Access to technological resources, such as mobile networks, smart-phones and feature-phones, open source software and cloud computing, is increasing. Thus it becomes possible to build technological solutions to problems facing African communities and business at a lower cost. We might soon see a boom in local African tech start-ups. Therefore, we here present a few tips to the budding African tech entrepreneur who wants to focus on the local market and has limited resources at hand.
Learn.
Any successful entrepreneur will tell you that the most important thing to do before launching a venture is proper market research. Find out which problems are facing people or businesses in your community, and how a technological solution may be applied. Look for problem areas where many are affected, and for groups of similar problems that can be solved with a single technological solution.
Do.
At some point, preferably as soon as possible, the time comes to put your plan into action. Mobile penetration in Africa is high [1] so if you are aiming at the local market a mobile solution is often essential. Remember that the reliability of connection and cost of bandwidth are problematic areas in many African countries. Always take such issues into consideration when designing solutions targeted at the African market.
If you are new to the world of software and web development it may seem like a place of magic and mystery. It is actually not. There are a lot of resources, tools and platforms available for free to help you get started. The Python African Tour [2] is aiming to boost local software development skills in Africa. Mozillas School of Webcraft [3] is an excellent free educational resource for those wanting to learn web development. A popular example of a cloud application platform that is free to use for smaller projects is Google App Engine [4].
Earn.
At the end of the day the bills need to be paid. You also want to make enough profit to grow your business further. How you make money will ultimately depend on the nature of your business. If your business has a local presence you will typically be in a strong position to negotiate partnerships and revenue sharing deals with other local businesses. It is advantageous to look for such opportunities even before you start development.
In conclusion, it is an exciting time to be involved in the African tech landscape. With increasing access to low-cost technological resources, the barrier to entry is lower than ever. Lets hope that African entrepreneurs will seize this opportunity.
Post published in: News