This is a presentation which I delivered at Re:Publica Berlin 2013 in the Global Innovation Lounge. The conference focused on Internet and Society and this presentation provides an overview of the technology innovation hubs which we are supporting across Africa, some of the ways in which they are beginning to generate income and some of the fantastic social tech projects coming out of them including in the transparency, education and agriculture space.

1. Galvanising and Supporting Tech
Communities
Dr Loren Treisman-Executive
Indigo Trust

2. • The Indigo Trust is a UK based grant making foundation that funds
technology-driven projects to bring about social change in Africa
• The Trust focuses mainly on innovation, transparency and
citizen empowerment
• We also support innovative tech-driven projects which
support development outcomes in any social sector including
the health, education, human rights and agricultural spheres
• We believe that if people have the ability to access, share
and create information, then they are empowered
to make positive changes in their own lives and communities

3. • The best solutions to Africa's challenges will be devised by
those affected by them
• Hubs galvanise the tech community, provide high speed
internet, host events & provide training & mentorship to
aspiring entrepreneurs
• Hubs have a catalytic effect on the number and quality of
successful projects and products which can be developed
in-country

4. • Collaborate, share, partner up
• Learn from others
• Obtain support, mentorship and training
• Access state of the art facilities
• Get exposure
• Bring together techies and social activists/civil society
• Stimulate both economic growth and social change
• Attract other investors and supporters
• Brand association

5. Events and Training

7. East Africa

8. West Africa

9. Southern Africa

11. Can Tech Hubs Achieve Financial Sustainability?
• This Sector is still in its infancy and we have to be patient
• But some business models are emerging……..

12. iHub-Nairobi, Kenya

13. • iHub research
• Memberships fees
• Renting out the space
• Corporate sponsorship and events
• Consultancy
• Jobs Board-biggest in East Africa
• Government and private sector contracts
• User experience lab

14. • Identifying potential groups-setting up new hubs
• Establishing partnerships between techies and activists
• Core support for early stage hubs
• Making connections
• Providing consultancy & support
• Leveraging support from others
• Supporting collaboration between
hubs
• Supporting a new model for
development-more sustainable, private-public-charity

15. • Providing small, high risk grants to not-for-profit & social enterprises
which contribute towards social change at the early stages
• Enable entrepreneurs to pilot new ideas, with room for trial & error
• Invest in ‘public goods and services’, a category of projects that have
traditionally not attracted private investment due to market failure
• Some projects will achieve financial sustainability or make a profit,
others need on-going support

20. Factors We Believe Contribute Towards
Successful Projects
• Run by passionate individuals
• Use available and appropriate technology
• Has a clear theory of change
• Understand local needs and listen closely to beneficiaries
• Takes into account tech capabilities, literacy and language
• Project run by technologists and civil society
• Two-way interactivity
• Sustainable financial model or low operating costs
• Takes into account marketing and training needs
• Ideally replicable and/or scalable
• Interoperable
• Transparent and willing to communicate

21. • The tech hub space is very new-impact will take time
• Take into account local context
• Achieving financial sustainability remains a challenge
• Access to finance for projects remains a challenge
• Local capacity remains low in some countries-need for
further training, incubation and other business support

22. • Data costs to end users of Apps are often prohibitively high
• Mobile operators and ISP providers could assist in
reducing these costs if effective business models are ID’d
• More focus needs to be placed on the wider regulatory and
policy environment in order to create a welcoming ecosystem
• There is a need for more hubs to spring up both in new
African countries and within the same country

23. Thanks for Listening
Any Questions?
Dr Loren Treisman
http://indigotrust.wordpress.com/
Twitter: @indigotrust
Loren.treisman@sfct.org.uk