ICTworks by Inveneo

infoDev is proud to announce a business plan toolkit for Mobile Applications Laboratories (mLabs) with the objective to drive mobile innovation in emerging markets.

With more than 5 billion subscribers worldwide, the mobile phone network is the world's largest distribution and communications platform. In recent years the fastest market growth has been in developing countries, laying a foundation for a huge potential user base for innovative mobile applications and services. This market is largely untapped because low-cost, high-value applications that have a direct and immediate impact on the developing world are still hard to find.

To respond to this development challenge, infoDev is working with the Government of Finland and Nokia to establish a series of mLabs around the world. The mLab network will ensure that locally relevant applications are created to meet growing demands among users in developing countries.

mLabs are an innovative way to foster enterprise creation, employment, and competitiveness by providing open spaces where entrepreneurs and programmers can find training, mentoring, technical expertise, and access to finance. Providing both incubation facilities and a network of like-minded and knowledgeable supporters, the infoDev global network of mLabs will accelerate the commercialization of innovations in developing countries.

The mLabs business plan is a tool to accelerate the planning and establishment of the labs, which are expected to generate revenues and sustain their services after an initial round of seed funding. However, mLabs are still required to design a customized business model and a service portfolio relevant to their own market conditions.

This initiative draws on infoDev's expertise in business incubation and technology entrepreneurship, and has been carried out as part of a joint Finland-infoDev-Nokia program on Creating Sustainable Businesses in the Knowledge Economy

The 4th infoDev Global Forum on Innovation & Technology Entrepreneurship was host to lots of exciting meetings, conversations and demonstrations, including on the top of mobile applications for development.

At the center of this were the five mobile application laboratories (mLabs) that infoDev has finished selecting from five regions:
• mLab Southern Africa: consortium led by Meraka Institute (South Africa)
• mLab East Africa: consortium led by *iHub_ (Kenya)
• mLab Europe and Central Asia: Enterprise Incubator Foundation (Armenia)
• mLab South Asia: consortium led by Pakistan Software Export Board
• mLab East Asia: consortium led by Saigon Hi-Tech Park (Vietnam)

Additional members of this emerging community of practice present in Helsinki for the week-long event were representatives of the mobile social networking hubs set-up by infoDev around the world, developers, entrepreneurs and many others using mobiles for development.

Discussion on mobile applications for development at the infoDev Global Forum
At the opening of the Global Forum, Esko Aho, the former Prime Minister of Finland and currently the EVP of Corporate Relations and Responsibility at Nokia, gave a stirring speech on the global boom in mobile communications, assuring the crowd that “you ain’t seen nothing yet.” That evening, 380 participants gathered for a Mobile Monday event where additional infoDev chapters joined the worldwide MoMo network.

This was followed the next day by a full day “deep dive” session that covered various aspects of using mobile applications in development efforts. Topics included the use of mobiles amongst those at the base of the pyramid, applications in sectors such as health and agriculture, and business models to support mobile application entrepreneurs.

The Global Forum also took the opportunity to build the global network of mLabs. Team members from the mLabs and the mobile social networking hubs met to discuss the business plan research conducted by Vital Wave Consulting and offer insights from their experience in incubation, technology and entrepreneurship. Although each mLab has a regional remit, they will also form an international community of practice, giving each initiative scale and expertise that they could not reach alone. As a final opportunity, the mLab teams and the mobile social networking hub organizers took a trip to visit Nokia headquarters where Nokia shared their insights into developer economics, the next billion Internet users, and the impact of mobility.
Going forward, the social networking hubs will continue hosting events to bring together a community interested in mobiles and innovation, and the mLabs will finish furnishing their facilities and ramp up their activities such as training courses, incubation, and events like mLab East Africa’s upcoming PIVOT25 (June 14-15th), to be followed the next day by the formal opening of mLab East Africa on June 16th.

Source:Infodev.org

Conflict, within and between countries, is a major cause and consequence of poverty. Conflict current affects around one quarter of low-income countries, but conflicts do end, and the challenge then is to bring relief and stability quickly, through good governance matched with rising living standards, in order to create the right conditions for nation building. A newly inaugurated infoDev research project will explore the ways that information and communication technologies (ICTs) can have a transformative role in that process.

Experience in a number of post-conflict countries has shown that mobile communication is one of the first sectors to contribute to economic recovery through increased foreign direct investment, better coordinated reconstruction, increased employment and expanded government revenues. Beyond the economic impact, ICTs can contribute to the development of social capital and trust. This study will seek to identify the specific ways in which this happens and how it might be improved.

