History, structure & objectives Components Sub-regional - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Feedback to ECA Workshop September 2007 Presented by: An initiative of Co-sponsored by Leon Lourens History, structure & objectives Components Sub-regional networks Tools & resources Satellite Incubation Presented
An initiative of Co-sponsored by Presented by: Leon Lourens
September 2007
An initiative of Co-sponsored by Presented by: Leon Lourens
Initiative of Co-sponsored by
Softstart Business & Technology I ncubator (SBTI )
– Designated contracting party, grantee and governance responsibility.
BusyI nternet (West Africa) Uganda I ndustrial Research I nstitute (East and Central Africa) SA Business & Technology I ncubator Association and SEDA Technology Programme (SA) Solvebrand Ltd – Provider of portal platform technology
and virtual incubation development company. Currently working with Commission for Africa and iPrism Global Inc Support from other resources
West Africa East / Central Africa Southern Africa focused lobbying within government, academic and business communities
Late 2005: Late 2005: infoDev infoDev call for proposals. Called on 3 sub call for proposals. Called on 3 sub-
regional representatives… …proposal accepted. proposal accepted. 2005: 2005: Communication between delegates; 100 members; Communication between delegates; 100 members; survey of needs; attempt to get funding for web site to survey of needs; attempt to get funding for web site to facilitate linkages and sharing facilitate linkages and sharing… … 2005: 2005: Kenya/ Uganda/ Senegal/ South Africa meeting in South Africa Kenya/ Uganda/ Senegal/ South Africa meeting in South Africa Oct 2004: Oct 2004: African delegates meet for a regional breakout at the African delegates meet for a regional breakout at the Global Forum for I ncubation in New Delhi Global Forum for I ncubation in New Delhi… …..WOW Experience!! ..WOW Experience!! May 2006: May 2006: First Africa I ncubator and I nnovation Network First Africa I ncubator and I nnovation Network meeting!!! meeting!!! Nov 2006: Nov 2006: Formalise Formalise strategy and action plan to develop strategy and action plan to develop Africa I ncubator Network Africa I ncubator Network Sep 2006: Sep 2006: Contract awarded and signed Contract awarded and signed
March 2007: March 2007: Launch of AI N website and communication Launch of AI N website and communication portal in the UK portal in the UK July 2007: July 2007: Regional workshops in Maputo, Kampala and Regional workshops in Maputo, Kampala and Accra. Accra. June 2007: June 2007: Partners strategy meeting is South Africa Partners strategy meeting is South Africa June 2007: June 2007: Overcome problems with banks and receive first payment Overcome problems with banks and receive first payment Oct 2007 Oct 2007 * I ncubator manager training * I ncubator manager training
1. Utilize a web site with a knowledge repository of shared tools and practices. 2. Create awareness of incubation and the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship activity with Governments, stakeholders, education institutions and the finance and private sectors. Advocacy of the network 3. Develop and disseminate promotional material, the activities of network members and country stories (recognize success).
4. Build network to ensure sustainability, possibly developing its own funds. 5. Build capacity for incubator practitioners. 6. Support regional workshops. Each objective has key activities with milestones, target dates, budget and responsibilities
1.1 Publish web site 1.2 Email to advise all network of website 1.3 Complete registration data sheets online 1.4 Identify other partners in countries 1.5 Share incubator management tools 1.6 Share communication tools 1.7 Provide content 1.8 Sub regional advisory team for website management 1.9 Workshop platform, functional specifications and KMS format with other regions and infoDev
2.1 Understand country stakeholders, policy and regulatory environments 2.2 Africa Incubator Day (AID) – identify date + poster + logo + launch etc 2.3 Engage donor community via infoDev for advocacy + funding in each country (donor working group) 2.4 Sub region/regional proposal approaches 2.5 Engage regional economic stakeholder groups (gvt e.g. Comesa; pvt sector (biz councils)
3.1 Source website inputs on activities 3.2 Newsletter – articles + upcoming activities + events from incubators and incubatees 3.3 Encourage use of media to promote our activities 3.4 Six month review of network activities 3.5 Video case studies to show impact 3.6 Develop brochure that sets out what Africa Network is doing
4.1 Develop draft Memorandum of Understanding 4.2 Pay first year “membership fee” 4.3 Network proposal to donors to ensure sustainability
5.1 Source training for incubator professionals. 5.2 Attach training to existing training under grants 5.3 Share on-line training resources (iDISC) 5.4 Internships – arranged individually 5.5 Encourage sub-regional study visits (co-fund) * incubator to incubator * biz school to incubator 5.6 Proposals to donors 5.7 Handbook on good practice 5.8 Buddies listed on portal
