Startup Books #3: Startup Rising, the Entrepreneurial Revolution in the Middle-East, by Christophe Schroeder
So far, Startup Rising: The Entrepreneurial Revolution Remaking the Middle-East is one of the top startup books we have read, and that we recommend. In a dense, 200+ pages, author Christopher M Schroeder not only gives a kaleidoscopic view of an exciting region, he also shares his own journey, started with “a first mentorship experience […]
[FutureCom Brazil] Submarine cables: the long-term bet of Google in the emerging markets
After having invested in the pacific transcontinental cables, Google will keep on developing network infrastructures. This time, the Montain View giant will team up with Latin American companies and African operators to link the United States to Brazil, and unexpectedly, Angola, via submarine cables. (Submarine Cable World Map, as of 2007, Wikicommons) Four companies from […]
[FutureCom Brazil] The Free Wifi revolution, an opportunity for telcos to stay in the game
The population requires Free Wifi, everywhere and anywhere. And Paul Milkessen, COO at Aptilo, claims that this trend is going to get even stronger with the years. Companies such as Wigo in Peru are developing quite an interesting business model entirely based on giving free access to wifi in public places. Telcos cannot ignore for […]
A visit at Awesome Lab and By Implication, two creative agencies in Manila, Philippines
After the Geeks on a Beach conference in Cebu Island, I took some time to visit Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, and meet a few creative agencies there. Not expecting anything in particular and leaving wide open my radars, I visited two creative agencies – for sake of a better word – which […]
Corporate innovation series #3: MEST incubator in Ghana
During the Mobile West Africa conference in Lagos, we’ve met with Neal Hansch, the managing director of the MEST incubator in Ghana. The program is a 24-month incubation for African startups, and its history is quite interesting as we explore the different forms of corporate innovation. MEST Incubator: training West Africa’s entrepreneurs on the long-run […]
Corporate Innovation series #2: the Coca-Cola Accelerator Network
A common joke when you talk about emerging markets is that even in the most remote and dire places, you will find a bottle of Coke. The logistic empire built by the Coca-Cola company around a single product (Coca-Cola or Coke products still account for 78% of their sales) is amazingly efficient, as it controls […]
Corporate innovation series #1: GE Garage in Lagos, Nigeria
What General Electric is doing in Nigeria with its GE Garage is not your typical corporate accelerator or even makerspace. It’s not an incubator, in the sense that there is no funding for younger entrepreneurs or a stake from GE in a startup’s equity. It’s more like an open Fablab, with GE employees around to […]
HungryGoWhere, a Singapore startup success story told from the inside, with Wong Hoong An
I’ve long been a subscriber of NUS Enterprise’s newsletter, as this part of the National University of Singapore plays a key role in the local tech ecosystem. For my first time attending their Kopi Chat series, I’ve listened to the story of Wong Hoong An, one of the three co-founders of HungryGowhere. This startup, then […]
A history of Malaysian business startups
Malaysian economic development In the 1970s, the Malaysian government controversially implemented the New Economic Policy (NEP) that aimed to give Malays a larger place in the economy through employment, equity and education quotas. Though large sections of the policy is still in effect, fortunately,the mandate that companies had to set aside 30% of its equity […]
Entering Kenya's mobile market
As often in Africa, Kenya is a “mobile first” nation. The main focus of any tech-centric startup in Africa can often be found to revolve around the growing mobile market. Let us explore why: Kenya’s mobile market Kenya is a land of 44.0 million people. Of that population, 30.4 million have access to a mobile […]
