The Startup Accelerator That Wants Founders to Move to Africa
fastcoexist.com
fastcoexist.com
Quote 2: "the accelerator invests an average of about $25,000 in early-stage companies"
I don't really care much about whether it's the chicken or the egg but if you give people $25,000 and a 12 weeks to sink or swim you can't really blame them if they create another photo filter app. They sure as heck don't have the runway to solve big complex problems and disrupt industries.
Given the distance and size and scope of Africa's problems maybe they should "disrupt the accelerator industry" and pay two founders salaries for 12 full months to go solve big complex problems.
PS: Africa is not a country, very different situation in each country. So lets stop saying Africa and talk about specific countries because talking about Morocco & Namibia or Egypt & South Africa as the same is just silly.
- Why exactly did you need 25k to build Kenya's first "blog network"?
- Where did the money go? Can you provide us with a break down?
- What prevented you from doing this without the 25k investment? You could have used Wordpress and a host like WPEngine, and I can't think of a cost more than $25-100/month.
- Are you paying writers, or is this all freely written content? Or are you just linking to other blogs in the market?
- Also, not a question, but except for the first link, the other two sites are down for maintenance.
Thanks.
Funny (if not relevant) quote from the show's creator
"What’s the craziest story you’ve heard about an NGO?
I heard from someone in the US that an organization was having a charity auction to raise money for endangered rhinos and the prize for this charity auction was to go hunt a rhino in Namibia. [AIAC note: Yes people, this happened. You can even see it on the Colbert Report and CNN]."
I would rather see an exchange program. trade groups of founders for 6 months at a time.
A successful African developer might have some ideas on a product for rural Americans with poor broadband, or populations that do lots of shopping at small markets rather than grocery stores, or organizing ride shares, or getting low-availability clients to get vaccinated.
Lots of things in America are diminishing in quality. We aren't anywhere near third-world status, but we can learn a lot from the people who have made things work in those badly managed systems.
By African, you mean one of those people who has never seen a stable Internet connection or even a stable power line, or you mean a South African from Johannesburg?
Cause there's a big difference, and I don't think the former would have many good ideas for a developed country, even for it's worst areas. No offense, it's just that the more you're exposed to various things and technologies, even simple ones like silicone sealants, drain pipe cleaners, proper supply/sewage pipe laying, a plotter, or a proper 3-axis lathe, the more you're able to create.
And did you see first hand how things "work" in those systems? They barely function - I'm talking about waste management, bill payment and banking, Internet and electricity, even food and goods delivery/distribution (surprisingly hard when you don't have established land/sea/air shipping routes nearby) - things that you take for granted in the US, UK, Germany, any first world country.
Also, few things are designed for long term over there, it's mostly short term fixes and patches, over and over again.
"it has only accepted five or six companies in some classes due to a lack of fundable options"
In my experience with South Africa there are a LOT of people trying out their luck with accelerators. I don't think it's that they can't find options, but I suppose options they like: and the wider world offers that more than Africans themselves. Hmm.
"Access to $0.80 roti prata and $2.50 nasi lemak"
There is nothing African about this company.
That just sounded wrong..