Editors Note: Contributor: Tech Mistress is not a so young ‘eccentric’, tech loving lady. She likes to share information in funny and witty ways, to inform but yet motivate. You can follow her on twitter – @AbiikeBlogger, and check out her blog – Mumuocrats.
With the recent boom in African economies, Africa is in the spotlight and fore front of Innovation boasting of five recently announced winners of the Google Zeitgeist contest in 2012. Ideas are generated at summits and conferences such as the Open Innovation Africa Summit. The Open Innovation Africa Summit (OIAS) brings together key stakeholders from the African Innovation Ecosystem, engaging them and challenging them in debates.
Ideas to Innovation summit is a global, open innovation competition, a challenge. Everyone loves a challenge and it is free to partcipate, as long as you have an idea. This challenge will act as a stimulating environment for entrepreneurs, students, SMEs, experienced professionals, researchers, local and regional actors, NGOs to share ideas, give and take feedback and show their talent.
The first Open Innovation Africa summit was held in 2010, its goal was to cultivate a reflective mindset among participants that will aid them to stimulate and support economic activities and innovation in their own local counties. Partners of the summit include Nokia, infoDev, Capgemini and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.
Questions like this have to be answered for Africa to maximise its potential. What empowers people to better drive their ideas in business, society or life? How can we encourage people to share and collaborate better for innovation? What societal, structural, financial or technological idea would boost innovation leadership?
The brief is to come up with an idea of a tool or practice on how to ensure that ideas in Africa turn into shining innovations and successful businesses. Creators of the 3 best ideas will be invited to Open Innovation Africa Summit 2012 (OIAS) on May 28-30 to share their thoughts with respected OIAS2 participants – travel (tourist class), summit and accommodation included.
The ideas will be evaluated based on its Impact, Scalability and Novelty. So what are you waiting for? Get on with it, this may be the right platform for you.
