infoDEV seek Agribusiness incubation supporters
August 17, 2010 at 11:10 am | Posted in AgriTech, AIN, Business Support, Economic Development, incubation, incubator, networking, Tools | Leave a commentTags: Africa, conference, facilitation, incubator, international, networking, support
infoDev has partnered with the Government of Finland and Nokia to develop and implement a Programme “Creating Sustainable Businesses in the Knowledge Economy”. This Programme includes an Agribusiness Component, a summary of which has been captured below for your information.
In order to kick off the Agribusiness Component, infoDev is planning a workshop to be held in Kampala, Uganda, from 3 – 6 October 2010 to which African Incubators focusing on agriculture/agribusiness may be invited. Discussions during the workshop will focus on:
Opportunities/barriers to agribusiness SME development in your country
The challenges you face as an agribusiness incubator
In addition, a training programme for agribusiness incubation will be piloted in February 2011 and to which agribusiness incubators may be invited.
The purpose of this email is to ask for your assistance in identifying African incubators that focus on agribusinesses. This could be your incubator, or you may be aware of other incubators, not necessarily yet members of AIN, who would benefit from the proposed infoDev activities as described above.
Please would you, per return email, forward directly to Jill the contact details of relevant incubators that fit the category as described above.
Many thanks and with best wishes
Jill Sawers
Innovation and Business Incubation Consultant to infoDev
email: jsawers@worldbank.org
www.infodev.org
Summary of Agribusiness Component of “Creating Sustainable Businesses in the Knowledge Economy” Programme
The agribusiness component of the “Creating Sustainable Businesses in the Knowledge Economy” Program aims to contribute towards achieving three development objectives:
Increasing sustainable income generating opportunities
Increasing agricultural productivity and competitiveness
Increasing the proportion of the price paid by end-consumer that is retained by developing countries for products they produce, for instance by increasing market access and efficiencies along the value chain and expanding local value added agro-processing.
The agribusiness program is focused on enabling innovative agribusiness entrepreneurs that:
Provide inputs to primary producers in the form of goods and services;
Add value to primary products (i.e. agro-processors) and play a “catalytic” role in terms of enhancing efficiency, quality and market access across the value chain.
In line with infoDev’s mission to help developing countries harness innovation and ICT for sustainable development, the program will include an emphasis on enabling access to and productive use of technologies that are available locally, in the region and internationally.
The Programme aims to:
Facilitate a south-south, peer-to-peer agribusiness incubation working group
Assess global good practices in agribusiness incubation
Develop a training module on agribusiness incubation
Develop a business incubation model for African agribusiness and adapt the business model to four countries ( Mozambique, Tanzania and two additional African countries.
Explore the potential to include agribusiness incubation in business incubation activities in Asia and ECA particularly in Cambodia, Nepal and Vietnam.
These activities will be supported by the development of “sourcebooks” on ICT and Agriculture and Agricultural Innovation Systems respectively . The agribusiness program will also be linked to the SME Internationalization program, which seeks to leverage infoDev’s business incubation network to facilitate international market access for innovative SME’s, and to the regional m-apps labs, which seek to cultivate innovative mobile applications entrepreneurs. In the future, infoDev will also explore linkages between its new work in clean technologies and agribusiness.
Have your say on iDISC – infoDEV’s support center
May 13, 2010 at 2:34 pm | Posted in AIN, Business Support, incubation, incubator, Tools | Leave a commentTags: business, conference, entrepreneur, facilitation, incubation, incubator, support
Have your say on iDISC
Take part in the survey on infoDev’s Incubator Support Center (iDISC)
May 2010
infoDev, strives to make sure that their knowledge and collaboration tools are useful to clients and colleagues in the innovation, technology entrepreneurship and international development communities.
The best way to do this is to ask users directly about how infoDEV are doing, how can infoDEV improve, and what else should infoDEV be working on going forward.
InfoDEV have just launched a survey on the usefulness and impact of infoDev’s Incubator Support Center (iDISC).
iDISC was established in 2002 to support ICT and ICT-enabled innovation and entrepreneurship in developing countries by supporting development of business incubators and by providing a knowledge platform to support technology entrepreneurs, SMEs and those involved in helping these companies and entrepreneurs to grow sustainable businesses.
Feedback is critical to help understand iDISC’s client base, broaden its impact, and find the best ways to improve its information and functionality. Please consider taking a few minutes to complete this important survey by Friday 28 May, 2010.
