iHub Research Gets Funding For ICT Hubs Study

August 18, 2012 Editor 0

We are glad to announce that iHub Research has received a grant award of GBP 10,000 funding from IndigoTrust. This grant will be used to accelerate the on-going snapshot research study on ICT Hubs/Labs around Africa (AfriLabs and others). The objective of the study is to understand the models of the Hubs/Labs, its entrepreneurs and the sustainable impact of these Hubs/Labs in spurring innovations that improve livelihoods. We are looking for more avenues for financial help to accelerate the research study.

The goal is to collaborate with these Hubs/Labs in the long term in order to iterate and conduct phased studies as their models keep changing and evolving. In addition, generate findings that can help them learn from each other through collaborative efforts that will benefit their members for successful implementation plan.  (To read the full report on Hive Colab model, visit here!)

‘We’re delighted to award a grant to iHub towards the research which they are conducting in order to determine the attributes which contribute towards the success of a hub.  It’s fantastic that they are taking the time to probe more deeply into the wide variety of projects which are being supported by hubs and to better understand the business models and strategies of the various hubs.  We are also aware that hubs are operating in dramatically different contexts and budgets and it will be useful to ascertain the differences and similarities between hubs in different locations.  We wish the team every success in this valuable endeavour.’ Dr Loren Treisman, Executive, The Indigo Trust.

The ICT Hubs have also created opportunities for young people with high tech skills such as software engineering, design, and development. Many of these skills are being nurtured in the Information Communication (ICT) hubs, where technology-oriented individuals gather and collaborate. However, little inquiry has been done to understand the various ICT Hub models developing all over Africa, and how such factors influence the entrepreneurs and the sustainability of the spaces. iHub Research aims to fill this dearth of  information.

The scope of the study is 15 Hubs. The first ICT Hub of the 15 hubs to be profiled within this study series wasiHub, Nairobi’s innovation Hub for the Technology Community. The second Hub that forms part of the study is Hive Colab in Uganda. Each Hub that forms part of this study, will take approximately 2-3 months to complete the overall snapshot study. This will involve a phased out process of data collection, analysis and reporting each Hub/Lab at a time.

Thereafter, the snapshot studies will be aggregated to a final report that will draw the findings of all the 15 Hubs/Labs. Before the release of the final report of all the Hubs, constant follow ups and feedback will be made to continuously amend any major changes before publishing the combined report that will summarize the key findings, unique similarities and differences and how/what the Hubs/Labs can learn from each other.

iHub Research welcomes the collaboration of the other Hubs/Labs around Africa to join and be part of this study in order to generate an ecosystem of joint collaboration and learn from each other. Partnerships between ICT Hubs can play a key role in enhancing real growth and success to the entrepreneurs as they provide a conduit for the spillover of knowledge from one Hub to another. Knowledge is created and transformed into innovative activity, which enhances the competitiveness of an industry and a country’s economy to grow very fast.

To read the full report on Hive Colab model, visit here!

If you are a Hub/Lab around Africa and you want to collaborate with iHub Research on the ICT Hubs project, contact us at hilda@ihub.co.ke

 

 

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Categories: mLab

Tags: ict hub, iHub research, Lab, report on Hive Colab model, study