Highlights: Nokia African innovation summit in Kenya
Innovation takes courage....to imagine, to act and to persist. This was one of the key statements made today at the Nokia African innovation Summit in Nairobi, Kenya. The event brought together African technologists, bloggers, companies and policy makers. An overview of some highlights:
- An early entrant into the African market, Nokia sees rising competition (not always from expected corners) and must continually innovate if they are to remain relevant. It's also about understanding what makes a market unique and building solutions for that.
- The conference was broadly divided into four main themes:
- If anything, the content of the event is in response to growing potential for innovation in Africa, building on early successes mike Mxit and M-pesa, and a growing demand by the youth for opportunity.
- +1 MT @jukkasiltanen: Everyone connected @ Open Innovation Africa Summit opening session yfrog.com/kg1p4rvkj #OIAS #biz #in
The Need to Innovate
- The need for innovation is a global one. Only through the process of innovation might solutions be discovered, harnessed and implemented that are capable of tackling global challenges. And if anything, the flattening of the world means that now innovation can come from anywhere in the world. At the same time, certain restraints can spur new approaches that saw the likes of M-pesa grow in East Africa.
RT @whiteafrican: Mobile penetration (60-70%) is greater than banking penetration (30%) in most African countries #OIAS
RT “@pkukubo: Fred Swaniker, co-founder of the African Leadership Academy gives his perspective on leadership #oias http://pic.twitter.com/CM3HXykj”Forward Looking
- Much of the focus is on the entrepreneurial youth and creating the environment and support systems that allow them to realize their potential.
Creativity and innovation = Courage to imagine, courage to act, courage to persist - Patrick Awuah #OIAS http://pic.twitter.com/wgMKhcLd