The initial results of this survey will be published in June, 2010 and a more extensive report and analysis later on. This is a real opportunity to have significant influence on iDISC’s future direction and priorities.
Make sure your views are heard!
infoDev’s 4th Global Forum on Innovation & Entrepreneurship
May 13, 2010 at 2:24 pm | Posted in AIN, Economic Development, networking | 1 CommentTags: collaboration, conference, facilitation, international, networking, support
infoDev’s 4th Global Forum on Innovation & Entrepreneurship, in cooperation with the Government of Finland, will be held in Helsinki, Finland on May 30 – June 2, 2011.
Building on its legacy of Global Forums held in India in 2004 and 2006, and in Brazil in 2009, infoDev announced that dates for the 4th Global Forum on Innovation & Entrepreneurship have been confirmed and welcomes you to Helsinki, Finland for another exciting global gathering on May 30 – June 2, 2011.
With its strong national innovation policy and strategic international networks, coupled with the country’s – Living Lab – concept to bring together private and public sector actors on the innovation agenda, Finland presents a stimulating platform for infoDev’s global community of innovation & entrepreneurship practitioners, thought-leaders, stakeholders and donors.
AIN DURBAN UPDATE
April 12, 2010 at 8:05 am | Posted in AIN, Economic Development, incubation, incubator, networking, Online Community | Leave a commentTags: Africa, collaboration, conference, facilitation, incubation, incubator, international, networking, support
AIN Durban has top billing in this months infoDEV news on www.idisc.net.
pre-conf=502 subscribers 77 profiles
post-conf= 608 [+21%]subscribers 131 profiles [+70%]
AIN on LinkedIN
pre-conf=144 profiles,
post-conf=157 profiles [+9%]
pre-conf=143 locations,
post-conf=169 locations [+18%]
AIN April Newsletter brings visitors to our Blog
March 30, 2010 at 7:21 pm | Posted in AIN, networking, Online Community | Leave a commentTags: Africa, collaboration, facilitation, Internet, networking
Guid evening fellow incubation professionals
Tonight we celebrate achieving 600 AIN subscribers – thank you all for following our progress. Let us target 1000 before the end of June 2010? Please invite your colleagues to register on our AIN on YN portal.
The delivery yesterday of our April Newsletter has immediately increased the number of visitors coming to read our eDiary of events in Durban. As we can see below, this is good.
On the other hand we can also see that the majority of people are reluctant to comment or post.
So we have the dilemma – which is more interesting to listen to? A monologue or a dialogue?
What causes a person to engage and share their thoughts before they leave the room – or upon reflection come back in to add value to the conversation. By making even one comment you can make a difference.
Interesting and rich exchanges will also encourage our members to subscribe to this blog – keen to keep abreast of knowledge exchanges and current thinking.
How can we continue where we all left off a week past Friday in Durban? Which topics do you feel need more insight and support?
PS our weather warnings tonight tell of blizzards and snow 12″-15″ here by early morning. I am heading back to Durban……….
Links to eDiary of the AIN Conference sessions and events
March 29, 2010 at 2:51 pm | Posted in AgriTech, AIN, Business Support, Economic Development, ICT, incubation, incubator, networking, Online Community, startup, Tools | Leave a commentTags: Africa, business, collaboration, conference, facilitation, incubation, incubator, international, networking, support
You can just keep scrolling down and go back through time – OR you can click on the links to go straight to your session or event of choice. As expressed in our newsletter to all AIN subscribers today, please add your comments, observations, tuppence worth and photos. Pre Conference Journey I left home at 8am Sunday 14th to travel from Edinburgh to Durban (RSA). It was 6 deg C……..DAY 1 Welcome to all – Official opening
Session 1 Our international Perspective of incubation in Africa
Session 2 Role of Incubation in Local Economic Development
SABTIA AGM A look on the inside
Official Welcome Reception on the harbour front – POINT Yacht Club, Durban [I forgot to take my camera :(( – please post your photos ]DAY 2
Session 1 Women Youth and Rural Incubation
Session 2 Good Practices and Economies of Scale
& Session 3 Technology Incubation
Gala Evening Dinner and entertainment Dignitaries and Divas DAY 3
Touring Durban & award-winning Incubators
DURBAN TOUR FRIDAY 19TH MARCH – AIN CONFERENCE VISIT
March 28, 2010 at 8:42 pm | Posted in AIN, Business Support, Economic Development, incubation, incubator, startup | Leave a commentTags: business, entrepreneur, facilitation, incubation, incubator, startup, support
2010 AFRICAN INCUBATION CONFERENCE – GALA EVENING DINNER 18th March
March 28, 2010 at 3:12 pm | Posted in AIN, Economic Development, incubation, networking, Online Community | Leave a commentTags: Africa, conference, facilitation, international, support
By 7:30pm we had all arrived and were seated in a grand setting at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Durban.
