@Matogo

In all honesty the potential that you are talking about, I only see as opportunity (for them) - there's a big untapped market for their technologies. That's why the big guys are coming in en masse.

I believe that the aim of allowing the big guys to setup shop should also be to build local capacity not just to bring in great tech, otherwise they (IBM et al) will be the only ones scoring big. I agree they might be making massive investments but you know what, the IP, the technologies will still belong to IBM even though they are applied here.

So then what happens when say IBM decides to close shop 5-10 years down the line? (Or even if they dont really). No local capacity to replicate the efforts. So technically, we still endup where we were before they came because guess what, the staff that they brought in from the US will most likely decide to go back as well.

-Billy

2013/2/15 John Matogo <jmatogo@strathmore.edu>

Hi Philip.
I listened to the director of the research lab and the IBM VP talk about why the company took the decision to set up in Kenya, their decision was based on the potential of Kenya. While your sentiments may be correct to some extent, they are based on the here and now. IBM is looking at the longer term. The investment they are making is massive but I believe the returns will be even bigger.

In addition, we are in a developing economy there are numerous problems that can be solved by technology. This presents lots of opportunity to develop new technologies, ideas, IP etc..

I hope this adds to the discussion. We are doing a great job but there is more to be done.

Best
--
Regards,

John Matogo
Manager
Incubation Centre, @iBizAfrica
Strathmore University
P.O. Box 59857-00200 Nairobi, KENYA
Tel: +254 070 303 4280 (direct line)
Personal Mobile:+254 722 813 533
Twitter: @jmatogo
LinkedIn: http://tinyurl.com/avcn7qu
Web: www.strathmore.edu and http://www.ibizafrica.co.ke/

On Fri, Feb 15, 2013 at 12:30 PM, Philip Musyoki <pmusyoki@gmail.com> wrote:

And so I wonder, apart from public relations, why did they locate their research lab in Nairobi? They could have well had this lab in their Armonk, NY HQ and research will go on since it is not a material intensive venture that has to rely on a specific location.

I believe Kenya has really good technical brains, but they lack the kind of exposure that their western counterparts have.

Also, Kenyan universities aren't exactly doing a great job either.

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