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  • African Incubator Network (AIN)

    29 March 2010
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  • Table of contents:

    1. AIN CONFERENCE DURBAN MARCH 17th - 19th 2010
    2. Invitation to all AIN members
    3. AIN Committee members appointed Addis Ababa, Feb 2010
    4. SABTIA committee members newly elected at Durban AGM
    5. reminder for all subscribers to the AIN Newsletter

  • 1. AIN CONFERENCE DURBAN MARCH 17th - 19th 2010

    “The best incubation conference so far!” – African Incubator Network Conference, 2010.

    Growing Africa through incubation

    19th March 2010, Durban, South Africa.

    With the support of SEDA and infoDEV in collaboration with the Ethekwini Municipality, the African Incubator Network (AIN) and the Southern African Business Technology Incubation Association (SABTIA), organised our 3rd Conference “Growing Africa through Incubation” in Durban RSA. March 17 – 19, 2010

    This three day gathering of African incubator managers and key staff, economic development agencies, private and public incubation experts and invited speakers and guests was packed out with delegates standing at the back on several sessions. None of the sessions lacked an interested and inspired audience – this was not to be a conference where the warm sun and stunning Indian Ocean seashore would act as a magnet for tired, bored and disinterested delegates.

    From the opening sparring on the Wednesday, about Durban as the best conference venue in Africa to our final visit at the magnificent new World Cup Stadium on the Friday the programme was full of inspiring and emotional impacts, best in class incubator performances and challenging entrepreneurial programmes – incubation standards for us all to emulate.

    Over 130 delegates from United States of America, the United Kingdom, Senegal, Uganda, Benin, Botswana, Nigeria, Tanzania, India, Zambia and all parts of the Republic of South Africa arrived at the airport and travelled the 20 minutes to our chosen venue, the stunning Coastlands upon the Ridge Hotel in Durban.

    Following the official welcome and opening addresses the programme featured these focii:

    Support for Incubation -
    The International Perspective.- GLOBAL (Valerie, infoDEV), AFRICAN (David, AIN), RSA (Jayesh, Seda)

    Incubation as a lever
    Local Economic Development. - Western Cape (Nigel), Ethekwini Municipality (Philip), Tshwane (Caephus)

    Targetted Incubation
    Women, Youth and Rural Incubation. – Seda Sugar Cane Incubator & Agriwiz (James), Timbali (Louise), Cape Craft & Design (Erica), Global research report –Incubation support for Women into Business (Mbarou).

    Replicating Incubation
    Good practices and Economies of Scale – FURNTECH, (Michael), Technology Incubation, TIC, Nigeria (Julie), Technology Demonstration Centres, (Cornelius). Construction Incubation, (Mthunzi).

    Technology Incubation
    BioTechnology: (eGoliBio, Pretoria, Sipho),
    Information, Computing & Telecommunications: (SmartXchange, Durban, Robynne), (SoftstartBti, Johannesburg, Leonie), (Bandwidth Barn, Cape Town, Chris).

    Each of these forums was delivered by experienced practitioners who showcased and evidenced their economic impact. Recognised and benchmarked Internationally by infoDEV, NBIA and UKBI these incubators and LED’s have developed, established and now replicated within Africa, world class programmes and deliverables for entrepreneurial startups and support for those SME’s seeking growth by targeting domestic, African & global markets.

    The stories which accompanied these presentations evidenced to everyone present that blending support from government, multi-national companies, expats and diasporas with the determination and practicality of incubation managers, their teams and boards, is growing in Africa.
    As a developing continent with its political and human problems and challenges, Africa is coming from behind the BRIC contingent. We may not have the critical mass of established incubators that Brazil. China and India have - but those who are on the ground expending their energy within Africa are reaping the rewards.

    At the same time, many countries within Africa have ample natural resources, the pride and the spirit, the ability to leapfrog industrial revolutionary steps, grasp mobile telephony and create ecommerce, access high speed Internet via satellite, adapt open source software and to tackle grass routes literacy and unemployment.

    Growing Africa through Incubation

    South Africa [40 incubators] & Nigeria [27 incubators] have led the way these past 20 years but this conference has shown that countries like Kenya [15], Ethiopia [7], Botswana [6], Uganda [6], Tanzania [6], Senegal [4], Zambia [3]. Ghana [3], Mozambique [2], Rwanda [2] are investing in building new incubators and expanding existing incubation programmes.

