The Tech Hub : An African-Driven Innovation?

For about half of the year, I read nothing but the word "Tech Hub" or "Tech Lab".

Adam Jackson of TechCrunch recently wrote an article entitled "If Start-ups can be built in Ghana, Africa They can be built in Cleveland, Ohio". The title, while offering congratulation to the MEST Incubator center in Ghana, in the same token seems slightly demeaning to African accomplishment. As one commenter put it:

I feel like people should stop downplaying Africa, like it isn't a multifaceted continent, with people of different backgrounds and capabilities. The Moors of Egypt had one of the most fascinating civilizations prior to being conquered (which took hundreds of years to do). There are villagers to billionaires in Africa, so stop with the "if Ghana can do it, then people in Cleveland can." Of course they can! That is what is so fascinating about the web and mobile market. No one is limited by location anymore.

And I completely agree.

That aside, the article points out a growing facet of the African/emerging markets growth story. And it involves technology. The African mobile landscape has proved a viable investment for developing business start-ups. I think the slight advantage that emerging markets have over its' more developed counterparts is that they possibly have the benefit of developing (albeit from behind) in a more efficient and socially beneficially manner.

FULL GRAPHIC HERE

Where the government has failed its' African citizens, the rapid advancement of Web 2.0 puts the power in the hands of a younger generation. Whether it is testing out cards for transportation or creating whole transformational platforms like Ms. Juliana Rotich of Ushahidi has done for Kenya and abroad.

oAfrica has an effective breakdown of The World Bank report, "Information and Communications for Development 2012: Maximizing Mobile" HERE, which outlines the future of mobile and it's role in emerging
markets.


There is a void in the market to fill here and hopefully it can be properly scaled and replicated for the benefit of many citizens.

HODGE PODGE AUGUST: A collection of ideas and sources

Yes... I am quite ashamed of myself for not keeping up with this darling but schoolwork (a.k.a my life) caught up with me quite drastically. But that hasn't stopped my brain from raking up with ideas and personal projects. I'm going to try to put together a culmination post  including all of  the inspirational obsessions that I have come across these past two months including my own take on certain issues as well. Well let's get started:

In my previous post, I expressed the need for viable artist/artisan collections centres in Africa. This is a need that has been addressed on many levels throughout the region. Of course, textiles are also apart of this. I remember one evening I was watching a CNBC documentary on J. Crew and its' turnaround as a company. There was a particular scene, where CEO Mickey Drexler goes to Italy to pick out fabrics at one of Milan's textile warehouses.  There were fabrics/textiles swatches dating back to as far as the 1700s held in a large collections of books. This to me signifies in part the reason why European/American fashion is so penetrating in our everyday lives. There is a sustained heritage. It's not so much about Gucci as it is about Italian leather. It's not so much about Chanel as it is about French silk. Not so much about Levi's as it about American denim or the white cotton tee. 

Africa in terms of economics, has always been able to produce its' own goods and in terms of fashion it can offer something other than a trend. SUNO, founded by Max Osterweis  is a micro-scale example of what can happen when African fashion focuses on developing and collecting local textiles/techniques to produce unique luxury brands through the use of vintage Kenyan kangas. Most importantly, developing African-made textiles is necessary to establishing African design as an innovative force to reckoned with. Online consultancies such as AfricanFashionGuide and Source4Style are at the forefront of this growing industry. Picture sources (from left to right): 1,2,3

Sources (L to R): 1,2,3

Two months ago, I read an article in WIRED UK, on the rising influence of pop star Lady Gaga's manager Troy Carter. After years of working the music business, Carter along with the help of several key Silicon Valley developers formulated a social media model called Backplane based on online fanbase communities. The first Backplane-powered site was that of Littlemonsters.com (for Lady Gaga). The site requires a login similar to GILT GROUPE and is set to provide Miss Gaga with a platform to pass on important information. I began thinking immediately of how a Backplane-powered site could be used to connect farmers/collectives in "FAIRTRADE" countries to suppliers everywhere. There are times when I think that FAIRTRADE has become a marketing route for selling products to the "hipsters and tree-huggers" (as the conservative base would call them) of the developed nations. Who says that consumers in emerging markets don't want to buy fairtrade--or organic--too? Or that a small-scale farmer in Ecuador can't competitively bargain with a grocery owner in Botswana and vice versa? Perhaps a social media outlet such as a Backplane-powered site can help to expand the power of fairtrade among small commerce. While trading sites such as the Chinese Alibaba already provide hubs for business-to-business transactions, whether or not subscribers are certified FAIRTRADE isn't immediately verifiable. Not to mention, an online community could provide farmers with a to trade equipment and tips as well as enhance the usage of mobile banking.

(via VenturesAfrica)

Being that developing a social-value based high end brand is one of those things I have sketched in my composition book of dreams, I found this list to be quite informative. Here are some bits and pieces that I found interesting:

There were definitely other innovative things that caught my eye these past two months, that I can't quite think of at the moment but I will be sure to cover those in subsequent posts (hopefully without such a long period of absence this time!)

