6 ms·

A startup accelerator for the world’s poorest

47 points by andreasklinger 13y ago

marquis 13y ago
On a related note, I'm looking for a good program to sponsor a child's education. Most of what I find are run by church-affiliated groups which is fine if the education is secular. Any suggestions would be welcome.
- benblodgett 13y ago
  I am the founder of nKoso.org a sponsorship program for children in rural Ghana. We focus on at risk rural children and place them in one of our partner private schools. We're new, but have funded nearly 100 children's education since our launch in April. If you want to chat further email me ben@nkoso.org
- newsign 13y ago
  I've heard good thing about work done by AKDN and AKF ... they are so reputable that they leverages every dollar received through matching grants from leading donor agencies and partners, including the U.S. government, to create a multiplier effect that stretches resources and amplifies the impact of every donation.... http://www.partnershipsinaction.org/content/donate http://www.partnershipsinaction.org/content/donate http://www.akdn.org/Content/928 http://www.akdn.org/Content/928
  - SaintSal 13y ago
    "Our Academies programme is rooted in the conviction that effective indigenous leadership will be the key to progress in the developing world... " I like this attitude. A lot of our accelerator clients ask us with a kind of cultural change, from bring protective of ideas, to being open and inclusive. This is easier when there's a local community of experience tech founders to connect - so we can include the new founders and they feel safe sharing. I'm wondering how/if AKDN has a similar goal, or if they look for existing, indiginous attitudes that help others take on the right attitudes...
danso 13y ago
I think the attention on the world's poor is great...and I'm not going to be one of those naysayers who argue, "Poor people don't need smartphones they need food"...but the OP is doing some serious forward-jumping here. Let's assume that smartphones and tablets (and previously, cheap netbooks) are as vital to the poor as they are to everyone else. What does that have to do with enabling them to be the next "tech founders"? In America, we have digital device wealth aplenty, and there's no clear correlation that such availability to the middle class enables a corresponding rise in valuable tech entrepreneurship. In fact, one might argue the opposite: that tablets and on-demand-high-speed entertainment has made people more into consumers (and snarky commenters) than producers. Again, I think the attention toward the poor is great and much needed. I just think the "let them make startups!" vibe is cognitively awkward.
- SaintSal 13y ago
  Good point - that's why I really want to go and see for myself, and talk to people who have. Also, I'll be watching the FirefoxOS marketplace for apps that aren't ported from other mobile platforms, but built around grassroots needs. In the same way that the likes of M-PESA enabled a group of tech founders, like in the pan-African transaction networks for example, there are untapped needs in food distribution and other "last mile" inefficiencies where tech could help. My feeling atm is that we can borrow lessons from vertical accelerators like HealthBox, for example, and speed up the time to get to a rapid field trial.
  - molsongolden 13y ago
    Are you focused mainly on tech startups or innovative entrepreneurship in general?
    - SaintSal 13y ago
      Plan A is tech, particularly web-tech on mobile, since the whole FirefoxOS/tablet thing looks promising. We've done a decent amount of training for general entrepreneurship in London, so I'd keep my eyes open for ways to help general entrepreneurs too.
ph0rque 13y ago
Love the idea, would love to invest (not an accredited investor, so would have to wait for the JOBS act to go through, or to find another way to do so). SaintSal, I've just emailed you about this.
- SaintSal 13y ago
  The timing might be fine. There's a lot of pre-investment groundwork I'll need to do, and ideally run an MVP, before there's an established investment opportunity. Things going a bit mental atm, but I'm looking forward to getting back to you on email! Thx!
ozh 13y ago
Off topic: it seems that posts from medium.com are less often on front page now. Sign of decline?
johnnyforeigner 13y ago
One thing that strikes me, and which I think is important is that we focus more on the fact that we could inspire a million x $10K a year companies rather than a 100 x $1Bn dollar a year companies. Focus on the microdevelopment aspect of this rather than the dreams of avarice and VC ROI. I don't want to replicate a "Found it and Flip it" mentality. I'd like to see a world where people start building businesses that they could feasibly pass on to their children. Solid local businesses, (both tech and traditional) using entrepreneurial tools to find and serve a need for the community. It keeps you honest if you always put the needs of your customers ahead of your investors - who are usually looking for an exit. Continued customer revenue demonstrates that you are continuing to deliver value over time. This is the message we should be trying to spread in the developing world, not get rich quick. Hasn't worked out so well for us, really. That said - count me in.
- SaintSal 13y ago
  Having spoken to a few charities, there's potential that the accelerator model could offer them a bigger bang for their buck. So it feels like there's potential to work with them to get things rolling, which means we can focus on startups that focus on customers and fundamentals, not just startups that choose the investment path. (This was actually the goal of Founder Centric when we started it!)
- SaintSal 13y ago
  I also see the potential for global companies - Some of the stories I've heard around African Fintech point to a more grounded approach, with systems built around political redundancy and growth coming from old-fashioned cashflow. I'm hoping to learn more about this, as there's potential for us to learn, not just teach, and potential for these companies to jump the chasm into Western markets, where the finance system is getting shakier. Perhaps the first Antifragile Fintech startups will come from emerging markets.
SaintSal 13y ago
I created an email list if anyone who wants to be updated: http://eepurl.com/FeE2z http://eepurl.com/FeE2z
OvidNaso 13y ago
EVERTHING changing in London sure looks similar to not very much changing. I was in Bangkok 2 years ago and I must have had blinders on since EVERYTHING changed. I think the only thing that hasn't changed is bullshit hyperbole.
Mikeb85 13y ago
People in poor countries already have an incredibly entrepreneurial spirit. They need to, hustling for themselves is what they need to do to get by, since there are very few jobs. To properly support these people, you need 3 things: - Security - Infrastructure - Capital Generally, people in 3rd world countries are much more creative and resourceful than we are, they just need an environment in which they can flourish, and where they're not constantly worried about someone coming to take everything away from them (in my wife's country, having any sort of wealth guarantees you WILL be robbed - and the police are complicit, sometimes committing the robbery themselves).
jlees 13y ago
When I visited Kenya two years ago I was amazed at M-PESA's spread, and the $99 Android phone had just launched there. If you're interested in disrupting tech in Africa, I'd recommend a visit to Nairobi's iHub, it's am amazingly energetic space: http://www.ihub.co.ke/ http://www.ihub.co.ke/

