• ACTIV - the Africa Center for Technology Innovation and Ventures
• Africa Technology Index
• (BITS) Business Initiative for Technology and Society
  Africa

ACTIV
April 18, 2001 - The Africa Technology Forum, in an effort to promote the creation of African made technology and to encourage technology innovation and entrepreneurship, is launching ACTIV - the Africa Center for Technology Innovation and Ventures. The first center will be opened in Cameroon and will serve as a pilot for centers to be opened throughout the continent.
 
Each center will offer the following:

• A laboratory environment for Africans to develop and test new technology, especially that developed for the African market.- Space and a forum for Africans and non-Africans to showcase new technologies
  
• Training and seminars on new technologies
  
• Tutoring for youth in science and math using the latest tools in education (e-learning, interactive learning)
  
• Incubator for innovative technology entrepreneurs

The Africa Technology Forum believes that Africa can lead, not simply follow the technology revolution. In order to make this dream a reality, the Africa Tech Forum has engaged in a number of initiatives that will allow Africa to leapfrog to the forefront of digital pioneering. 
The Africa Technology Forum is looking for partners and donations to make this project a success. If you can help, e-mail us at info@africatechforum.org.

Africa Technology Index

The Africa Technology Forum is developing the Africa Technology Index, a report ranking African countries on their technology-enabling environments. The Forum, in association with Columbia University Business School students, will base the index on some criteria that are currently under development.  
Examples of the criteria that will be used to evaluate these countries are relative teledensity, current technology laws and regulations and the application of these laws, the extent of collaboration between the public sector and the technology private sector, participation of women in ICT, and the number of cyber cafes available for public use in those countries. It is expected that the report will be available in June 2003.

Business Initiative for Technology and Society
(BITS) Africa

Bethesda, MD, September 4, 2002- The Africa Technology Forum (ATF), a non-profit organization designed to promote technology in Africa and foster African entrepreneurship, today announced the selection of Ms. Ije Ikoku of Rancard Solutions in Ghana and Mr. Samuel Mugisha of Integrated Technical Solutions Limited in Uganda as the two winners for its BITS Africa initiative, a program sponsored by the World Economic Forum Global Leaders for Tomorrow and the Africa Technology Forum. Members of the World Economic Forum BITS Africa task force and the board members of the Africa Technology Forum selected both Ms. Ikoku and Mr. Mugisha in a voting process. A total of 4 candidates were selected in last month's selection process as finalists for the semi- final round, which took, place last month.

BITS Africa is a mentorship initiative for young entrepreneurs, especially women who are starting a technology business. Each selected applicant will be mentored by a Global Leader for Tomorrow (GLT) who will provide guidance and expertise to help grow the business. It is a pilot project designed to evolve into a sustainable business incubator for Africa.

This initiative addresses two issues identified by World Economic Forum (WEF) as critical for economic growth in Africa: entrepreneurship development and bridging the digital divide.

The goals of the project are:

To make the entrepreneurial expertise of Global Leader for Tomorrow (GLTs) available to those who are new to technology entrepreneurship. To increase the quality and execution of existing digital ventures for the benefit of both business and society in Africa by fostering social entrepreneurship. To increase networking opportunities for African technology entrepreneurs. To increase awareness about digital business opportunities in Africa in the local and international investor community. To create a venture fund for digital entrepreneurs in Africa.

The following are Year One deliverables:

Production of a catalog of digital initiatives and entrepreneurs in Africa. Launch of a mentor program in which GLTs make their expertise available to select African entrepreneurs Showcase of select participants at key conferences  Registration for the mentorship program has been closed. Thank you to all who have applied. The review process is underway, and the selected applicants will be announced in the near future. The Criteria of selection will be based on Focus on technology - the applicant must be building a technology company.  Impact on Society - What impact will this venture have on the applicant's community at large? Who else benefits from the entrepreneur's success? Does the technology have a health or educational benefit for example? African based venture - the business and the entrepreneur must be based in Africa.