By Thato Mfikwe, CEO SOWUG 22 November 2016, First Summit on Community Networks in Africa, Nairobi, Kenya

1. “Thato Mfikwe” SOWUG CEO

2. 1. Opening, welcome & Introductions
Good morning, My name Thato Mfikwe, CEO and Co-founder of SOWUG,
Johannesburg, South Africa.
Today in my presentation I will be hinting about innovation in different
segments of my presentation.
Preparing your mindset
Did you know: there are simple things you can do to improve on your
innovation and creative ability?
Innovative Mindsets: Values problem solving, involves the application of
creativity in everything you do to make things happen, set trends, to become
resourceful & initiative.

6. 2. SOWUG (www.sowug.org.za) transforming communities through ICT development
Vision: operate a freely accessible Wi-Fi network around Gauteng that renders free digital services,
information and communication for communities of Soweto and surrounding areas. Our network
intends to assist users address the social and economic challenges and we have team-up with a group
of LIKE-MINDED Entrepreneurs, professionals and technicians with different skillsets WORKING
TOGETHER TO REALISE COMMON A GOAL AND OBJECTIVE.
Currently Wireless Internet
1 High-site in Orlando West 3 repeater site (hops)
10 hot-spots and around 20 businesses and households connected to the network.
Over 1000 devices have connected to our network
Wireless Network portal
Intends to cater for ICT dev, e-learning, e-skills, e-communities & e-government amongst others
THE SOWUG network will
- bridge the commercial gap that exists between informal business, their
- empower previously disadvantaged communities with free online education, access to jobs,
online access to government services and free online skills to name a few
- accelerate social and economic development in our communities, re-dressing challenges of
unemployment, poverty, unequal access to social and economic rights including lack of
education and skills.
SOWUG PARTNERS (Power of networking)
TERACO, FID, ISOC, COMSOL, VOX & work online.

7. 3. SOWUG – What we stand for
a) A wireless platform for rural communities and townships of Gauteng.
b) An enabling environment that allows users to take advantage of technology and
lower the digital divide
c) Utilization and adoption of technological solutions, services and products that will
enhance the access to and delivery of government
d) Innovation and industrialization thereof from a bottom – up approach.
e) Affordable and open internet access
f) An E-Platform: E-Learning. E-Business, E-Heritage, E-Commerce, E-Government, E-
Health & other E-Solutions.

8. SOWUG – Current Projects (2016)
1. Wireless Network – Free and unlimited Internet access: Planned: e-learning, e-business, e-communities & e-services amongst
others. (Ongoing). 10 hot-spots currently live.
Next phase is Portal development and content integration onto network servers
2. Innovation & Development center – a need & service driven innovation center for development for ICT, skills, business &
community development. (On-going). Trained entrepreneurs, youth and community members on computer and internet basics.
Next phase is securing permanent facilities to run our Innovation and Development Center
3. Community Service – our team participates and serves in community based initiatives to assist and advise in addressing social and
economic conditions of the general community. (On-going )
4. SOWUG Beneficiaries – community members, businesses, youth, women, learners, students, marginalized and out-of-school
youth, graduates and entrepreneurs.
The African Plan
What: Story for introduction of Innovation in African communities. Involves:
How: Events, grass-root programs, training, coaching, mentoring and linkage to investments.
Target: Youth (in and out of school), graduates, industry, innovators, inventors, government, academia, business, local entrepreneurs,
local, continental and international organisations and foundations.
Goal: Dialogue platform, innovation inspiration, display and introduction, Infrastructure and skills sharing and exchange, Internet
Governance discussions to instill interest and eventually help facilitate an internet eco-systems that promotes innovation and
entrepreneurship.
Benefit: Wireless networks, Digital literacy programs, Establishment of ICT centers, Skills exchange, Access to information and
knowledge all geared towards formalization of the African Digital Network.

9. SOWUG opportunities
1. E-Platform (Apps for services, products and solutions that address
social and economic challenges)
E-Services: platform will enable ordinary Soweto citizens to access government
services, e-Government which provides better service to citizens and businesses at
less to the Shared Service of government and can make shared service a more
attractive platform to be and make business with government.
Opportunities: e-Tax, e-Police, e-Records, e-Elections, e-Registration, e-Health, e-
Grants, e-Counsel and e-Schools amongst others.

10. SOWUG E-platform (Scope is online)
e-Learning: to assist end users, learners, academics, students, teachers, parents,
researchers, entrepreneurs and graduates to make informed and innovative decisions
in regard to:
Their teaching and acquisition of knowledge in different faculties and disciplines
For personal, social and professional development.
Benefits: developing and collading literature, different modules, programs and
scripts like Past exam paper, literature, e-books, business development modules
amongst others.
Opportunities: advancing a computer literate and a fully informed community
using digital literacy, Free public Education.