On a related note, I'm looking for a good program to sponsor a child's education. Most of what I find are run by church-affiliated groups which is fine if the education is secular. Any suggestions would be welcome.

benblodgett 13y ago
I am the founder of nKoso.org a sponsorship program for children in rural Ghana. We focus on at risk rural children and place them in one of our partner private schools. We're new, but have funded nearly 100 children's education since our launch in April. If you want to chat further email me ben@nkoso.org
newsign 13y ago
I've heard good thing about work done by AKDN and AKF ... they are so reputable that they leverages every dollar received through matching grants from leading donor agencies and partners, including the U.S. government, to create a multiplier effect that stretches resources and amplifies the impact of every donation.... http://www.partnershipsinaction.org/content/donate http://www.partnershipsinaction.org/content/donate http://www.akdn.org/Content/928 http://www.akdn.org/Content/928
- SaintSal 13y ago
  "Our Academies programme is rooted in the conviction that effective indigenous leadership will be the key to progress in the developing world... " I like this attitude. A lot of our accelerator clients ask us with a kind of cultural change, from bring protective of ideas, to being open and inclusive. This is easier when there's a local community of experience tech founders to connect - so we can include the new founders and they feel safe sharing. I'm wondering how/if AKDN has a similar goal, or if they look for existing, indiginous attitudes that help others take on the right attitudes...

danso 13y ago

I think the attention on the world's poor is great...and I'm not going to be one of those naysayers who argue, "Poor people don't need smartphones they need food"...but the OP is doing some serious forward-jumping here. Let's assume that smartphones and tablets (and previously, cheap netbooks) are as vital to the poor as they are to everyone else. What does that have to do with enabling them to be the next "tech founders"? In America, we have digital device wealth aplenty, and there's no clear correlation that such availability to the middle class enables a corresponding rise in valuable tech entrepreneurship. In fact, one might argue the opposite: that tablets and on-demand-high-speed entertainment has made people more into consumers (and snarky commenters) than producers. Again, I think the attention toward the poor is great and much needed. I just think the "let them make startups!" vibe is cognitively awkward.

