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Access to Markets and Finance

An infoDev, Finland, and Nokia Partnership for Creating Sustainable Businesses in the Knowledge Economy

A2MF at the Global Forum:

Congratulations to the Access to Markets and Finance Awardees! Stay tuned for more information on these innovative SMEs. Go to Access to Markets and Finance

Agribusiness Entrepreneurship

infoDev is applying its innovation and technology expertise to accelerate the growth of innovative agribusiness SMEs that create sustainable incomes and increase productivity and competitiveness.   Go to Agribusiness Entrepreneurship

Climate Technology Program

Accelerating Innovation in the Development, Deployment and Transfer of Clean Technologies
<i>info</i>Dev Climate Technology Program: Accelerating Innovation in the Development, Deployment and Transfer of Clean Technologies The World Bank Group’s infoDev is designing and launching a network of Climate Innovation Centers (CICs) to accelerate the development, deployment, and transfer of locally relevant climate technologies. The CICs boost developing country Green Growth and job creation by financing and supporting the competitive and profitable involvement of cleantech SMEs in local and international supply-chains and markets. Go to Climate Technology Program

Creating Sustainable Businesses

 

Finland-<i>info</i>Dev Program logo

Finland, Nokia, and infoDev partner in a €12.9 million program Creating Sustainable Businesses in the Knowledge Economy. The aim of the program is to encourage innovation and competitiveness among SMEs in the information and communication technologies and agribusiness sectors in particular. Go to Creating Sustainable Businesses

Entrepreneurship Program for Innovation in the Caribbean

EPIC: A Partnership Between infoDev and the Canadian International Development Agency
The Entrepreneurship Program for Innovation in the Caribbean seeks to promote economic diversification and productivity in the Caribbean through the promotion of technology-based entrepreneurship in the region. Go to Entrepreneurship Program for Innovation in the Caribbean

Global Forum on Innovation & Technology Entrepreneurship

May 30 - June 3, 2011 in Helsinki, Finland
Program highlights included:
  • 2-day business incubator manager training & certification of first infoDev trainers in Africa
  • SME Fair: infoDev's "Top50" companies & 20 Access to Markets and Finance awards
  • Policymaker roundtable
  • Matchmaking for businesses, investors, ideas
  • Regional and thematic deep dives
  • Site visits in Helsinki & Tallinn
    • Go to Global Forum on Innovation & Technology Entrepreneurship

    ICT Policy & Regulation

    Telecommunications Regulation in an Era of Transition
    infoDev is a trusted voice for cutting-edge analysis and recommendations for appropriate ICT policies and regulations. Also see our work on extending access to ICTs. Go to ICT Policy & Regulation

    Innovation & Entrepreneurship

    Promoting ICT-Enabled Entrepreneurship through Business Incubation
    Promoting ICT-enabled entrepreneurship in developing countries  - infoDev's global business incubator network consists of nearly 300 incubators in over 80 developing countries assisting 20,000 enterprises which have created more than 220,000 jobs. More information about the network - including a Directory with over 140 profiles, an Incubator Toolkit, Success Stories and ICT Tools - can be found at www.idisc.net. Go to Innovation & Entrepreneurship

    Mobile Innovation for Development

    Finland-<i>info</i>Dev Program logoAs part of the Creating Sustainable Businesses in the Knowledge Economy program and to encourage innovation and competitiveness among SMEs, Finland, Nokia, and infoDev have placed a special importance on developing mobile activities. Go to Mobile Innovation for Development

    Spatial Data Infrastructure

    Using SDI and Geographic Information Systems to Monitor Development Outcomes
    GIS is now essential for many technical experts in development. Its unique integrating capabilities make GIS a powerful tool for monitoring development outcomes. As organizations using GIS need to integrate data from different sources, it is essential to create an environment that supports ready access and wider use of spatial data. This can be done by establishing sound SDI practices.  The Spatial Data Infrastructure for Development (SDI4MDGs) project will synthesize lessons from global experience on how this powerful tool can help to monitor and achieve the Millennium Development  Goals. 
        Go to Spatial Data Infrastructure