In the first phase of this project, infoDev will lead the development of case studies about the role ICT had following conflict in Cambodia, Liberia and Sri Lanka. Cambodia conflict ended in the early 1990s and its transition has widely been lauded; it was also the first country in the world where mobile phones exceeded the number of fixed-line phones. In Liberia, years of civil war ended in 2005 when a newly elected government took office, but much remains to be done in laying the foundations for long-term development. Finally, Sri Lanka is a more recent example due to the May 2009 defeat of the LTTE. The World Bank has supported extensive e-governance reforms in Sri Lanka, allowing the research to explore the benefits of ICT in the public sector.

The diversity of experience in these countries will serve as the springboard for the second portion of the work that will develop high-level policy frameworks for using ICT as a tool for sustainable reconstruction in post-conflict countries. An important part of this will be a workshop that convenes policymakers and experts to discuss and disseminate the findings.

To support this research, infoDev is hiring three short-term consultants. If you are interested, please visit the job posting and apply before the closing date of June 24th.

This research is made possible through the support of DFID.

Request for Expression of Interest published by the Ministry of Science and Technology of Mozambique as published on infoDev:

Republic of Mozambique, Ministry of Science and Technology, Mozambique eGovernment and Communications Infrastructure Project (MEGCIP) and complementary funds

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
SELECTION OF CONSULTANCY SERVICES TO ESTABLISH THE MAPUTO ICT INCUBATOR PROGRAM

The Government of Mozambique (GoM) has received a Credit from the International Development Association (IDA) toward the cost of the Mozambique eGovernment and Communications Infrastructure Project (MEGCIP) and intends to apply part of the proceeds for contracting of services and infrastructure to establish the “Maputo ICT Incubation Program”. Other complementary funds to be used in this project will be obtained from the Finnish Government, channeled through infoDev.

OBJECTIVE OF ASSIGNMENT

To select a host organization (incubation partner) capable of supporting emerging ICT-enabled businesses and incubating them towards growth and success. The vision for the pilot incubator is that it will eventually become a national ICT small business support center, including additional physical and virtual facilities, contributing strategically to the sector’s growth.

SCOPE OF SERVICES

The Incubator will be guided by a business plan, agreed upon with the Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT). It is expected that the Incubator manager will be selected via a competitive process. The incubation model to be agreed upon with MCT will be expected to deliver on the following:

1. Create affordable office space and facilities for small and medium-sized ICT companies. If a virtual/outreach model is proposed, then the minimum space requirement must be specified and made available free of charge
2. Provide Human Resources to manage the Maputo ICT Incubator facilities and services. Where these resources will be “in sourced” indicate which organization will be providing these resources.
3. Grow the ICT industry by facilitating the development and successful growth of early stage companies
4. Attract investment into local ICT companies and services providers
5. Build understanding among the broader business community in terms of the relevance and importance of small, innovative ICT companies in their value chains
6. Position Mozambique as an ICT innovator on the African continent
7. Develop a business model that generates revenue streams to ensure the sustainability of the incubator
8. Generate funds in the medium to long term to support the expansion of the incubator
9. Create linkages with strategic partners in building a sustainable ecosystem
10. Support extension on the Maputo incubator through virtual support services and expansion to other physical locations (such as the Maluana Science Park or incubator facilities in other provinces throughout the country)

MCT acting as beneficiary institution now invites host organizations interested in managing the Maputo ICT incubator using their own facilities or those of their consortium partners. Interested host organizations must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services. This should include evidence of:

1. The availability of free space and facilities that can be used, with relatively little adaptation, to accommodate start-ups and SMEs , and which can be scaled up over time as the incubator grows;
2. A close link to innovation and to entrepreneurs and the ability to generate, or attract, a steady flow of ICT business start-ups and requisite funding;
3. Energetic, inspired and capable management able to stimulate the development of the ICT small business community. This team should be composed at least by the Maputo ICT Incubator Manager, Business Development Manager, Financial Manager, Administrative Officer and Secretary (the Incubator manager however may be selected in parallel),
4. The host or at least one consortium partner should be of Mozambican origin and the institution based in Mozambique; and
5. A viable business plan, geared towards meeting the objectives and purposes outlined above, and capable of sustaining growth after the expiry of the grant-support period.

This assignment is estimated to cover an initial two-year engagement for grant support with the possibility of extension, depending on the overall success of the program.

Learn more about this Expression of Interest

infoDev seeks a short term consultant (STC) to oversee the establishment and implementation of a regional mobile application laboratory in Kenya.

The main objective of the position of the Mobile Application Laboratory Manager is to lead and manage the establishment and growth of the regional mLab, as a self sustaining initiative hosted by the *iHub_ consortium, and to manage the implementation and operations of the mLab, including the technical and administrative activities.

The incumbent will be responsible for the operation of all aspects of the mLab development including training and accreditation, certification, competition for ideas, business mentoring, access to finance and markets, development and revision of technical standards, testing procedures and laboratory policies; providing technical support to mLab operations and consulting with stakeholders on mobile technology related matters.

For more details, see the infoDev job postingTerms of Reference for Mobile Application Laboratory Manager (Kenya)