http://www.infodev.org/en/index.html The latest news from infoDev 10 http://www.infodev.org/images/infodev.gif http://www.infodev.org/en/index.html m2Work, which is launched today, is your chance to shape the future of microwork and to make a difference for hundreds of thousands of potential microworkers in developing countries. Microwork refers to small digital tasks people can perform anywhere to supplement their income. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.797.html Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:48:36 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.797.html infoDev will organize an open session at the Fifth International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development (ICTD 2012) on the topic “ICT in Post-Conflict Situations.” The conference will be held at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, March 12-15. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.788.html Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:12:16 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.788.html The World Bank is partnering with the African Development Bank on a flagship study of how information and communication technologies (ICTs) are transforming the African continent. The study's latest report, on using ICTs for Climate Change Adaptation, has just been released on the project website, www.etransformafrica.org. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.787.html Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:17:36 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.787.html M-Farm, a Kenyan SME that continues to transform agriculture, was named by infoDev as a Top 20 Access to Market and Finance selectee. This highlight celebrates the story of M-Farm's founder and CEO Jamila Abass, tracing the development of an exciting and growing initiative. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.785.html Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:52:48 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.785.html These reports, part of the Spatial Data Infrastructure for Development (SDI4MDGs) project supported by the Korean Trust Fund on ICT for Development, explore the role of spatial data infrastructure in Uganda. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.783.html Fri, 30 Dec 2011 18:18:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.783.html infoDev's Annual Report 2010-2011, which was released today,shows an impressive account of all infoDev activities and accomplishments over the past two years. Fiscal years 2010 and 2011 have represented a period of significant redefinition for infoDev, while exhibiting at the same time a period of great productivity. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.782.html Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:57:50 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.782.html infoDev’s planned Climate Innovation Center (CIC) for the Gauteng province was selected as one of the Top 10 Projects on exhibit at the climate summit in South Africa. The project is also highlighted in the country’s Green Economy Accord signed on 17 November 2011. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.781.html Mon, 19 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.781.html According to Turkey's National Broadband Vision study, broadband could boost economic growth by 0.8-1.7 percentage points per year, building economic momentum enabled by an enhanced broadband ecosystem that could create up to 380,000 jobs annually. This report analyzes the obstacles and successes behind Turkey's ICT past and future. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.779.html Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:39:12 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.779.html At the recently concluded infoDev Climate Innovation Center Workshop in Hanoi, stakeholders explored the ways by which Vietnam could build a locally responsive, globally competitive climate technology industry. This event was made possible through the support of the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.776.html Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.776.html An infoDev team visited Phnom Penh on 18 November 2011 for the launch of the Emerging Markets Entrepreneurs (EME) business incubator, Cambodia’s first experience with business incubation. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.775.html Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:47:22 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.775.html With 35 million fixed and mobile broadband subscribers, Brazil ranks among the top ten countries worldwide by total number of broadband users. Its large population, however, places the country's broadband penetration outside the top-50 worldwide. This report explores the challenges, opportunities and successes that define Brazil's ICT experience. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.774.html Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:23:12 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.774.html Senegalese stakeholders from the horticulture sector came together during a workshop on November 10, in order to discuss the design of a local agribusiness innovation and entrepreneurship center (AIEC). http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.773.html Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.773.html Wired broadband in Vietnam has grown over one thousand percent since 2005. While the country has made tremendous achievements in broadband, there are challenges arising from its rapid growth. This report identifies the key factors that have defined Vietnam's broadband trajectory and the broadband challenges of the future. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.772.html Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:22:23 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.772.html A new ICT business incubator was inaugurated on October 31st by business and government leaders in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The new Dar Teknohama Business Incubator (DTBi) will support local technology-based companies and other young entrepreneurs with high growth potential. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.770.html Tue, 01 Nov 2011 10:40:49 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.770.html Fully one quarter of Moroccan households boast a broadband connection - up from just two percent in 2004. This report seeks to understand Morocco's relatively high broadband adoption while proposing additional areas of focus to move beyond this initial success. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.768.html Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:10:24 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.768.html A recent article in New Scientist chronicled the rise of mobile applications in Africa, such as MedAfrica, a member of the mLab East Africa. It highlights how mobile technologies are shaping societies and economies of developing countries, just as it has done elsewhere. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.765.html Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:25:02 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.765.html On September 22nd, infoDev participated in the World Bank Annual Meetings by hosting a panel discussion on early stage financing and global entrepreneurship. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.760.html Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.760.html Sri Lanka has lately experienced a major increase in the use of broadband services. This report, part of the Broadband Strategies Toolkit, explores the various factors that have contributed to Sri Lanka's broadband success, ranging from innovative business models to government investment in e-development services. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.758.html Thu, 22 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.758.html Report on the second stakeholder workshop held in Saint-Louis on September 6th, 2011 http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.752.html Mon, 12 Sep 2011 12:44:54 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.752.html Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) has emerged as a valuable tool for monitoring development outcomes. This report, part of the Spatial Data Infrastructure for Development (SDI4MDGs) project, explores the potential use and long-term sustainability of SDI in the Republic of Korea and the lessons for the developing world. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.751.html Tue, 06 Sep 2011 17:09:10 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.751.html St. Kitts and Nevis boasts the highest fixed broadband subscription rates in the Latin American/Caribbean region. This report seeks to understand the challenges and successes of this country's broadband experience. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.750.html Tue, 30 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.750.html This case study, one of seven that contribute to the Broadband Strategies Toolkit, considers the case of broadband in Kenya and the manner in which the country has tackled its capacity challenges. The Kenyan experience has been inspiring but at times imperfect, and exploring this history will yield valuable lessons for other countries. