color:rgb(0, 0, 255);font-family:times, serif;font-style:italic;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2727"><span style="font-size:10pt;"> </span>----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<span lang="EN-CA"></span></div><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2730"><span style="font-family:times, serif;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2729"><div class="MsoPlainText" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2728">"The best revenge is massive success" - Frank Sinatra<span style="font-style:italic;"></span></div></span><span style="font-family:times, serif;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2731">-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span><br style="font-family:times, serif;"><font size="1" style="font-family:times, serif;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1424793881534_2732">This e-mail, including attachments, may be privileged and may contain confidential or proprietary information intended only for the addressee(s). Any other distribution, copying, use, or disclosure is unauthorized and strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately by reply e-mail and permanently delete the message, including any attachments, without making a copy. Thank you.</font><br></div></div></div>