Kenya's technology push leaves investors cold
Found this in the kictanet list, thought it would spur a discussion here. There are words of truth in it, they will be tough to agree with especially if you're in a start up. But I somewhat agree, there is a lot of hype in tech here. The comments make for an interesting read. http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate-News/Kenya-s-technology-push-le...
What really is the so-called silicon savanah? Once a need has been met, move on. Once mobile money rattled pages elsewhere, everyone jumped on the bandwagon. Mpesa this , mpesa that. If your idea had nothing to do with mobile money, interest is lost. AfricaRising and Silicon savannah hype. Lots to learn from the start-up capital of the world : http://nocamels.com/2014/12/top-israeli-companies-innovations-2014/ ./bernard -----Original Message----- From: "John K. via skunkworks" <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> Sent: 1/6/2015 10:08 AM To: "Skunkworks Mailing List" <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> Subject: [Skunkworks] Kenya's technology push leaves investors cold Found this in the kictanet list, thought it would spur a discussion here. There are words of truth in it, they will be tough to agree with especially if you're in a start up. But I somewhat agree, there is a lot of hype in tech here. The comments make for an interesting read. http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate-News/Kenya-s-technology-push-le...
Indeed. Lots to learn, time for us to see past the "M-" blinders that have made us forget that there is a lot more out there. However I suspect that if Safaricom does indeed launch their mythical api, then there will be renewed interest mobile money related apps/services so the cycle may start again. Sigh. On 6 January 2015 at 10:27, Bernard Mwagiru <bmwagiru@gmail.com> wrote:
What really is the so-called silicon savanah? Once a need has been met, move on. Once mobile money rattled pages elsewhere, everyone jumped on the bandwagon. Mpesa this , mpesa that. If your idea had nothing to do with mobile money, interest is lost. AfricaRising and Silicon savannah hype.
Lots to learn from the start-up capital of the world : http://nocamels.com/2014/12/top-israeli-companies-innovations-2014/
./bernard ------------------------------ From: John K. via skunkworks <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> Sent: 1/6/2015 10:08 AM To: Skunkworks Mailing List <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> Subject: [Skunkworks] Kenya's technology push leaves investors cold
Found this in the kictanet list, thought it would spur a discussion here.
There are words of truth in it, they will be tough to agree with especially if you're in a start up. But I somewhat agree, there is a lot of hype in tech here. The comments make for an interesting read.
http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate-News/Kenya-s-technology-push-le...
Products that meet a basic need in this part of the world do well and will attract funding: BRCK, Mkopa,etc. ./bernard -----Original Message----- From: "John K." <kamau.john@gmail.com> Sent: 1/6/2015 10:40 AM To: "Bernard Mwagiru" <bmwagiru@gmail.com> Cc: "Skunkworks Mailing List" <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> Subject: Re: [Skunkworks] Kenya's technology push leaves investors cold Indeed. Lots to learn, time for us to see past the "M-" blinders that have made us forget that there is a lot more out there. However I suspect that if Safaricom does indeed launch their mythical api, then there will be renewed interest mobile money related apps/services so the cycle may start again. Sigh. On 6 January 2015 at 10:27, Bernard Mwagiru <bmwagiru@gmail.com> wrote: What really is the so-called silicon savanah? Once a need has been met, move on. Once mobile money rattled pages elsewhere, everyone jumped on the bandwagon. Mpesa this , mpesa that. If your idea had nothing to do with mobile money, interest is lost. AfricaRising and Silicon savannah hype. Lots to learn from the start-up capital of the world : http://nocamels.com/2014/12/top-israeli-companies-innovations-2014/ ./bernard From: John K. via skunkworks Sent: 1/6/2015 10:08 AM To: Skunkworks Mailing List Subject: [Skunkworks] Kenya's technology push leaves investors cold Found this in the kictanet list, thought it would spur a discussion here. There are words of truth in it, they will be tough to agree with especially if you're in a start up. But I somewhat agree, there is a lot of hype in tech here. The comments make for an interesting read. http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate-News/Kenya-s-technology-push-le...
Agreed. On 6 January 2015 at 10:57, Bernard Mwagiru <bmwagiru@gmail.com> wrote:
Products that meet a basic need in this part of the world do well and will attract funding: BRCK, Mkopa,etc.
./bernard ------------------------------ From: John K. <kamau.john@gmail.com> Sent: 1/6/2015 10:40 AM To: Bernard Mwagiru <bmwagiru@gmail.com> Cc: Skunkworks Mailing List <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> Subject: Re: [Skunkworks] Kenya's technology push leaves investors cold
Indeed. Lots to learn, time for us to see past the "M-" blinders that have made us forget that there is a lot more out there. However I suspect that if Safaricom does indeed launch their mythical api, then there will be renewed interest mobile money related apps/services so the cycle may start again. Sigh.