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.749.html Tue, 30 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.749.html H.E. Ato Mahamouda Ahmed Gass, State Minister, Ministry of Science and Technology, addressed over 120 participants at infoDev’s Climate Innovation Center workshop and emphasized the importance of climate technology entrepreneurship for Ethiopia’s economic future. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.748.html Mon, 29 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.748.html infoDev's Climate Technology Program published an article in The Africa Energy Yearbook 2011, co-written with our government and private partners in Kenya. The publication discusses the Climate Innovation Center (CIC) in Kenya and how it will support the government's objectives in the Greening Kenya Initiative. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.747.html Tue, 23 Aug 2011 09:39:31 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.747.html A new group of 25 students is expected to start classes at mLab East Africa in September, 2011. The online application process closes on August 28th. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.746.html Tue, 23 Aug 2011 08:49:59 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.746.html Pyramid Research recently highlighted infoDev's contribution to supporting and promoting mobile innovation in Africa and the Middle East. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.745.html Fri, 19 Aug 2011 14:25:24 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.745.html infoDev is designing a new program to help facilitate the start-up and growth of innovative post-harvest agribusiness SMEs that specifically work with raw agricultural products in Senegal. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.744.html Fri, 19 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.744.html Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) has emerged as a valuable tool for monitoring development outcomes. This report, part of the Spatial Data Infrastructure for Development (SDI4MDGs) project, explores the potential use and long-term sustainability of SDI in achieving Millennium Development Goals in Brazil. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.742.html Sun, 14 Aug 2011 14:21:28 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.742.html 7 New Incubation Clients took up residence at mLab East Africa and the Lab is providing exciting new networking and training opportunities for the mobile community! http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.741.html Thu, 11 Aug 2011 12:13:22 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.741.html The students are about 2 months away from the end of their training program and a number of them are already churning out useful mobile applications. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.739.html Tue, 19 Jul 2011 11:43:35 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.739.html infoDev will conduct two focus groups, one in Yerevan, Armenia (July 12, 2011), and the second in Baku, Azerbaijan (July 14, 2011), on the theme of broadband competitiveness within the Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.736.html Mon, 11 Jul 2011 10:08:36 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.736.html In partnership with UKAid, infoDev is developing a business plan for the financing and implementation of a Climate Innovation Center (CIC) in Ethiopia. CICs form a holistic and country-driven approach to boosting green growth and industrial competitiveness through supporting innovation in climate technologies. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.733.html Wed, 29 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.733.html infoDev is developing a global network of Climate Innovation Centers (CICs) that provide a country-driven approach to climate change and allows countries to achieve their green growth objectives. The Climate Technology Deep Dive - Cleantech Growth Opportunities in Emerging Markets - provided a platform for developing country entrepreneurs, Finnish private sectors and policy makers to explore the CICs' role in facilitating investment, joint ventures and market entry opportunities. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.730.html Tue, 21 Jun 2011 13:37:15 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.730.html Tommie Hamaluba has spent the majority of his career educating youth in Gaborone, Botswana; he now wants to use his passion for youth empowerment to help former students and other young people to create sustainable ICT-related businesses in his incubation facility- The Global Youth Alliance. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.729.html Mon, 20 Jun 2011 10:39:52 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.729.html infoDev is pleased to be one of the sponsors of the Pivot 25 Mobile Applications Competition and Developer Conference, held in Nairobi, Kenya 14-15 June 2011. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.728.html Mon, 20 Jun 2011 10:10:58 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.728.html infoDev is pleased to announce the official launch of mLab East Africa today in Nairobi, Kenya. The opening ceremonies will convene 150 participants from the innovation and entrepreneurship community including government agencies, private sector companies, and development organizations. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.726.html Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:45:48 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.726.html infoDev gave its Global Forum Agribusiness Deep Dive participants the opportunity to use their knowledge and experience to help each other overcome barriers to Agribusiness sustainability. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.725.html Thu, 16 Jun 2011 10:27:39 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.725.html infoDev is excited to collaborate with three SMEs to promote agribusiness entrepreneurship throughout the developing world. The companies, who are among 20 recipients of the Access to Finance and Markets Awards conferred at the Global Forum, will work closely with infoDev as they develop cutting-edge businesses that increase productivity and competitiveness. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.723.html Thu, 16 Jun 2011 09:35:14 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.723.html The 4th infoDev Global Forum on Innovation & Technology Entrepreneurship was host to lots of exciting meetings, conversations and demonstrations, including on the topic of mobile applications for development. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.722.html Thu, 09 Jun 2011 11:40:28 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.722.html Conflict, within and between countries, is a major cause and consequence of poverty. Conflict currently affects around one quarter of low-income countries, but conflicts do end, and the challenge then is to bring relief and stability quickly, through good governance matched with rising living standards, in order to create the right conditions for nation building. A newly inaugurated infoDev research project will explore the ways that information and communication technologies (ICTs) can have a transformative role in that process. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.721.html Mon, 06 Jun 2011 10:48:46 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.721.html http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.720.html Wed, 01 Jun 2011 10:38:02 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.720.html The World Bank’s Agriculture and Rural Development department and infoDev teamed up to initially launch two sourcebooks on agriculture innovation and ICT in agriculture at infoDev’s 4th Global Forum on Innovation and Technology Entrepreneurship May 31. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.717.html Wed, 25 May 2011 17:43:35 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.717.html On May 24th, infoDev will sponsor the first of three SME focus groups in Tbilisi, Georgia at the local World Bank office. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.713.html Tue, 17 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.713.html infoDev is proud to announce a business plan toolkit for Mobile Applications Laboratories (mLabs) with the objective to drive mobile innovation in emerging markets. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.705.html Mon, 16 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.705.html Now that the infoDev Top 50 SMEs have been selected, we want your input! http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.709.html Mon, 09 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.709.html infoDev is proud to announce the successful bidder to host the first regional Mobile Applications Laboratory in Eastern Europe, South Caucasus, and Central Asia (ECA) Laboratories as part of our joint program with the Government of Finland and Nokia, Creating Sustainable Businesses in the Knowledge Economy. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.706.html Sun, 01 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.706.html This infoDev session brought together entrepreneurs and researchers to discuss how the ICT landscape is shaping Africa's future. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.703.html Mon, 25 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.703.html On April 19th, 2011, the Dakar Information and Communication Technologies Incubator (CITIC) officially launched. This business incubation center is the result of a public-private partnership among infoDev, a donor funded trust fund of the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and several local partners. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.700.html Fri, 22 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.700.html Please join infoDev, a program within the World Bank Group, and the GSMA Development Fund on May 4, 2011 at 6:30 PM for an evening of informal networking focused on the challenges facing female developers and users in the mobile industry. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.702.html Fri, 22 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.702.html http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.699.html Wed, 20 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.699.html The Handbook is one of infoDev’s most popular publications and was used as the basis for the ICT Regulation Toolkit; ten years after its initial publication, excerpts from the Toolkit are downloaded more than 800 times each day. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.701.html Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.701.html According to a new infoDev study, the Virtual Economy is worth some $3 billion and provides new types of jobs in developing countries. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.696.html Thu, 07 Apr 2011 08:18:04 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.696.html Join infoDev on April 7th for this special workshop session during the Financial and Private Sector Development Forum! http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.694.html Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:36:08 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.694.html Go to www.infodevGF.net to register today! http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.689.html Thu, 17 Mar 2011 06:16:45 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.689.html EXTENSION: infoDev is extending it's application deadline until March 31st, 2011! With so much to gain, why not apply today? http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.687.html Fri, 11 Mar 2011 19:46:09 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.687.html Does technology drive people or do human motivations drive technology? In his lecture on “Africa’s Emerging Infosystems: A Pathway to Security and Development,” Dr. Steven Livingston emphasized not discounting the human side of internet and technology related social change. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.684.html Fri, 04 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.684.html infoDev, Hivos and UKAID have a new report that sets out a 5-step plan for transforming the East African Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Sector http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.683.html Fri, 25 Feb 2011 11:20:59 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.683.html On February 22nd from 12:30-2 pm in Washington DC, infoDev, CommGap, and the Africa Region's Governance & Anti-Corruption in Projects Team will hold a lecture and discussion on “Africa’s Emerging Infosystems: A Pathway to Security and Development.” http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.680.html Thu, 17 Feb 2011 13:33:56 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.680.html The Agribusiness Innovation and Entrepreneurship program at the Global Forum will dedicate a full day to promoting the start-up and growth of innovative SMEs in agribusiness in addition to showcasing agribusiness ventures at the SME fair. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.677.html Sat, 12 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.677.html Participate in an exciting program where you will meet and learn from inspiring people building tomorrow’s most innovative businesses in developing countries. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.676.html Tue, 08 Feb 2011 09:28:07 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.676.html A ground-breaking new type of facility that provides financing, technical assistance and market advice to climate technology SMEs, will be established by infoDev in Nairobi, Kenya. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.674.html Mon, 31 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.674.html infoDev, Nokia, and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland have forged ahead on mLabs, social networking, business incubation and the upcoming Global Forum! http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.672.html Thu, 27 Jan 2011 13:52:54 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.672.html infoDev recently released a new booklet focusing on successful examples of African business incubation and telling the stories of the entrepreneurs behind these sustainable businesses! http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.670.html Tue, 25 Jan 2011 12:40:16 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.670.html infoDev and UNESCO's EduTechDebate.org blog sparks discussion on the interaction between technology and education http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.669.html Wed, 19 Jan 2011 09:50:22 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.669.html The southern African regional mobile application lab, based in Pretoria, will provide training and industry links to develop the skills of mobile apps entrepreneurs. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.665.html Wed, 12 Jan 2011 10:49:47 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.665.html A new infoDev paper shows that more emphasis is usually placed on teaching ICT as a curriculum subject than on using it as an instructional aide. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.658.html Thu, 16 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.658.html infoDev held a workshop on December 13 as part of the ICTD2010 conference at Royal Holloway, University of London. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.659.html Tue, 14 Dec 2010 14:16:07 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.659.html infoDev will hold a workshop on December 13 as part of the ICTD2010 conference at Royal Holloway, University of London. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.657.html Wed, 08 Dec 2010 12:55:19 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.657.html infoDev's recent multi-stakeholder meeting in São Paulo, Brazil found that coordination between the public and private sectors, and formal and informal e-waste processors is needed. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.656.html Wed, 08 Dec 2010 09:05:54 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.656.html Valerie D’Costa stresses the importance of addressing challenges to improving rural livelihoods using entrepreneurship and innovation. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.652.html Wed, 01 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.652.html A new infoDev paper shows that while ICTs are no substitute for formal education, the role of technology can support educational goals and widen the reach of teachers and school systems. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.650.html Tue, 30 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.650.html Climate Innovation Centres: A New Way to Foster Climate Technologies in the Developing World, was commissioned by infoDev in collaboration with DFID and UNIDO to develop practical recommendations on the design of Climate Innovation Centers (CICs) http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.645.html Wed, 24 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.645.html Following in-depth analysis at the global and local level, InfoDev’s Climate Technology Program has launched business plans for “Climate Innovation Centers” in Kenya and India. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.644.html Thu, 18 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.644.html infoDev is pleased to announce the first six of eight grants for mobile social networking activities under the Creating Sustainable Businesses in the Knowledge Economy program, part of a partnership among infoDev, the Government of Finland, and Nokia. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.639.html Wed, 17 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.639.html Organized in cooperation by Nokia and infoDev, with the support of Capgemini, the Open Africa Innovation Summit 2010 will convene 200 African thought leaders around four "Challenge streams" to identify which skills and services are needed for building innovative societies in Africa and how modern technologies can be used to accelerate the process. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.640.html Wed, 10 Nov 2010 14:38:14 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.640.html About 50 participants from around the world met in Hyderabad, India on October 26-28 to launch infoDev's Agribusiness Global Community of Practice and to discuss the key challenges, opportunities, and incubation models for agribusiness in developing countries and emerging markets. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.636.html Fri, 05 Nov 2010 08:41:10 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.636.html As mobile technologies continue to connect and empower individuals around the world, the GSMA mWomen Programme and Vodafone have teamed up to reach out to women in developing countries by promoting innovation in mobile applications creation. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.632.html Wed, 03 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.632.html infoDev and the World Bank have published The Global Opportunity in IT-Based Services: Assessing and Enhancing Country Competiveness to assist policymakers and sector specialists with fully exploiting the potential of ITES. While ITES has proven to be economically important, its growth potential for developing countries warrants special attention. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.630.html Thu, 28 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.630.html Last week infoDev and the Sustainable Agriculture Systems, Knowledge, & Institutions department co-hosted a seminar on Post-Harvest Technology Commercialization in Africa featuring the work of the Meridian Institute and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.631.html Wed, 27 Oct 2010 10:49:14 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.631.html Geographers like crossroads. They create focal points on maps help to build networks. The geographical profession found itself at a crossroads in Singapore on the occasion of the 12th annual meeting of the Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Association (GSDI), from 19-22 October. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.629.html Tue, 26 Oct 2010 09:45:29 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.629.html On October 14, infoDev convened a multi-stakeholder workshop to present progress on its Climate Innovation Centers (CICs), examine the role of CICs in the global green growth agenda, and explore collaboration opportunities to establish a global CIC network. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.626.html Wed, 20 Oct 2010 15:51:23 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.626.html The World Bank is sponsoring an Apps for Development competition which challenges the public to create innovative software applications that move users closer to solving some of the world's most pressing problems. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.625.html Mon, 18 Oct 2010 13:41:20 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.625.html Simply putting ICT in the classroom is not enough for ICT4E (information and communication technology for education). Even the best policies and sophisticated technologies will fail to reach their full potential if teachers, administrators, and students don’t know how to get the best out of them. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.616.html Wed, 13 Oct 2010 10:25:30 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.616.html EVOKE, the online social innovation platform developed and funded by The World Bank Institute, infoDev, and the Korean Trust Fund on ICT for Development, concluded its Summit last week at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, DC. Players from EVOKE Season 1 with the best Evokations (proposals for future work) were invited to take part in a wide array of lectures, workshops, and activities from September 28-30th, 2010. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.615.html Thu, 07 Oct 2010 13:02:08 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.615.html Anyone interested or working in mobile applications in Asia is invited to take part in two free and open focus group meetings; one each in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.614.html Thu, 07 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.614.html Advertised as “Europe’s largest happening on mobile in Africa”, the Mobile Africa Summit brought 15 different start-ups from Africa to meet with their counterparts in Finland and Europe to share common experiences in building a sustainable business in the mobile space. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.612.html Wed, 06 Oct 2010 10:22:06 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.612.html ICTs have great potential to increase gender equity but to make this happen, gender needs to be part of government planning for ICTs in education. If the real-life difficulties many girls and women have in accessing and using ICTs in education in South Asia are not directly addressed, ICTs have the potential to actually increase gender disparities, not reduce them. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.603.html Tue, 28 Sep 2010 14:59:25 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.603.html “My role is to start new things”, said Eduardo da Costa, head of innovation at the Brazilian Innovation Agency (FINEP) of the Ministry of Science and Technology, at the World Bank’s DC offices on Wednesday, 22 September. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.602.html Fri, 24 Sep 2010 13:03:34 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.602.html In October, the first steps will be taken towards a mobile applications lab for Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. Supported by the 'Creating Sustainable Businesses in the Knowledge Economy', the infoDev, Finland and Nokia partnership program, two free and open focus group discussions will be held: in Tbilisi on October 5th and in Kiev on October 7th. Mobile applications developers, mobile operators and other stakeholders will put their heads together on how best to create a mobile applications laboratory for the ECA region. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.598.html Tue, 21 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.598.html INSPIRE, a new locally owned and operated pilot incubator in Managua, Nicaragua, has joined the iDISC global network of business incubators. Speaking at the launch of INSPIRE, Jaime Morales Carazo, the Vice President of the Republic of Nicaragua, said the incubator will help to spur sustainable economic growth in his country. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.591.html Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.591.html infoDev is proud to announce the successful bidders to host the African Regional Mobile Application Laboratories as part of the Government of Finland and Nokia program, Creating Sustainable Businesses in the Knowledge Economy. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.592.html Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:14:26 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.592.html Evoke, the online social innovation platform developed by The World Bank Institute, infoDev, and the Korean Trust Fund on ICT for Development, continues to impress. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.590.html Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:33:24 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.590.html In less than 10 years, firms in China, India and South Korea progressed from no wind turbine manufacturing experience to state-of-the-art wind turbine systems. Consider this: Goldwind from China installed 2,727 MW in 2009, a 140% increase on 2008 that saw its international market share rise to 7.2%. The Indian company Suzlon owns 9% of the global market share. What policies led to such robust domestic wind power development? http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.583.html Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:35:03 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.583.html infoDev, a donor-funded agency of the World Bank, Geo-Information Communication (GIC) and ESRI Canada are convening a stakeholder discussion in September 2010 to help develop a national spatial data infrastructure (SDI) for Uganda. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.578.html Fri, 20 Aug 2010 16:06:10 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.578.html In addition to the competition to select hosts for mobile applications labs under the Creating Sustainable Businesses program, infoDev is seeking expressions of interest (EOI) for Mobile Social Networking Activities in Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.576.html Thu, 19 Aug 2010 10:17:04 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.576.html To fill the gap for comprehensive and comparative information about Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and education, infoDev launched its “Survey of ICTs for Education in India & South Asia” on 21 April, 2010, along with five thematic essays. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.574.html Tue, 17 Aug 2010 09:02:41 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.574.html On 29 April, 2010, infoDev and the Agriculture and Rural Development department of The World Bank held a ‘brown bag lunch’ on business incubation in the US and what lessons might be learnt for other parts of the world. The focus was on agri-business incubators. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.567.html Fri, 23 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.567.html As part of our ongoing collaboration with the Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT) of Brazil, infoDev will develop with stakeholders a recommendation for a strategy and policy for safely and productively dealing with e-waste in Brazil. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.566.html Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.566.html infoDev has just posted a new video called What infoDev means to me, featuring individuals in our global network of partners sharing their experiences and views. The video was created for infoDev’s Annual Symposium on 9 June, 2010 in Washington, DC and screened in front of an enthusiastic audience of stakeholders; donor agencies, partner organizations, foundations, World Bank System colleagues and development practitioners. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.560.html Tue, 13 Jul 2010 12:43:48 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.560.html As part of the Finland, Nokia, and infoDev program, Creating Sustainable Businesses in the Knowledge Economy, infoDev is currently running a competitive tender to select host organization for the establishment of a regional mobile applications lab for Africa. infoDev seeks to identify from the current pool of applicants two host institutions – one in South Africa and the other in East Africa - where the activities of the labs can be situated. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.559.html Fri, 09 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.559.html With mobile phone penetration continuing to expand in Africa and technology becoming both more powerful and less expensive, new trends in mobile applications are emerging. A new report by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) on mobile applications in East Africa examines the services offered - from finance to health and education - the barriers to delivery, and approaches to successfully scaling-up applications beyond the pilot stage. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.556.html Tue, 06 Jul 2010 10:58:40 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.556.html To fill the information gap for comprehensive and comparative information about ICT and education, infoDev has published its “Survey of ICTs for Education in India and South Asia”. This survey will be a must-read for governments, donors and practitioners who plan to use ICTs in educational initiatives in the region. By gathering and comparing on-the-ground information from eight countries, illustrating successes and challenges, and drawing out key lessons learned, this report will help decision-makers to plan, coordinate, implement and evaluate successful ICT4E initiatives in India, South Asia and beyond. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.552.html Thu, 01 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.552.html eLearning Africa, the African continent’s main event on technology-enhanced learning, is celebrating its fifth anniversary together with 1500 delegates from 80 countries. eLearning Africa is the hub for first-hand information and real-life examples of how ICTs advance the cause of education for all in Africa. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.551.html Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.551.html infoDev has published its FY09 Annual Report. The annual report documents a critical year in infoDev’s history, when the unit successfully adopted a new direction and funding model of multi-year collaborative programs pushing forward infoDev’s signature ICT4D and innovation themes. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.549.html Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.549.html infoDev held its Annual Symposium on 9 June, 2010 in Washington DC. An invited audience of stakeholders from leading experts and practitioners in information and innovation for development, donor agencies, partner organizations, foundations, and World Bank and IFC colleagues attended the event themed ‘Clean, Green and Mobile; Making Technology Work for the Poor’. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.545.html Fri, 11 Jun 2010 17:33:58 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.545.html infoDev's 2nd Climate Innovation Center workshop was held in Nairobi, Kenya on May 21st. The event was successful and very well attended with over 55 guests, 12 speakers and 6 working groups all participating throughout the day. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.544.html Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.544.html With support from the Korean Trust Fund on ICT for Development, participants from around the world answered the urgent call to innovation in this online, multi-player game designed for African youth. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.538.html Wed, 26 May 2010 10:48:45 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.538.html At infoDev, we strive to make sure that our knowledge and collaboration tools are useful to our clients and colleagues in the innovation, technology entrepreneurship and international development communities. The best way to do this is to ask our users directly about how we are doing, how we can improve, and what else we should be working on going forward. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.528.html Thu, 06 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.528.html 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. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.524.html Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.524.html infoDev's 2nd workshop in Nairobi will bring together local stakeholders to address the detailed design and implementation of a Climate Innovation Center in Kenya. An international expert panel will also share good practices and experiences in technology commercialization from the region. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.526.html Fri, 30 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.526.html A forthcoming infoDev report on Information and Communication Technologies for Education (ICT4E), produced by PriceWaterhouseCoopers India, has found that while it’s important for school children to have access to computer labs, it’s just as vital to integrate ICTs into the broader curriculum. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.523.html Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:17:46 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.523.html A World Bank / IFC report by says for every 10 percentage-point increase in high-speed Internet connections there is an increase in economic growth of 1.3 percentage points. The Global Information and Communications Technology Department of the World Bank and IFC has published an online resource for its global report: IC4D, Information and Communications for Development 2009: Extending Reach and Increasing Impact. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.522.html Fri, 23 Apr 2010 11:00:33 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.522.html Brazil is poised to transform itself into a global leader in technology and entrepreneurship, says the Christian Science Monitor. In a lead article prompted by last October’s 3rd Global Forum on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the international publication highlighted Brazil’s entrepreneurial leadership and showcased infoDev-supported incubator, the Genesis Institute. The article quotes Eduardo Costa, chief of innovation at the Brazilian Financing Agency for Projects and studies (FINEP) saying technology SMEs are an engine of economic growth and stressing the importance of incubators; “We are betting this will have a transformative effect on the country.” http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.518.html Tue, 13 Apr 2010 17:50:48 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.518.html On 27 April, 2010, one of the first steps will be taken toward a mobile applications lab for Africa. Supported by a program of the government of Finland and Nokia, infoDev is holding a focus group discussion that will bring together mobile applications developers, mobile operators and others for brainstorming on how best to create a lab. The discussion will be hosted by iHub, Nairobi’s latest innovation centre. It follows two lively and productive focus groups already held in Kampala, Uganda and Johannesburg, South Africa. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.517.html Tue, 13 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.517.html InfoDev and the volunteer networking organisation Mobile Monday have launched new social networking hubs in Uganda and Kenya. The chapters are run by volunteers in the mobile sector to encourage innovation, investment, information-sharing and partnership-building. Supported by the Government of Finland and handset manufacturer Nokia, this project harnesses social networking for innovation in mobile applications. It is part of a broader Finland/Nokia programme called "Creating Sustainable Businesses in the Knowledge Economy", and is also supported by the Korean Trust Fund for ICT4D. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.489.html Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.489.html More than 60% of students who qualify for university or tertiary education in developing countries can't attend. eLearning via low-cost ICT devices can work for students, teachers, and the communities they live in. But what are the best strategies on how to deploy eLearning in developing countries? Join the Education Technology Debate sponsored by infoDev and UNESCO. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.483.html Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.483.html How can Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) be used to better monitor development outcomes and achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)? Supported by the Korean Trust Fund on ICT for Development, infoDev and the World Bank Group’s Finance, Economics and Urban Department (FEU) are working with Jordan and Uganda to explore, assess and share the most effective ways to use GIS in development. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.479.html Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.479.html This publication draws on discussion papers prepared for the workshop "Policy Coherence in the Application of Information and Communication Technologies for Development" jointly organized by the OECD and infoDev/World Bank held on 11-12 September 2009 in Paris. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.478.html Sun, 28 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.478.html How have mobile phones, the Internet, computers and the audiovisual media changed people's lives on the African continent? To find out, eLearning Africa has launched an online photography contest. The organizers are inviting people from Africa to submit images that show how they live, learn and work with Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.467.html Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.467.html YES Foundation Skopje (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) issues the final report on the project 'Investment readiness of the MSME sector in South-East Europe', which was conducted in cooperation with the Dutch Foundation SPARK and supported by the SENSI and ECAbit networks. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.457.html Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.457.html Finland, Nokia, and infoDev partner in a €11.9 million program - Creating Sustainable Businesses in the Knowledge Economy. The aim: to encourage innovation and competitiveness among SMEs in the information and communication technologies and agribusiness sectors in particular. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.452.html Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.452.html In 2009, infoDev launched a request for proposals for cleantech entrepreneur success stories. Entrepreneurs were invited to share stories of their start-up enterprises that provide products or services that contribute to their country's "clean" economy. Out of the many proposals that were received and reviewed, 8 were selected to be featured on infoDev's website and in marketing materials for infoDev's Climate Technology Program. Honorable mentions were also made for 6 other success stories of technologies commercialized within infoDev's network along with a climate technology incubator case study of the Agri-Business Incubator (ABI) at ICRISAT in India. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.453.html Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.453.html http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.454.html Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.454.html These studies provide a tool for establishing sustainable incubators in developing countries. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.451.html Wed, 30 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.451.html Technology will be one of the main themes discussed this month at the Climate Change negotiations in Copenhagen. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.448.html Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.448.html http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.445.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.445.html Please join us for what we all expect to be a lively and informative conversation exploring assessment validity and tools for ICT4E. Our topic experts Mary Hooker and Rob van Son have already posted their remarks. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.437.html Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.437.html Business Technology: An Enabler in your Economy http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.444.html Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.444.html MobileXtreme! The Big Apps Competition was officially launched last November 7, 2009 at the TechnoHub, UP-AyalaLand in Quezon City. Bill Luz, Ayala Foundation’s Executive Vice President and Enrique Gonzalez, Chief Operating Officer of IPVG welcomed participants, media and partners to the competition. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.438.html Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.438.html SPARK International and the Institute for Brilliant Mistakes co-hosted an event - ‘Good intentions, brilliant failures’ on 22 October 2009 in Amsterdam (The Netherlands). http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.440.html Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.440.html Major outcomes of the Global Forum include launch of Caribbean regional business incubation network and Global Innovation Commons. Co-incubation, mobile technology, clean technology identified as priorities for infoDev global incubator network and the 4th Global Forum to be held in Helsinki, Finland in 2011 was announced. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.428.html Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.428.html The new strategy will propose an approach for achieving environmental sustainability at the World Bank Group to ensure that its supports to client countries leads to sustainable development outcomes. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.432.html Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.432.html The potential for entrepreneurs to establish and grow innovative businesses in ten Caribbean island nations will soon increase thanks to a new Caribbean business incubator network launched today at the 3rd Global Forum on Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Florianopolis Brazil. Initial funding to create the network has been provided by infoDev, the European Commission and the Commonwealth Secretariat. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.426.html Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.426.html With almost 1000 participants attending infoDev's 3rd Global Forum, local hosts launched the event with a cultural spectacle of classical ballet performed by a local dance school. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.425.html Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.425.html Participants from around the world have begun to convene in Florianopolis in Brazil for infoDev's 3rd Global Forum on Innovation and Entrepreneurship. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.420.html Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.420.html On October 20, over 50 leading local and international cleantech innovation experts will convene in Delhi for infoDev's first workshop. Stakeholders will represent a range of industries within the clean technology sector, with experts participating from the private sector, government, academic and research institutions, NGOs, incubators and the entrepreneur community. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.419.html Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.419.html Event marks the importance of research and development for the generation of wealth in the world and shows how companies and countries can take advantage of these values against the backdrop of financial recovery. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.410.html Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.410.html A workshop, organised jointly by the World Bank/infoDev and the OECD, shares and highlights best practices in coherent approaches in ICT for Development. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.418.html Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.418.html infoDev expands into social media ! Become one of our fans in Facebook, Twitter or Youtube. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.411.html Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.411.html The workshop has been prepared by the World Bank Global ICT Department in collaboration with infoDev, IFC, EduTech, WBI, HNP Learning,and CGAP. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.408.html Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.408.html The City of Knowledge has signed an agreement with the InterAmerican Development Bank(MIF - IDB) to support the development of the entrepreneurial culture and the increase of dynamic businesses in Panama and to establish a sustainable scheme for the promotion, incubation and financing of these developments http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.404.html Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.404.html Gain Global Visibility: Apply to have your business featured as a Clean Technology Innovator Case Study. DEADLINE is Friday September 18th. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.397.html Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.397.html While there is much effort & focus on deploying educational hardware in the developing world, much less hype and attention is focusing on the content students will use once these systems are in the hands of hungry young minds. How can educational systems, and the stakeholders that support them, adapt existing and new content onto these devices? Will this adaptation be able to challenge the existing income streams and vested interests of current content production & dissemination models? And should this content focus on ebooks and other electronic media the replicates existing content, or is this an opportunity to change the way in which content is created, teacher’s educate, and students learn? http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.402.html Mon, 10 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.402.html The Forum is the result of a partnership between infoDev, the Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology, the National Association of Entities Fostering Innovative Undertakings (Anprotec) and the Brazilian Service of Support to Micro and Small Businesses (Sebrae). http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.400.html Mon, 10 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.400.html infoDev and the UK Department for International Development (DFID) held a half-day seminar in London on July 7, 2009 to introduce and discuss the concept of climate technology innovation in developing countries and to launch a joint program. The seminar provided valuable input on the topic of low-carbon innovation and strategies for successful planning and implementation of the infoDev & DFID program. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.392.html Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.392.html The World Bank Report takes an in-depth look at how ICT, and particularly broadband and mobile, are impacting economic growth in developing countries. The data section includes at-a-glance tables for 150 economies of the latest available data on ICT sector performance. Performance measures for access, affordability and applications in government and business are also introduced. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.384.html Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.384.html Innovation is key to technology adoption and creation, and to explaining the vast differences in productivity across and within countries. Owner ability, personality traits, and ethnicity have a significant and substantial impact on the likelihood of a firm innovating, confirming the importance of the entrepreneur in the innovation process. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.385.html Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.385.html Sponsored by infoDev and UNESCO, the edutechdebtate.org website seeks to promote a substantive discussion of how educational technology initiatives in developing countries are relevant to the groups they purport to serve - the students, teachers, and their surrounding communities - and to create an open public debate on how best to serve them. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.372.html Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.372.html Watch live from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. (Washington DC EDT) http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.382.html Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.382.html Following a call for candidates in March for the Global Innovators 2009 contest, infoDev is pleased to announce that it has selected eleven entrepreneurs whose success stories will be highlighted at infoDev's 3rd Global Forum on Business Incubation in October 2009. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.376.html Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.376.html The third in a annual series that answers your questions about the state of ICTs in the world http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.380.html Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.380.html IFC and infoDev have jointly launched an online discussion on technology transfer - the process of sharing knowledge and technologies among institutions who can further develop these technologies by creating new products and services. The purpose of this online discussion is to explore how developing countries can best facilitate the transfer and commercialization of technology from research institutions - whether from within their domestic institutions; between developing countries; or between developing and industrialized nations. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.370.html Tue, 05 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.370.html The World Bank's newly relaunched group of blogs includes a site focused on the role of ICT in education. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.355.html Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.355.html The Georgian Association of Women in Business, a non-profit organization, has 10 years of experience in providing business incubation services and supporting small business development. Currently, it operates 3 business incubators: Tbilisi Business Incubator, Svaneti Business Incubator and the new Gori Business Incubator. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.358.html Fri, 01 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.358.html The Development Marketplace is a competitive grant program administered by the World Bank. The 2009 global competition is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and additional DM partners. It aims to identify 20 to 25 innovative, early-stage projects addressing climate adaptation. The DM is a unique opportunity to turn your idea into reality; if selected your project could receive up to US$200,000 in grant funding for implementation over two years. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.347.html Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.347.html Ms. Valerie D'Costa, infoDev's Program Manager, invites you to reflect on the theme for the 3rd infoDev Global Forum on Business Incubation - Innovation and Venture Creation for Inclusive Development - and send us your thoughts to help shape the Global Forum 2009 agenda and activities. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.346.html Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.346.html The Technology and Business Incubation Facility in Kigali, Rwanda, has been named a finalist for the National Business Incubation Association’s 2009 Incubator of the Year award in the nontechnology category. The winner of the prestigious award will be announced on April 21, 2009 at NBIA’s 23rd International Conference on Business Incubation in Kansas City, USA. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.350.html Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.350.html The 3rd Global Forum on Business Incubation will be held in Florianopolis, Brazil on October 26-30, 2009. This new date and location enables both partners to integrate the 3rd infoDev Global Forum with ANPROTEC's 19th Brazilian National Seminar on Science Parks and Business Incubation. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.345.html Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.345.html infoDev is seeking 15-20 successful entrepreneurs working on innovations in sectors such as agriculture, information technology, tourism and sustainable energy / clean technology. Successful applicants will be named 2009 Global Forum Innovators and have their stories highlighted at the 3rd infoDev Global Forum on Business Incubation in October 2009. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.343.html Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.343.html The study reveals opportunities for improving ICT skills in the Caribbean among school dropouts and through promoting employer-sponsored professional development to strengthen both the employability of individual youth and the competitiveness of businesses. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.336.html Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.336.html The International Technology Incubation Forum will be held on March 16-17, 2009 in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Forum will be followed by a 2-day Incubation Manager Training Workshop at the BADIR-ICT Technology Incubator. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.340.html Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.340.html The Toolkit is intended to assist regulators with the design of effective and enabling regulatory frameworks to harness the latest technological and market advances. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.321.html Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.321.html The ecabit network Y2i contest on innovative ideas in business and incubation management among young people will invite three winners to infoDev’s 3rd Global Forum on Business Incubation in Brasilia, Brazil in May 2009. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.313.html Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.313.html Opportunities in the Argentinian venture capital market continue to grow. So far, investments have been made into tens of companies, helping to create hundreds of new jobs. However, in 2008, less than 10% of available venture capital funds have been invested. IECyT conducted research to better understand Argentinian venture capital market trends and industry sectors, as well as the motivations of venture capital agents, to help bridge the gap between supply and demand for venture capital in the country. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.317.html Sat, 10 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.317.html GloTech Organics is a research-based technology venture dedicated to the research, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of agro-based value added products that preserve soil and water, increase plant productivity under a crop eco-system. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.304.html Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.304.html Do you have an entrepreneurial and innovative idea that is locally-driven and has great potential to contribute to sustainable development in developing countries? In January 2009, the SEED Initiative will be launching its call for proposals for the 2009 SEED Awards for entrepreneurship in sustainable development. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.312.html Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.312.html Bharath Agro Products is a venture incubated at the Tiruchirappalli Regional Engineering College - Science & Technology Entrepreneurs Park (TREC-STEP), a member and grantee of infoDev's Global Network of Business Incubators and one of the winners at the Development Marketplace 2008. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.305.html Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.305.html As global competition intensifies and innovation becomes riskier and more costly, the business sector has been internationalising knowledge-intensive corporate functions, including R&D. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.306.html Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.306.html http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.310.html Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.310.html The contest was organized within the framework of the EurOffice Project, where 80 Science Parks from Europe and the rest of world have partnered for creating a set of new venture incubation practices in globalization. The project is partly funded by the European Commission to promote dynamic international networking opportunities and to open international markets for small innovative firms, start-ups and SMEs. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.292.html Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.292.html OECD and the World Bank are joining forces to work more closely on innovation, particularly insofar as this issue is a crucial factor in the success of development policy, notably in middle income market economies. To this end, the OECD and the World Bank will hold a conference on 18-19 November in Paris to discuss issues such as the diffussion of technology in developing countries or the evolution of the ICT sector and its contribution to growth in the OECD and developing countries. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.276.html Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.276.html Proposals were submitted in response to the Call for Proposals under the Korean Turst Fund for ICT for Development. The Korean Trust Fund finances projects chosen followig a competitive selection process of proposals received from operational units for the World Bank. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.277.html Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.277.html More than 200 participants from about 20 countries across Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ECA) gathered in Tambov, Russia, to discuss the potential and challenges for innovation and SME development outside the megapolises in the ECA region. Focus areas included education and youth, social innovation, industrial and technology innovation, tourism and agriculture, including a training session on local economic development and stakeholder management. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.284.html Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.284.html The development community is experiencing an explosion of interest in providing low cost devices, such as laptops, to students in developing countries. infoDev is now working to develop a web-based “community of practice” that will share lessons among the different initiatives. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.275.html Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.275.html More than $4 million was awarded in seed money to 22 innovative agricultural projects at the end of the 2008 Development Marketplace, a competitive grant program organized by the World Bank to fund innovation in development. infoDev is pleased to announce that a member of its Global Network of Business Incubators was awarded for its Mini Cold Storage Ventures project. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.271.html Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.271.html Economic growth and social wealth in the Eastern European and Central Asian region increasingly depends on the ability to foster economic and social development and innovation in small and medium sized towns and rural areas, where business incubators, other business development instruments and the government play a key role. Sharing international experiences about such innovation development is the objective of this international conference. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.265.html Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.265.html infoDev study finds that ICT plays an important role in facilitating the modernization and improved economic performance of firms in transition economies. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.247.html Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.247.html A key finding from infoDev's Incubator Initiative and our country work on growth and competitiveness is that there is little available financing for technology entrepreneurs. Without appropriate financing, the inevitable result is a significant slowdown in the business development process, which, in a fast moving business such as ICT, may ultimately jeopardize chances of success. To better understand the financial challenges facing technology entrepreneurs, infoDev commissioned this study, which assesses the current efforts by multilateral institutions and investors to address the financing needs of ICT and ICT-enabled SMEs in developing countries, and identifies the key challenges and constraints to meeting these needs. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.243.html Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.243.html The incubator selected 12 women (from 60 applicants) in the information and communication technology field for its Empowering Women in ICT 18-month mentoring program, which aims to develop role models and encourage South African women to become ICT entrepreneurs. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.251.html Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.251.html Proposals were submitted in response to RFP "Promoting ICT-enabled Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries through Business Incubation" http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.234.html Mon, 04 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.234.html One of the first tenant companies of YES Incubator, a member of the infoDev Global Network of Business Incubators, won a large-scale tender of the Government of the Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia in July 2008 aiming to provide free ICT trainings for more than 7000 citizens. The “Macedonia – Country of Information Technology“ program aims to extend ICTs to citizens by increasing the Internet penetration rate, PC literacy and PC access. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.249.html Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.249.html The first World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) held in Geneva, Switzerland in December 2003, brought together leaders from governments around the world to discuss and adopt strategies for creating an inclusive Information Society. One outcome of the Summit was a Plan of Action enunciating ten targets to be achieved by 2015 of which the first is: “...to connect villages with ICTs and establish community access points...”. This report describes research to measure that target. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.236.html Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.236.html Tiruchirappalli Regional Engineering College - Science & Technology Entrepreneurs Park (TREC-STEP) from India has been selected as a finalist among 100 candidates for the DM2008 awards. 1,768 proposals were submitted for this year's competition. TREC-STEP has been a member of infoDev's Global Network of Business Incubators since 2004. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.231.html Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.231.html Co-published by The World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Doing Business Report 2008 is the fifth in a series of annual reports investigating the regulations that enhance business activity and those that constrain it. In particular, it identifies countries where to do business, from the easiest to the most difficult places, through indicators on business regulations and the protection of property rights. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.233.html Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.233.html Thirteen youth organizations from Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus received $232,000 in grants on April 4, 2008, from a World Bank led initiative supporting innovative development projects. The organizations are the winners of Youth Development Marketplace (DM) 2008, a competitive grant program of the World Bank. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.220.html Tue, 13 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.220.html infoDev has received 90 proposals from 39 countries as the result of the Call for Proposals on its initative to promote ICT-enabled Innovation and Entrepreneurship in developing countries through business Incubation. http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.228.html Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.infodev.org/en/Article.228.html