11. Background of Entrepreneurship and ICT
development
Over five billion people, and 100 billion 'things,' are expected
to be connected to the Internet in 2020 - many through
wireless, mobile devices. According to CNN.
Technology and more specifically, internet access, contributes
to growth; the larger the Wi-Fi network, the greater the
number of access points and the larger the user community,
and thereby the greater the economic impact.
“Key to business success is knowing what problem you are solving”

12. Background of Entrepreneurship and ICT in South
Africa: Part 1
It seems that almost everyone has means to access the internet, but
that is not always the case. There are many people who have no access
to this phenomenal storehouse of knowledge, access to connect with
friends family and peers.
Leisure is not left out, booking a holiday is so easy, hotels, bed and
breakfasts establishments showcase their facilities with booking forms
for people to complete their booking.
Internet banking is a multi-million Rand business conducted online,
every day millions of people pay accounts, purchase goods, receive
payments, buy airtime and generally manage their banking accounts, all
done online.
Daily South Africans are discovering how easy it is to activate an internet
account, manage and operate all with the press of a few buttons, so
much activity is recorded every day and night, the Internet never.

13. The Digital starts from

14. BACKGROUND (The Situation)
Innovation
Mindset: Innovation is a mindset more that a tool or
product, Innovation accelerates development,
decision making and problem solving, it is not
only confirmed to technology, science and labs.
Entrepreneurially: Start living in your dream before
you can leave out your dream.

15. Innovating small businesses
Current Business situation
Buying function is performed centrally and distributed nation-wide to various retailers by big and established
businesses.
Big business buy in bulk and have power to bargain and they can manage their costs effectively.
Small businesses don’t have such power, they are price takers and they lack storage facilities, infrastructure
and capital.
Small and informal businesses don’t have necessary resources, capacity and infrastructure to inject efficiency
into their operations.
Opportunities presented by broad-brand penetration/Wi-Fi:
Economic Growth sectors
- ICT, Web and app development, Consulting, Marketing, Graphic Design, Real estate, Travel and tourism
- Impact: Employment rates, Number of businesses est., House rentals, Industry mix and other benefits.

16. ICT development, Innovation and economic
growth
Adv of ICT
-improves standards of living, boosts economic growth and
development.
-Gov that leverage on the use of Technology experience greater
citizen satisfaction by streamlining service delivery and active citizen
participation.
- Established Gov have strengthened their leverage on IT to transform
relationships with communities, as entrepreneurs we need to start being pro-
active to enable our government to do this
Adv of Tech: Use of Technology, improves service delivery and
increases work processes and decreases operational costs
“Opportunity disguises in overalls”

17. IVLP (International Visitors leadership Programme)
4 cities, Innovation hubs, small businesses, entrepreneurs, Universities, NPOs and Federal government
Over 21 days, Professional exchange programme.
Small businesses – 90% of the businesses trading determined by turnover
500K $ bracket, 500 employees and
Entrepreneurial definition – centered around giving back to the community,
Successful entrepreneurs giving to small businesses, innovation hubs,
universities and NGO’s.
Regional economic growth - each city has its own constitution, eco-
systems and uses business to drive economic growth and development
Innovation Business models
Lean - organised, stakeholders feed on each other Like a plantation,
Rainforest (SOWUG) – growing with weeds, unstructured and strange things
happen
Skill vs Corporate Culture based recruiting example based on my business
Eco-systems: universities, government organisations, innovation development
centers, entrepreneurs, community and small businesses (Bottom up)
Resources - leverage on universities for skills and workspace

18. Economic Development (Silicon Valley)
Rainforest Model (Used by Silicon Valley, California state) – they
grow weeds not corporations. Rainforest is different from normal
plantation, there is no order. In a tropical rainforest many things
feed on each other (high impact innovation). A plantation has
sequence but in a rainforest things grow by themselves (Weirdness
and strange things must be embraced).
Eg: Yahoo innovation required $3 million dollars in 1995. Public
offering was 34 $ million dollars, in 1998 it was the most popular
destination and in the year 2000 it was sold
Trends that enable small businesses and entrepreneurship
development
Access to information - Analytic tools (market, industry &
consumer)
Instant communication - Rapid protyping (innovators, investors
and entrepreneurs)
Expert cluster (Gig economy) - Understanding behavior of users

19. Contact details
Website: www.sowug.org.za
Twitter: @sowug
Email: thato@sowug.org.za