On 6 January 2015 at 10:27, Bernard Mwagiru <bmwagiru@gmail.com> wrote:
What really is the so-called silicon savanah? Once a need has been met, move on. Once mobile money rattled pages elsewhere, everyone jumped on the bandwagon. Mpesa this , mpesa that. If your idea had nothing to do with mobile money, interest is lost. AfricaRising and Silicon savannah hype.
Lots to learn from the start-up capital of the world : http://nocamels.com/2014/12/top-israeli-companies-innovations-2014/
./bernard ------------------------------ From: John K. via skunkworks <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> Sent: 1/6/2015 10:08 AM To: Skunkworks Mailing List <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> Subject: [Skunkworks] Kenya's technology push leaves investors cold
Found this in the kictanet list, thought it would spur a discussion here.
There are words of truth in it, they will be tough to agree with especially if you're in a start up. But I somewhat agree, there is a lot of hype in tech here. The comments make for an interesting read.
http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate-News/Kenya-s-technology-push-le...
I always wonder why we struggle to skip stages and try and be 'Developed' economies without minding the basics. We ignore what the Asians did to climb out of poverty and struggle to emulate Americans. Different culture, ideology and needs. So long as we neglect our small scale farmers and 'informal sector' players we will limp along ever behind everyone else. Little if any of this technology that is fueling the Savannah is made here including M-Pesa. If it was then the powers that be are happy that Vodafone own the rights and are happy with this status. Other than KopoKopo, BRCK and a few other sms based school management systems the rest are a cut and paste from somewhere else. And 90% of these are run by foreigners. I know Eric Hersman is as much a Kenyan as any of us but I trust you understand what I mean. In my opinion this is a good thing though that we attract talent that can see a market we cant. The ecosystem grows and that is progress. My major gripe is in our dependence on foreign journalists/investors to tell our story. I would think by now there would be a serious rebuttal by a local journalist on the points raised here offering local insight or an opinion from the said innovators. On Tue, Jan 6, 2015 at 11:01 AM, John K. via skunkworks < skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> wrote:
Agreed.
On 6 January 2015 at 10:57, Bernard Mwagiru <bmwagiru@gmail.com> wrote:
Products that meet a basic need in this part of the world do well and will attract funding: BRCK, Mkopa,etc.
./bernard ------------------------------ From: John K. <kamau.john@gmail.com> Sent: 1/6/2015 10:40 AM To: Bernard Mwagiru <bmwagiru@gmail.com> Cc: Skunkworks Mailing List <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> Subject: Re: [Skunkworks] Kenya's technology push leaves investors cold
Indeed. Lots to learn, time for us to see past the "M-" blinders that have made us forget that there is a lot more out there. However I suspect that if Safaricom does indeed launch their mythical api, then there will be renewed interest mobile money related apps/services so the cycle may start again. Sigh.
On 6 January 2015 at 10:27, Bernard Mwagiru <bmwagiru@gmail.com> wrote:
What really is the so-called silicon savanah? Once a need has been met, move on. Once mobile money rattled pages elsewhere, everyone jumped on the bandwagon. Mpesa this , mpesa that. If your idea had nothing to do with mobile money, interest is lost. AfricaRising and Silicon savannah hype.
Lots to learn from the start-up capital of the world : http://nocamels.com/2014/12/top-israeli-companies-innovations-2014/
./bernard ------------------------------ From: John K. via skunkworks <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> Sent: 1/6/2015 10:08 AM To: Skunkworks Mailing List <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> Subject: [Skunkworks] Kenya's technology push leaves investors cold
Found this in the kictanet list, thought it would spur a discussion here.
There are words of truth in it, they will be tough to agree with especially if you're in a start up. But I somewhat agree, there is a lot of hype in tech here. The comments make for an interesting read.
http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate-News/Kenya-s-technology-push-le...
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-- Regards, Mark Mwangi markmwangi.me.ke
"But there is hope. African economies continue to expand rapidly, Safaricom has launched super-fast 4G internet and 19 million Kenyans are expected to own smartphones by end of 2017." Come on. Internet penetration is better than never before. Economies expand yet electricity costs are prohibitive and access to credit for innovation elusive. ./bernard -----Original Message----- From: "John K. via skunkworks" <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> Sent: 1/6/2015 10:08 AM To: "Skunkworks Mailing List" <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> Subject: [Skunkworks] Kenya's technology push leaves investors cold Found this in the kictanet list, thought it would spur a discussion here. There are words of truth in it, they will be tough to agree with especially if you're in a start up. But I somewhat agree, there is a lot of hype in tech here. The comments make for an interesting read. http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate-News/Kenya-s-technology-push-le...
participants (3)
-
Bernard Mwagiru -
John K. -
Mark Mwangi