– WWW – Portal – Alice Street Online Conferencing Centre – Incubator Manager software
– 3 sub-regional facilitators – Project Manager & Co-ordinator – Southern Sub-regional Association with structures – Skype and MS Virtual Earth mapping
Com m unication Alice Street Suite Netw orking
AI N w eb portal
Virtual Meeting Room Sharing global best practice Collaboration around tailored indigenous tools Leon @ SBTI Estelle @ Busy I nternet Charles @ UI RI Tools I ncubator Managem ent system Ellen & Steve @ Daniel @ Avnon David & Sheila @ Solvebrand
Grow Network Dissemination & Feedback Agree actions & Activities Form groups Alignment Engagement Registration AIN Extranet Contact dbase Discussion Forum s Docum ents Resource Libraries Project Team s Anytim e Anyw here Reporting e-new sletters Search tools Multi- lingual Polls, benchm arking
LAC Africa MENA ECA ASIA
AIN
Sub Sahara Africa
reports & news
MENA
Middle East & North Africa
reports & News
ECA
Eastern Europe and Central Asia
reports & News
LAC
Latin America & Caribbean
reports and News
infoDEV
Sub Regional Activities
iDisc access by:
Regional Facilitator
AIN registration www.africanincubation.net
www.idisc.net
Incubation resources and shared content
Our Secure Intranet Public
Asia
Asia
reports and News
communicate with incubatees, incubation managers, supporters, funders, mentors, government and collaborators.
permissioning.
groups and project teams.
tutorials.
to agreed best practice toolkits
e.g. iDisc, IFC WB SME Toolkit, qlbs.com, Incubation Manager. We add value and do not compete with these – we share best practice and support each other on your behalf.
News, Acronym Manager, Image Library, Digital media Library, Event Calendar, Project Space, FAQ’s and discussion Forums.
use library system. Upload once – download & share many times
to collaborate on reports, documents, agree objectives and solve issues.
either incubator business objectives, processes or both.
– Multilingual support for sub regional websites.
meet the needs of the AIN community.
applications and user data.
your desktop.
– require no technical knowledge. [MS Word] – encourage usage and return visits. – reduce training costs. – Minimise email except when requested. (tick box)
AIN roadmap & Incubator Manager s/ w
Management Systems Business Maturity Market Diversification Production Support Stages 6: Maturity Management Systems Business Growth Strategies Sales & Distribution Production Stage 5: Growth Commercial Phase Commercial Capacity Funding & Business Leverage Market Validation Pre-production Prototype Stage 4: Go–to–market HR capacity building Strategic Business Plan Strategic Market Plan Engineering Prototype Stage 3: Development Systems & policies Economic Feasibility Market Study Technical Feasibility Stage 2: Feasibility Development Phase Business Structuring Venture Assessment Market Needs Assessment Technical Analysis Stage 1: Investigation Concept Phase Operational Business Market Technical Stages
With QLBS.com on-line ~ Your incubator management can discretely and securely:
improvement and growth
progress to your board and attract sponsors
performance excellence within Africa.
Clients are to a large extent still pre- incubation. Incabatees are generally mature companies with professional management and funding. Technology incubation means focusing on Business development within a technology sector. Technology incubation is just that – development of technology with the resources and infrastructure. What is in it for me? Our philanthropic culture is poorly developed. The culture of plowing back into the community without expecting a monetary return is common place. Incubators are few and far between and try to service a very large geographical area. Incubators are very community focused and have a strong sense of “belonging” Very few resources exist for entrepreneurial funding – especially early stage or seed funding. Funding for business development is generally available and abundant. Associations with Universities exist but the link is very weak. Most incubators are closely associated with and supported by universities.
Africa Incubation / South Africa Developed Countries
Equity Infra- structure University- Market links Credit Facility Graduates Change Employment Replication Support Income Mentoring
Community Private sector Government National / Provincial & Local Finance, Government, Banks / Venture capital Sponsors/manager Incubator Enterprises National/export market Work force Culture, Skills Entrepreneurship University Research Institute Entrepreneur
Taxes Seed Capital Innovations Policy Goods Services
Virtual link up to 16 people at once
SBTI MENTOR Network Satellite Incubators
Technology input Business building and incubation model Shareholders and Stakeholders
Other Incubators Clients and broader public Other Incubators Other Incubators Africa Network TERTIARY INSTITUTES
Looking forward to making Africa proud. Looking forward to making Africa proud. Leon Lourens Leon Lourens Softstart Business & Technology I ncubator Softstart Business & Technology I ncubator Leon@sbti.co.za Leon@sbti.co.za