By the way be sure to follow me: TUMBLR | TWITTER

The mobile synergy of the African creative industries

The African entertainment and arts scene could quite possibly be one of the only industries on the continent that has seen steady upward growth across Africa for decades. Currently for example, Nigerian's film industry is reportedly valued at around N522 billion (1.75 billion US dollars). For the past decade, there has been an intense use of online media such as YouTube and Tumblr to promote culture of Africa and its' diaspora (see: idamawatu channel which has garnered almost 300 million views). This has greatly enhanced collaboration among artists and finally given platform for contemporary creatives/artisans. However, there is dire lack of organized structure for collecting the works done my various artists. There is a high-valued market for African art and establishing channels on YouTube and Tumblr as a source is just the first step. As described in a brief piece on aoAfrica, many mobile networks in Africa are in a varying state of simultaneously transitioning between "e-commerce" (online storefronts and mobile money) and "social media". African creative industries can take the first step in using technology to take these current stages a step further and develop rich media content (think: Apps, Spotify, Pandora, online magazines).

However, if organizations such as the African Union put emphasis on structuring creative industries around central physical "collectives" that can translate works of artists/artisans to rich online media content, these communities can act as curators as well as business mediators between artists and more commercial entities. Artists can receive royalty payments easier As described in a workshop paper sponsored by The World Bank on the African music industry, almost no African music market has a piracy level less than 25%. This uncertain business environment drives musicians to great lengths in order to stretch profit.

...because artists have no expectation of receiving any royalties from record sales –because of piracy and the inadequate collections of royalties -- they expect a bigger single up-front payment. This one-off payment system creates problems for international companies. They have the expectation of a lower initial advance, and then, of course, the expectation to pay the royalties. Thus, they expect the artist to work together with them to sell the album. However, for an artist who is just getting a one-off payment, the only way to make money is by recording the absolute maximum number of albums and doing as many of these deals as possible.  

The authors conclude that there is indeed a need for collection hubs for artists/artisans. These physical collectives could be based on region as shown below:

Building structure and collaboration through art.
Original map: ECOworld

• West African Collective (ORANGE)
• Central African Collective *incl. South Sudan (BLUE)
• South (PURPLE)
• East (GOLD)
• North (GREEN)

They could also be based on language---main centers being Francophone, Anglophone, Lusophone--- however, these long established borders of lingua franca have long caused division within various African entertainment scenes.

Once strong communities of artists and artisans and can be established, this can then make it more effective for mobile-based tech applications. For instance, you take a fairly new media app such as Spinlet, which is designed to enhance legal music downloads for African artists, it can easily expand it's markets through the facilitation of collectives. I'm also under the impression that high-quality streaming services similar to Pandora and Spotify would sit well with many African consumers. African Film Library is another extraordinary service that could benefit from the on-the-ground stimulation of local/regional artist collection societies.

I think what is most beneficial regarding African collectives in the arts is the green lighting of more efficient and respectable collaboration. Collaboration transcends language, ethnic group and political views. Artists/artisans create intersectional dialogue in a way that other fields cannot. Imagine: stimulating local economies to create sustainable, cultural African fabrics that is not just subject to the seasonal "pattern" trend. Real textile? Advertised throughout online galleries and sold for commercial export?

One can dream no?

PS: To learn more about Spinlet check out this interview with Chairman Eric Idiah on Ventures Africa.

Technology-based start-ups in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Can impact investing and social entrepreneurship turn natural resource "curses" into blessings?

The central African nation of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a nation about 2.34 million sq km in area, is arguably one of the most resource abundant in natural resources. From minerals, to potential hydro-power and even uranium Congo is a geographical hotbed of natural resource extraction. Cobalt, diamonds, gold and copper ores can all be in various regions within the DRC (the eastern border and southeastern-and western provinces). Yet, this country with a population of about 67 million, has been deemed one of the "world's worst" in just about every human development category. A decade-long civil war centered in the Eastern Congo has left more than  6 million civilians dead, mostly due to regional militias who profit from the looting of the aforementioned minerals. Despite the many complex, historical internal and external factors at the root of this dismal situation, the fact remains that the institutions in place are continued enablers to a rampant addiction of corruption and inefficiency that has effectively taken a toll on the economic state of this vast nation .