Our Programme Director for the evening Mr Sbu Kunene stepped up to the podium, bid us welcome and warmed us up for the main acts to come. Regaling us with his reading prowess – reading how red wine and red meat are not good for you and stopping both the very same day. His third book told how smoking can also damage your health – so Sbu stopped reading immediately .
Sbu should be on the telly – time after time he had us believing he was on a serious tack and then hit us with his punchline. Jings how can we be so gullible?
Ms. Hlonela Lupuwama, CEO Seda: topped off her ever-present conference attendance record assuredly by giving us the Welcome Address, including several dignitaries wishing to hear what we had been doing here in Durban for the last 2 days. Ms Lupuwana is clearly a champion of incubation and knows she is speaking to those of us who are in the incubator vanguard.
Next up was a former classmate of Sbu’s. KwaZulu-Natal MEC Economic Development and Tourism the Honourable Mike Mabuyakhula. In his first sentence he promised not to try to match the humour and entertainment of Sbu and then delivered a superb riposte about Sbu not reading the right books!
We were also treated to an anecdotal story, if I recall correctly, of the two business people each gifted $1M with the proviso that they returned in 5 years time to see who was the most entrepreneurial.
The first reckoned that with a $1M he had achieved as much as he would in his lifetime and proceeded to sit back and enjoy the benefits of accumulating such wealth.
The second was so chuffed at being a millionaire, but worried and was concerned that if he spent even $1 he would then no longer be a millionaire?
However he also had the “triple S’s ” in his DNA that each entreprenueur is born with.?
S1 – the innate desire to SEEK and find commercial opportunities.
S2 – The vision to SEARCH for ways to take these opportunities to market.
S3 – The ambition to SUCCEED where others might give up.
Starting with the simple idea of buying and selling fruit on a market stall the second person came back to the donor at the end of 5 years a self-made billionaire, with a chain of franchised fruit stalls and stores across the country.
The second person, despite the donors support of the$1M kick start, told how he was declared a bankrupt having squandered his money within 3 years.
We then heard an endorsement of incubation and the difference it is making on the ground, particularly here in the Eastern Provinces. AIN Address – MEC, Economic Development and Tourism, Michael Mabuyakhulu
Suffice to say we gave the MEC a standing ovation at the end of his address . Designed to encourage himself and his fellow ministers to deliver the investment promised from KwaZulu-Natal and RSA government in return for more success in KNZ. Similarly to pass on the challenge for the other Provincial and African Governments and Public and Private Partners who do look South-South wishing enviously to emulate and replicate African firsts – Pan Africa.
CEO’s and representatives of the SABTIA regional incubators were each called forward to be presented with Recognition Awards my MEC Mike for the contributions each are making to economic development and recovery in Southern Africa.
As we then sat down to our dinner entertainment for the evening was provided by local talent. Joe Nina, family and friends guested and created such a great atmosphere to celebrate our week that delegates sang and danced till the midnight hour.
AIN Conference Durban 2010 Day 2 PM 18th March
March 26, 2010 at 12:53 pm | Posted in Business Support, Economic Development, incubation, incubator, startup, Tools | Leave a commentTags: Africa, education, entrepreneur, facilitation, incubation, incubator, startup, support
Our second session today focusing on Good Practices and Economies of Scale was moderated by Prof Norman Faull of the University of Cape Town and a SEDA board member.
The speakers in this session included Mr. Michael Reddy, the CEO of Furntech Incubators HQ CapeTown RSA [7off],
Furntech: Government, through its National Skills Development Strategy, identified training and skills development as significant drivers of international competitiveness and organisational development. In response to these requirements, the DTI funded the establishment and operationalisation of Furntech as a world-class service provider to South Africa’s wood products and furniture industries in the fields of incubation, training, technology transfer and technology demonstration.
