Technology innovation in Africa - 2012 Landscape
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This document discusses technology innovation in Africa. It outlines some of the challenges to innovation in Africa such as underdeveloped tech communities, lack of financing, and poor access to global networks. However, it notes that there has been growth in innovation centers, investors, infrastructure, and government support in recent years. It highlights examples of growing mobile phone and internet usage in East Africa and innovative mobile apps and services emerging from Africa like M-PESA. The document argues that opportunities exist in areas like mobile health, education, and financial services tailored to local needs, and that Africa can play a role in balancing innovation between the West and East.
Technology innovation in Africa - 2012 Landscape
- 1. Innovation technologique pour l’Afrique
- 2. Technology Innovation in Africa 2012 Heri Rakotomalala - OpenIt4Africa
- 3. Challenges? • Under-developed technology community • Difficult access to financing • Poor access to global innovation networks • poor Government support • ... the worst: biases!
- 4. In the past two years • Networks, investors, education: Omidyar network, MEST, Savannah Fund, VC4Africa meetups • Infrastructure development: Mobile and Broadband Internet • Gov initiatives to boost creativity and innovation • Universities
- 5. A growing number of innovation centers • iHub in Nairobi, • ActivSpaces • iceaddis • Jokkolabs • Burundi Business Incubator, Cairo Hackerspace, Co-creation Huyb Nigeria, Wennovation Hub Nigeria, Akendewa, etc.
- 6. Real Numbers • 91% of sub-Saharan Africans own a mobile phone • 71% send 3 or more text messages per day • 12% access the Internet on their mobile at least once a day • ... but 55% “not comfortable” using a computer
- 8. Internet Users in Kenya 2010 2011 200,000 10,500,000
- 9. Uganda Kenya Tanzania Rwanda Internet 4m 10.5m 5m 1.2m users Internet 12% 26% 11% 12% penetration Mobile 600,000 4,700,00 500,000 1,200,000 penetration
- 10. Landscape • Innovation centers: iHub (Nairobi), iceAddis (Addis Abeba), Hive Colab (Kampala) • IDEOS Phone (Android phone for the African Market) • 649 million mobile subscribers +86m in 2012 • +81% growth mobile data consumption • Center of the global mobile money revolution • Leading events and conference: PIVOT25, DEMO AFRICA
- 11. IDEOS from HUWAEI $100 Smartphone, now $70 +400,000 units sold in Kenya
- 12. Mobile application development • Google Africa has launched the Google Android Developer challenge, with the winners getting $25,000 for their apps • a dynamic, competitive market • Savannah Fund, incubators, meetups & events • $40 million to $165m (2013) in mobile value added services
- 13. M-PESA •UDDI •M-PESA processed a total volume of transactions $17,21 billion, well past Western Union. Can send money to 70 countries, 900 businesses, 25 banks • Partnership with over 37,000 registered agents for low-cost retail baking: “Banking through your shopkeeper.” • Based on local needs (micro-billing and flexible payments)
- 14. Opportunities • Services in North America (FB, tripadvisor) are also popular ... but: • open source, open government, mobile government • mobile health, mobile education • financial services (utility and bill payments, mobile to bank)
- 15. Balance of Power From West to East • Young / old • Growth (world’s fastest growing economies) / Contraction • New markets and needs / Saturated markets • Mobile / Computer • Breaking the status quo / Maintaining the status quo
- 16. Future: Access to global innovation networks? • Bring networks to Africa: • OpenIt4Africa: the launchpad of tech projects for Africa • Coders4Africa • Expose/export African innovation and enginuity to international markets • Facilitate financing, networking, skills transfer
- 17. Ressources • whiteafrican.com • openit4africa.org • afrinnovator.com • coders4africa • appafrica.com • iHub blog