Small business appears to be the only viable current solution to this issue: building self-sufficiency from the ground up. Simply boycotting raw materials takes away from whatever small day-to-day revenue that local artisanal mining operations provides for livelihoods.  How can Congolese citizens possibly utilize the abundant resources of their environment to create communities of sustainable business and growth? Most “green” technologies (technologies used in alternative energy uses, for example) utilize some of the same minerals found in the DRC. The DRC supplies about two-thirds of the world’s cobalt. Cobalt has been outlined by the US Department of Energy as a critical metal in clean energy production. Cobalt also sustains uses in the production of glass and porcelain. Copper is also a growing essential element in HVAC systems. The mineral can be found in Congo’s Copper Belt (Between the cities of Lumbumbashi and Kolwezi in the southeast) as well as various other regions. However, considering the volatile nature of commodities pricing many investors have a habit of starting up and then fleeing projects, which creates an unsustainable business environment for both larger and smaller mining operations. Is it possible then, that local miners with access to minerals/scrap minerals that are the basic building blocks to modern technology could also actually produce products essential to it’s own countries growth? Could invested-in technology expedite the growth of regional agricultural sectors? The fact, that this is some sort of novel idea is a testament to the perceived logistical supply chain challenges of producing goods and exporting goods within the African continent.

Research and development is the fundamental basis for innovation. However, research and development cannot be sustained without investment. Particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where for example, the abundance of copper can serve as a base for copper wiring distribution. The opportunity for research is there. Just as a food for thought example, impact invested research on the sustainable uses of such materials as copper for the purpose of agriculture--vertical farms/greenhouses---can

Copper-based rainwater capture system in South Africa
(source: David Bello)

eventually stimulate local economies in the DRC to actually manufacture viable local products from raw materials. While general infrastructure poses a challenge to engaging technological research on the continent, it is not far-fetched. Many Africans, despite any hindrance in living conditions have been exposed to widespread telecommunications outlets. A total of about sixty-five percent of people in Sub-Saharan Africa have access to mobile phones, most with Internet access. This solid telecommunications base can lead to even more technology-based business start-ups and research projects. Moreover, “modern” forms of currencies such as Bit.coin and the “M-Banking” financial organizations have penetrated African markets since the early 2000s. M-PESA based in Kenya, a service originally set-up for microfinance borrowers, has gathered a total of 14 million subscribers engaged in daily monetary transactions from mobile to person. This too, has the ability to hone socially impactful investments in the direction of innovative research organizations and entrepreneurs based in the continent. Local/regional community organizing can strengthen entrepreneurial efforts by involving the surrounding community in fundraising efforts.

This 2011 Google ad---in all of its' marketing glory---shown above is a shining example of what happens when mobile knowledge stimulates budding entrepreneurs, regardless of circumstance.


Did I mention that copper is very recyclable? Sounds like donating pennies could be a great start for a bunch of entrepreneurship projects in Africa! Too much? Well, anyway!

The Genesis

Finally...finally. I'm trying out this blog business. I'm pretty sure that I've thought about "doing" a blog since I was about thirteen years old. Pretty long time ago, I think.

So why am I attempting such an endeavor, now? Especially at a moment when the blogosphere is incompletely saturated---quite possibly over-saturated---with content and opinion from every nook and cranny of the world? Well, quite frankly, it would help me professionally. As a Gen Yer, naturally, my life on the internet began at a young age. I've explored everything from the virtual NeoPets world to Photoshop colorization challenges and the more recent realms of social networking---MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and of course Tumblr. Without a doubt, internet spaces have shaped the way I receive information. They have challenged by perspective on issues. They have helped me with homework assignments. They have honed by sense of creativity for the artful.  And most importantly, for quite awhile, they have revealed to me the perspectives facing my identity and has given me a basis for pride.

I'm "African". Not black, not brown, not just the immigrant's kid with the funny last name. I'm African. Congolese descent. What could this quite possibly mean for my life? What does this mean to others? How could something I see as being so beautiful, be constantly damaged and misconstrued as barbaric and primitive by so many half-peering eyes? No one cares to acknowledge the history, I complain to myself. They can't imagine that Africa has beaches and tourism. Cinema and music. Landscape and potential. Potential. Potential of landscape.

Mixed media piece by artist Maurice Mbikayi; from ARTBoom

What I am to do here with Maison Nyota is seek out potential landscapes. Landscapes never discovered. Landscapes, that despite these turbulent times have seen the growth of the "economic underdogs". The power is no longer in one set of hands. It is a perfect environment for potential African landscapes to fester. How do we return to the essence of African cultures while capitalizing on the strength of modern technologies? What ways can Africans around the globe take advantage of the ruins of colonialism for our own benefit? Can art undermine perception? Can socially-beneficial business undermine government corruption? Where are the youth?

In french, maison means "house". In swahili, nyota means "star". Everyday within AFRICA, a Maison Nyota is being built. Not by vulture capitalists. Not just by foreign institutions and NGOs, nonprofits. But by Africans themselves. Whether it is the woman working hard in Great Britain to support her family's endeavors in Nigeria or a farmers using mobile money to maintain his business in rural Kenya. Protestors using social media to show their dissent for the government in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Wildlife Conservation designed by Namibians. Social art collectives by students in the diaspora.

Now is the time more than ever for Africans to realize their potential to truly build new landscapes. The future is just beginning. I hope you'll take this long journey with me. I'm learning new things everyday!

Welcome!

-Rachelle Nyota Mulumba