Michael made everyone pay attention by claiming first place in any incubation race! – Furntech are delighted to share their success with any visiting delegation, he tells us, because by the time we get up to his shoulders he and his team will be able to spurt ahead easily with new ideas and initiatives. Furntech have replicated their incubator model 7 times now around South Africa and sure are having an impact internationally as well as domestically in the furniture supply sector.
Dr. Julie Momah, the Deputy Director of Technology, Technology Incubation Centres Nigeria, gave us an excellent overview of why Nigeria has invested for over 2 decades [first established 1988] in using incubation as a lever and building mechanism for economic development.
Nigeria [24 incubators] currently follows South Africa [40 incubators] in the number of technology centres in operation. So we have much to learn from their progress and future vision, particularly their well established stakeholder network.
Finally Mthunzi Nyandeni the CEO of the Seda Construction Incubator, Durban RSA in South Africa. SCI is the first incubator in the world targeting and supporting entrepreneurs within the Construction sector. Their business model includes clients paying SCI, a 1% share of contract sales turnover won, in return for entrepreneurial support, services and accommodation provided.
Crucially SCI now has a hub and 3 branches taking this incubator model to the RSA construction sector. Note To DAC Speaking to clients on our trip to SCI Durban tomorrow is a must – what is their experience of this process – How are they able to succeed in winning multi million rand contracts when elsewhere outside the incubator they remained individuals – brickies, painters, plumbers, scaffolders, carpenters – on a survival existence?
Session 3 today on Technology Incubation was to be moderated by Dr. Johannes Potgieter, the Chief Director of Innovation and Technology in the Department of Trade and Industry in South Africa and we had:
The CEO of eGoliBio, Pretoria, RSA, Mr. Sipho Moshoane. eGoliBio is a contender for NBIA Incubator of year, 2010 at the upcoming Convention in the USA. Well done and good luck in the finals Team eGliBio!
“Collaboration is the key” Sipho gave us a look under the bonnet of his incubator – how it is collaborating and contracting, using MoU’s, with local, regional, national + African, USA, Indian, Brazilian and European, MNC’s and Academic research institutions.
These cross-sector actions are all designed to bring new innovations to create and perfect IP faster than before, each with the maximum added value and channels to international markets.
Ms. Robin Erwin, the CEO of infoDEV award-winning Smart Exchange of South Africa. Robin tells us that the SmartXchange incubation model is still being adapted and developed in the light of experience and feedback from incubatees and supporters. No one is resting on their laurels of past successes.
Clearly and crucially, Robynne explains to us how and why SmartXchange uses events and forums extensively in awareness raising. Allowing sponsors, SME’s, local government and academia access to their clients in order to cross fertilise ICT needs and software solutions. Again we hear how monitoring and goal setting with their clients is crucial to successful and timely graduation as SmartXchange repeats its successful results time and time again. Rental costs increase over time to encourage exit. Hot-desking and virtual clients are incentivised and encouraged. Even the best of startups need specific training and discipline to embed financial controls and monthly reporting. To remain a client this is the norm.
New initiatives with their own Microsoft Accredited Academy include training youth people and women – giving them access to technology, skills and increased confidence that ICT is indeed a career path open to all in Durban. New companies need these internet savvie and computer literate recruits.
Ms. Leoni Greyling, the CEO of Softstart Business Technology Incubator, Johannesburg RSA. Leoni brought our attention to their successful hub and spoke model of “satellite incubation” – raising awareness in academic institutions and leading students and post-graduate researchers to become entrepreneurial in their vision and thirst for commercial success.
Assessing graduates via business planning through virtual pre-incubator, business incubation and then into bricks and mortar on either a hot desking or full-time basis as teams form and head for market.
The primary focus of SoftstartBTI is on the Concept and Development Phases of ventures. Businesses in the Concept Phase, for instance, make use of SoftstartBTI’s mentoring services in the development of a coherent conceptual analysis.
These are encapsulated and charted monthly and quarterly using tailored software which is also available to all infoDEV / AIN incubators.
Mr. Chris Vermeulen, the General Manager for Bandwidth Barn, Cape Town, RSA. Chris took us through the Bandwidth Barn incubation programme including telling impact assessments in terms of survival, turnover and jobs sustained. An impressive 78 – 99% of the BwB companies created, streamed and graduated are surviving in the Cape Province. Launched in 2000 as CITI’s flagship project, the Bandwidth Barn fast tracks the pace of business growth in the ICT sector in the Western Cape by helping businesses to establish themselves, commercialise new products and services, create jobs and wealth and add economic diversity to the community.