SaintSal 13y ago
Good point - that's why I really want to go and see for myself, and talk to people who have. Also, I'll be watching the FirefoxOS marketplace for apps that aren't ported from other mobile platforms, but built around grassroots needs. In the same way that the likes of M-PESA enabled a group of tech founders, like in the pan-African transaction networks for example, there are untapped needs in food distribution and other "last mile" inefficiencies where tech could help. My feeling atm is that we can borrow lessons from vertical accelerators like HealthBox, for example, and speed up the time to get to a rapid field trial.
- molsongolden 13y ago
  Are you focused mainly on tech startups or innovative entrepreneurship in general?
  - SaintSal 13y ago
    Plan A is tech, particularly web-tech on mobile, since the whole FirefoxOS/tablet thing looks promising. We've done a decent amount of training for general entrepreneurship in London, so I'd keep my eyes open for ways to help general entrepreneurs too.

ph0rque 13y ago

Love the idea, would love to invest (not an accredited investor, so would have to wait for the JOBS act to go through, or to find another way to do so). SaintSal, I've just emailed you about this.

SaintSal 13y ago
The timing might be fine. There's a lot of pre-investment groundwork I'll need to do, and ideally run an MVP, before there's an established investment opportunity. Things going a bit mental atm, but I'm looking forward to getting back to you on email! Thx!

ozh 13y ago

Off topic: it seems that posts from medium.com are less often on front page now. Sign of decline?

johnnyforeigner 13y ago

One thing that strikes me, and which I think is important is that we focus more on the fact that we could inspire a million x $10K a year companies rather than a 100 x $1Bn dollar a year companies. Focus on the microdevelopment aspect of this rather than the dreams of avarice and VC ROI. I don't want to replicate a "Found it and Flip it" mentality. I'd like to see a world where people start building businesses that they could feasibly pass on to their children. Solid local businesses, (both tech and traditional) using entrepreneurial tools to find and serve a need for the community. It keeps you honest if you always put the needs of your customers ahead of your investors - who are usually looking for an exit. Continued customer revenue demonstrates that you are continuing to deliver value over time. This is the message we should be trying to spread in the developing world, not get rich quick. Hasn't worked out so well for us, really. That said - count me in.

SaintSal 13y ago
Having spoken to a few charities, there's potential that the accelerator model could offer them a bigger bang for their buck. So it feels like there's potential to work with them to get things rolling, which means we can focus on startups that focus on customers and fundamentals, not just startups that choose the investment path. (This was actually the goal of Founder Centric when we started it!)
SaintSal 13y ago
I also see the potential for global companies - Some of the stories I've heard around African Fintech point to a more grounded approach, with systems built around political redundancy and growth coming from old-fashioned cashflow. I'm hoping to learn more about this, as there's potential for us to learn, not just teach, and potential for these companies to jump the chasm into Western markets, where the finance system is getting shakier. Perhaps the first Antifragile Fintech startups will come from emerging markets.

SaintSal 13y ago

I created an email list if anyone who wants to be updated: http://eepurl.com/FeE2z http://eepurl.com/FeE2z

OvidNaso 13y ago

EVERTHING changing in London sure looks similar to not very much changing. I was in Bangkok 2 years ago and I must have had blinders on since EVERYTHING changed. I think the only thing that hasn't changed is bullshit hyperbole.

Mikeb85 13y ago

People in poor countries already have an incredibly entrepreneurial spirit. They need to, hustling for themselves is what they need to do to get by, since there are very few jobs. To properly support these people, you need 3 things: - Security - Infrastructure - Capital Generally, people in 3rd world countries are much more creative and resourceful than we are, they just need an environment in which they can flourish, and where they're not constantly worried about someone coming to take everything away from them (in my wife's country, having any sort of wealth guarantees you WILL be robbed - and the police are complicit, sometimes committing the robbery themselves).

jlees 13y ago

When I visited Kenya two years ago I was amazed at M-PESA's spread, and the $99 Android phone had just launched there. If you're interested in disrupting tech in Africa, I'd recommend a visit to Nairobi's iHub, it's am amazingly energetic space: http://www.ihub.co.ke/ http://www.ihub.co.ke/