Kenya and Uganda Sessions September 2010

Feedback sessions - 14 and 16 September 2010

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circulated, quoted, or reproduced for distribution without prior written approval from Excelsior
Firm.

DRAFT – page
slide00
Purpose of this document

• Summarize findings from Kenya and

Uganda feedback sessions
Note:
Note:
• Share early findings with stakeholders ••These
Theseare
areearly
earlyfindings
findings
••Additional
Additional inputswill
inputs willbe
be
• Solicit feedback on early findings incorporated
incorporatedbefore
beforefinalizing
finalizingthe
the
proposed interventions
proposed interventions
• Stimulate discussion on how best to
support East African ICT
entrepreneurs

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Attendee profile: Kenya and Uganda sessions
Total attendance Experience within ICT industry

83% Number of surveyed participants

40
33 response 4
0-2 years
rate
2-5 years 7

5-10 years 12
10-20 years 4
20+ years 4
Attendance Surveyed N/A 2
(3 sessions) participants

Type of ICT services provided Company size

Annual
Number of surveyed participants
revenues, USD Number of surveyed
Software 17 thousands participants
Content 15 11
0-50
Mobile 14 2
50-100
Security 12 6
100-500
Network 10 1
500 – 5,000
Respondents could select more than one category; other categories selected: 5,000+ 3
Non-technical (6), Data Centers (6), BPO/Call Centers (6), Other (5), Hardware
(3) N/a or non-profit 10

Dates 14 and 16 September 2010 Lead Javier Ewing (Excelsior) Ory Okolloh (Excelsior)
Location Nairobi, iHub; Moderators
Kampala, Hive CoLab
Time 3 sessions: Additional Victor Gathara (UKaid) Tim Kelly (infoDev)
- Kenya, 10am and 2pm Moderators/ Lauren Rawlings (Excelsior) Lucy Mbaye (Excelsior)
- Uganda, 2pm Participants

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 Bold – comments that
Takeaways from Kenya and Uganda resonated

Issues Participant comments Common themes

Access to • “We’re geeks. We need people who can market and communicate.”
business • “At university we learned how to code, but our professors don’t • Need to partner with
skills know other things we need in the real world.” business professionals

Access to • “There is no investment in R&D. People want something quick.” • Need practical advice
financial • “I know I need some money, but I don’t know exactly how much.” (e.g., how to register a
resources business; how to
complete tenders)
Access to • “Nobody thinks we can do the jobs.”
markets • “We don’t know when the tenders come out.” • Need mentors for
• “The government and the big companies would rather outsource to business model review
foreign companies than have locals do the work.”
• “There is no place for people to find my work, or tell them it is
good.” • Need forum for
discussing and
• “The certifications people want are expensive. I have the skills, but I publicizing ideas
Access to
technical can’t afford to pay the certificate fees.”
• Need to develop
skills
communities of trust to
• “I don’t know how to find someone who can check my code.” encourage idea sharing
Access to
business • “These networking opportunities are priceless.”
networks • “If we worked together we could have capacity for the big jobs.” • Need trusted
• “I wouldn’t tell someone my idea, because they might steal it.” intermediaries for
• “We need to be organized to talk to government.” rating, referring, and
• “I need to talk to someone who has done it before.” validating products and
• “We need some mentors.” services

Encouraging Similar themes

• “There is no legal protection for intellectual property.”
regulatory across two
• “The government doesn’t make the companies work with us.”
environment geographies

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Emerging interventions
Intervention Description
Provide seed • Provide funds (and
capital culture expertise) for entrepreneurs
to take demos to full
conceptualization
Government • Government tenders could
contracting require that certain classes
small business or value of services be
set-asides provided by micro and
small businesses
Create network • Create organizations and
groups and events that bring together
events ICT entrepreneurs
• Create spaces for
entrepreneurs to work and
meet
Support skills • Provide on the job training
development and scholarships for
training programs
• Develop integrated
computer science
curriculum
Knowledge base • Document process to set
for businesses up SMEs in each country,
in the region including key resources.
• Write up local success
stories
Issues Addressed
• Poor access to capital
• Poor access to business networks
• No R& D investment
• Poor access to markets: customers
• Access to business networks
• Poor representation in policy
discussions
• Access to technical skills: some
technicians need to update
knowledge and qualifications, self-
taught technicians may not be able
to afford certifications to prove skills
• Need practical and business skills
• Poor access to business skills
Potential interventions with donor
community leadership
Potential Partner
Organizations
• Local angel investors;
chamas, mulitlateral and
bilateral donors; diaspora
• National and provincial
governments; multilateral
and bilateral donors
• Business leaders;
universities and colleges;
incubators, donors and
foundations
• Large corporates,
universities and technical
colleges; training firms,
donors and foundations
• Business incubators (e.g.,
iHub); universities;
successful entrepreneurs;
bilateral and multilateral
organizations
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Next steps

Next • Rwanda session – Tuesday, September 28

feedback • Tanzania session – Thursday, September 30
sessions

Second • Kenya – Tuesday, October 19

round • Uganda – Thursday, October 21
sessions • Tanzania – Tuesday, October 26
• Rwanda – Thursday, October 28

Draft – first • Early draft available on week of September 21-25

round • First full draft available for next consortium team
meeting during the week of October 4-8

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