    Other Topics

    Access to ICT

    Broadening the reach and affordability of ICTs
    Extending ICT benefits to all ICTs can only serve as effective tools of broad-based development, poverty reduction and opportunity for all, if people in every corner of developing countries—and at all levels of society—have reliable and affordable access to them. Broadening the reach and affordability of these technologies and services is a complex and difficult challenge for many developing countries, requiring substantial investments that are often unaffordable for the public sector and unattractive to the private sector. Go to Access to ICT

    Education

    Using ICTs to deliver, improve, and kick-start innovation in education
    ICTs and Education For All infoDev is developing a rich knowledge resource of survey reports, briefing sheets, handbooks, toolkits, case studies, best practice and lessons learned in ICT4E (Information and Communication Technologies for Development). Click through to our must-read surveys of ICT4E in India and South Asia, the Caribbean and Africa or take part in the lively discussions on educational technology at the EduTechDebate blog supported by infoDev and UNESCO. Go to Education

    eTransform Africa

    Transformation Ready: The strategic application of information and communication technologies in Africa
    The World Bank Group and the African Development Bank, with the support of the African Union, intend to produce a new flagship report on how information and communication technologies (ICTs), especially mobile phones, have the potential to change fundamental business models in key sectors for Africa. The overall goal is to raise awareness and stimulate action, especially among African governments and development practitioners, of how ICTs can contribute to the improvement and transformation of traditional and new economic and social activities. Furthermore, the studies should recommend ways to scale up the successful application of ICTs and to further operationalize their use within a number of strategic sectors, while paying appropriate attention to associated risks. Go to eTransform Africa

    Governance

    Increasing civic engagement, transparency, and accountability through ICTs
    ICTs and effective, accountable, participatory governance Among the many promises of the digital revolution is its potential to empower individuals and communities and make governments more efficient, transparent, accountable and responsive to the needs of their citizens. In this section, infoDev provides an Introduction to E-Government and related material, to assist developing countries and their partners in the international development community to better understand the power of ICTs for these purposes. Go to Governance

    Health

    Opportunities and challenges in using ICTs to improve public health
    ICTs and the health sector 
    Improving the health of individuals and communities, and strengthening health systems, disease detection and prevention are crucial to development and poverty reduction. ICT has the potential to impact almost every aspect of the health sector. In public health, information management and communication processes are pivotal, and are facilitated or limited by available ICT. Go to Health

    ICT East Africa

    Supporting the ICT sector in East Africa
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                            The arrival of sub-marine fiber optic cables in East Africa presents a significant development opportunity in East Africa. The emerging ICT sector is poised to be a major pillar in the development of the region. Policy makers and multi-laterals have both invested significant capital to enable the growth of this sector. Go to ICT East Africa

    infoDev Annual Symposium, 2010

    Clean, Green and Mobile; Making Technology Work for the Poor
    Click on 'Links' at left for presentations, photos, audio and documents. infoDev held its Annual Symposium this week, 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’. Go to infoDev Annual Symposium, 2010

    Monitoring & Evaluation

    Assessing the impact of ICTs in development efforts
    What works?  What doesn't?  How do we know?  Initiatives using ICTs for development (ICT4D) have proliferated, with a corresponding increase in resources devoted to them, in the hope that ICTs can help developing countries reach the Millennium Development Goals. Yet rigorous, field-tested knowledge about ICT4D issues, and a deeper understanding of the enabling conditions and success factors in ICT4D initiatives, have been relatively scarce. Go to Monitoring & Evaluation

    Programmes & Reports

    Rural Livelihoods

    Increasing economic and social opportunity using ICTs
    Reducing poverty through ICTs Even the poorest people have information and communication needs. Reducing the number of individuals and families living in poverty is a fundamental goal of the international development community. Yet it is a goal that has proved elusive in many countries.  ICTs, properly adapted, can help enhance the livelihoods of the poor in numerous ways. Go to Rural Livelihoods

    Telecommunications Regulation Handbook

    Telecommunications Regulation in an Era of Transition
    The Telecommunications Regulation Handbook, the invaluable reference guide for regulators everywhere, has been revised and updated to mark the tenth anniversary of its publication in 2000. The ICT Regulation Toolkit is a live resource for policy-makers, regulators, the telecom industry, and consumers. It provides a global overview of how telecom policy is best implemented with practical materials highlighting experience and results.  More Go to Telecommunications Regulation Handbook
    Devices: Fishermen in Senegal are now able to get more for their catch by comparing prices online. (Photo: <i>info</i>Dev )

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