    Speakers have opened our eyes and filled our notepads and blackberries showing us where virtual incubation, satellite, hub and spoke networks,& bricks n mortar incubators, and technology training centres can each be visited. They are each addressing the sectoral and geographical needs of AgriTech, Communications, Construction, Crafts and Design, ecommerce, IT, Manufacturing, & Software by supporting entrepreneurs in rural, urban and global locations throughout the continent.

    They are indeed turning around the historical 80% startup business failure rate in Africa to the achievable 80% sustainable SME survival rate via incubation support. They are helping Women, Youth and empowering indigenous business people to enter self employment and in turn recruit and train new staff.

    The superb conference publication in each delegate pack “celebrating incubation in Africa 2010” has garnered together selected success stories and best practices from around our African network.

    It is no fluke that this raising of overall educational and inspirational achievements is helping regional agencies attract Foreign Direct Investment to Africa.

    Honorable Mike Mabuyakhulu; MEC - Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, KNZ (RSA) addressed us at our Gala Dinner evening at the Hilton Hotel.

    Despite often difficult circumstance, environmental and human, in hard times and the current recession, incubators are still graduating a growing number of sustainable SME’s that are employing staff, generating GDP, and entering global market sectors.

    He told us how South African municipal, provincial and national government have been so convinced by the successes and impact of incubation upon economic growth that they are allocating additional resources and investing in new incubators across RSA. He is also advocating that South Africa do more to help its neighbors and especially sub Saharan governments to do like-wise for the common good of Africa. Africa needs to be in control of its economic development, adding value and climbing up the supply chain. Settling for merely being the global source of essential resources is not enough to sustain a better quality of life for everyone in Africa.

    Thanks to the organising team, the speakers and all our supporters for creating and making possible what will become recognised as a milestone event in the history of the African Incubation Network.

    Conference eDiary .
    Presenters PPT’s.

  • 2. Invitation to all AIN members

    We have created an eDiary with the highlights of the 2010 conference itinerary and agenda.

    It includes the links for you to download speakers presentations and notes.

    Conference eDiary .

    We would like your help in making this a showcase record of the event.

    If you have photos of the event and delegates in attendance please add them to this blog with comments.

    If you think particular ideas should have beeen highlighted or you did not manage to get your questions asked / answered, please take this opportunity to add your comments at an appropriate post. There is a post for each session and event.

    Your collaboration and cooperation in this way is welcomed by everyone who attended and also thosr who were unable to come to Durban - PLEASE SHARE YOUR KNOWLEDGE.

  • 3. AIN Committee members appointed Addis Ababa, Feb 2010

    The AIN Team includes
    Michael Reddy, FURNTECH, RSA, Chairperson
    Dr Julie Momah, TIC, Nigeria, Vice Chairperson
    Jayesh Ravjee, Seda, STP, RSA [Past Chair],
    Chris Vermuelen, Bandwitdth Barn, RSA
    Tessema Geda, EICTDA /ICTAD, Ethiopia
    Rajeev Aggrawal, TBIF, Rwanda &
    Dr. Mbarou Gassama Mbaye, Senegal

    Support from:
    InfoDEV: - Ellen Olafson, Operations manager, Washington DC, USA &
    Steve Giddings, infoDEV Sub Saharan Regional Facilitator
    SEDA: Jayesh Ravjee RSA
    AIN Webmaster: David Cromar, Scotland

  • 4. SABTIA committee members newly elected at Durban AGM

    SABTIA Office bearers for 2010-11 are as follows:

    Chairperson Michael Reddy, FURNTECH, RSA
    Vice Chairperson, Sipho Moshoane, eGlioBio, RSA,
    Treasurer, Mthunzi Nyandeni, Seda Construction Incubator, RSA
    SABTIA secretary, Colin Mkhonta, Chemin, RSA,
    Other Committee members
    Jayesh Ravjee, Seda, RSA
    Tshiano Mosojane, BOTEC, Botswana

  • 5. reminder for all subscribers to the AIN Newsletter

    Please take 5 minutes to upload your photograph and add a liitle to your biography including where you are based?

    Can you also review or select from the drop down list which category you feel describes you best?

    Club Leader
    Educator
    Engineer
    Entrepreneur
    Inventor
    Investor
    Journalist
    Recruiter
    Scientist
    Service_provider
    Startup_member
    Innocent Bystander

    This allows our colleages to appreciate your expertise and see what your needs are and how they may offer support and assistance in any way we can.

    Let us all grow Africa through Incubation.