Focusing on SMMEs in the Province, the BWB encourages innovation and provides ongoing training and support needed to help clients to overcome the entry barriers to start-up, survival and grow their businesses and thus accelerating their development.
The BWB executes its strategy via its Accel Enterprise Development Programme, including the Velociti, My Business Group, My Mentor and Women in ICT enterprise development programmes. Running as well their ICT awareness programmes such as Youth in IT and VIP Graduate.
The most recent announcement of the Cisco partnership and graduate competitions are typical of their groundbreaking work.
Business incubator Bandwidth Barn has been accredited as a Cisco Entrepreneur Institute training centre. As part of the winning mandate, Bandwidth Barn will create an additional 10 local institutes over an 18-month period.
Each of the training centres will give entrepreneurs access to a broad network of other business owners, mentors, partners, and distribution channels. “Through this powerful network, we will be more able to develop best practice, while offering our local entrepreneurs a global stage for learning, and potentially their products and services.” says Chris. According to Cisco, the entrepreneur institute targets predominantly emerging market countries. It offers a series of workshops made up of business-relevant content from Stanford University, Cornell University, and non-profit development organisation, My Own Business.
Participants discuss strategic ideas ranging from information delivery to the use of Internet technologies to drive business growth. Cisco points to the lack of business skills and poor access to technology as being the primary reasons for business failure.
Bessie Manchu, Cisco Entrepreneur Institute territory manager for SA, says: “With the Cisco Entrepreneur Institute, core business skills and knowledge on how to use technology to their advantage is taught to help equip entrepreneurs and create a positive economic and social impact in South African communities.”
We have almost arrived at the end of DAY 2 of the 3 day conference programme and everyone we have spoken to is clear that this has been highly inspirational to many delegates and guest speakers – a highly charged and timely delivery of the best incubation practices and programmes currently running in Africa.
Throughout the proceedings on Day 1 & 2 our speakers and moderators have received stunning memento’s of our time in Durban. These have been made by local artisans and crafts people and framed by Furntech cabinet makers.
I look forward to my own hanging as a reminder of what has been a life changing week spent with my colleagues, friends and new aquaintances. Thankyou all for contributing and participating whole-heartedly.
Now that we have met face to face, we each look forward to continue the experience by working and collaborating online – especially with those of you who have sought me out for access, coaching and training in sharing knowledge and meeting virtually via our AIN resources on the Internet.
At close of today’s proceedings, CEO of the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA): Ms. Hlonela Lupuwana, Mr. Sipho Zikode, the Acting Deputy Director General in the Department of Trade and Industry (South Africa), and Mr. Michael Reddy, the CEO of Furntech would deliver the concluding address, which was followed by the vote of thanks by Mr. Jayesh Ravjee, The Head of SEDA Technology Programme and Chairperson of the SABTIA:RSA.
In direct response to a question posed from the floor by the DTI representative – Everyone participated in an impromptu half hour – “What one thing would we like to be / do different due to this conference?” This produced a flip chart list of 20 actions /outcomes that we all wish to see happen before we meet again next year! {placeholder for same}
The evening Gala Dinner and SABTIA Recognition Awards downtown at the Hilton Hotel were to prove just as entertaining as everything we have experienced thus far – watch this space………
18th March AIN Conference 2010 DAY 2 AM – Coastlands upon the Ridge Durban
March 25, 2010 at 9:57 am | Posted in AIN, Business Support, Economic Development, ICT, incubation, incubator, networking, Tools | Leave a commentTags: Africa, conference, entrepreneur, facilitation, incubation, incubator, international, networking, startup, support
Guid Morning Durban! what a first Day can we keep up this standard – let’s try,
Our 2010 conference delegates and speakers have each made this long trip to participate in the largest, most extensive AIN conference hosted by infoDEV, Seda & SABTIA we have ever had.
They have arrived safely and on time from the United States of America, the United Kingdom (Well Scotland really – but I never complain ‘cos we run the country anyway – don’t we Gordon and Alistair – well for the next 5 weeks at any rate – vote labour for sustainable recovery!), Senegal, Uganda, Benin, Botswana, Nigeria, Tanzania, India, Zambia and all the delegates from all parts of the Republic of South Africa .
The early 8am start and the lift up to the 6th floor venue was proving a challenge for many of oor esteemed colleagues = Durban rush hour traffic? jet lag? free beer and SA wine? or too much floor exercise with the DJ last night at the Yacht club. My lips are sealed. RSA seems to dance to its own beat – don’t ya think?
Hmm ….. time then for a cup of java lava as Steve tells me – coffee and biccies, fruit juice and a stroll around the roof top veranda wi’ ma camera – as stunning and sunny Durban starts a anither new day. Coastlands upon the Ridge has only been open 4 months but you can see how it is going to be a popular venue for conferences in the future!

Looking West
In addition each room has its own balcony, wicker furniture and light breeze off the Indian Ocean.
Aah we are getting on the road again, thanks Koogan crack your whip laddie! What do you have in store for us today? PS all hyperlinks below lead to the speakers presentations – enjoy!!
Our conference today was to start once again at 8am!!, with Ms. Nandipha Bam, the Acting CEO of Alfred Nzo Development Agency of South Africa, moderating the session on Women, Youth and Rural Incubation, in which the CEO of the Seda Sugar Cane Incubator and Agriwiz, Malelane, RSA (SESUCI) (click to review) , Mr. James Vos shared the platform with Ms. Louise de Klerk, the CEO of Timbali, Nelspruit, RSA , (click to review) an agricultural incubator, Ms. Erica Elk, the Executive Director of Cape Craft & Design Institute, Cape Town, RSA, all of South Africa and Dr. Mbarou G. Mbaye, an Independent Consultant from Senegal addressing us on Global Research – Incubation for Women (click to review).
James queried as a member of the male species and not getting any younger his being the choice to lead off this topic but within minutes we could see what a great choice it was. Empowerment of Rural Women through incubation, a Case Study (click to review) I became absorbed in the difference incubation makes to farming – equalling and exceeding the top 5% of commercial farmers within RSA is the entry criteria for their support and participation – jings that’s a tough criteria to meet as an incubatee farmer seeking help to market. I cannot think of many global incubators setting the bar this high. If we all take only one thing from this week for me it has to be this slide from James
I must admit I thought my short visit to Mozambique for my first AIN conference 3 years ago was an eye-opener but James’ revelation that his staff included legal experts who ensure the title to land passes swiftly to or stays with the surviving female farmer before bankrupcy ensues and land fertility is lost was a shock.
Although farm workers, including my father his 7 brothers and 2 sisters, in Scotland suffered with farmers and tied cottages as they worked the land – no-one lost their livelihood in the ways described here.
His presentation is a “must read this folks” – sorry but it takes 10 minutes and is packed with facts and successes. In talking with James afterwards he indicated to myself that there are announcements to come later this year which anyone with an interest in Agritech will benefit from – watch this space.
Next up was Louise – I am afraid we Scotsmen are apt to wear our hearties on our sleevies and she had me goin’ big time. She immediately made us aware of circumstance, of passion, of dedication, of how we can make a difference working with our clients. The truth in simply stating you MUST record data first in order to be able to measure and reap success.
Timbali Technology Incubator’s Enterprise Development Model for Rural Women in Incubation (click to review) I may have become interested and worked within incubation since 1988 but this was someone who is fast tracking horticulturists and hitting export markets – I for one will be looking at the branding of my flowers in UK supermarkets next time. Ms de Klerk, each time I see your picture or till we meet again, “par excellence” sums you up for me.
Having sweetened us up talking about sugar cane production and convinced us to shop for flowers when we get home up stepped Erica to extol the virtues of incubation the craft and design sector in Eastern Cape.
What we are hearing and seeing again this morning is the importance of supporting and encouraging collaboration, cooperation, supply sourcing and joint marketing of sectoral products and initiatives.
Our closing speaker before lunch was Mbarou from Senegal Global Research – Incubation for Women (click to review) WOMEN BUSINESS INCUBATION IN AFRICA: BUSINESS INCUBATION A NEW PATH FOR WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IN AFRICA. Mbarou is working with Heinz Fielder and others within the infoDEV working party in this very important field of research.
Many of Mbarou’s slides jumped up for me revealing in their own words the barriers women seek to overcome in deciding to formally start their own business – not just in Africa.
Overall, there is a lack of policy geared toward business incubation in Africa
Lack of financing (86% of responses), lack of information (64% of responses), lack of supportive networks (50%)
Constraints related to gender role and the social status: lack of self confidence (34% of responses) and lack of role models
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