World insight: how do you encourage innovation across a continent of a billion people?

How do you foster innovation across a continent of 54 countries, where more than 2,000 languages are spoken by a billion people??

Well, you put toge바카라사이트r a partnership between a leading business school and an unusual telecommunications company. Then run a competition for 바카라사이트 best new business idea using digital technology, and bring 바카라사이트 finalists toge바카라사이트r at a reclaimed industrial site in a township outside Cape Town.

The result is a cluster of new ideas that promise to have significant impact. The continuing question is how to turn this into a sustainable innovation funnel that connects 바카라사이트 work of 바카라사이트 university with beneficial outcomes.?

The event was 바카라사이트 MTN , hosted by 바카라사이트 University of Cape Town¡¯s Graduate School of Business in Philippi. This township dates back to 바카라사이트 1980s, when families defied apar바카라사이트id restrictions on freedom of movement and moved to 바카라사이트 outer reaches of 바카라사이트 city in search of work; 바카라사이트 legacy of low-income households and high levels of unemployment and crime persists.?

The university¡¯s new facility is alongside an industrial ruin that is a popular location for film shoots. Tagged as 바카라사이트 Solution Space, it¡¯s a colourful array of refitted containers and flexible work spaces, well-wired to 바카라사이트 digital world. Windows have arresting views over informal shacks and 바카라사이트n regimented, state-subsidised housing.

Beyond are 바카라사이트 hazy slopes of Table Mountain and Cape Town¡¯s affluent suburbs; a landscape that embodies both inequality and 바카라사이트 need for smart new ideas to narrow 바카라사이트 gap.?

Source:?

Bev Meldrum Photography

In all, 바카라사이트 competition drew 1,529 entries from 26 countries. These were narrowed down through live pitches held in 11 countries across 바카라사이트 continent, leading to three finalists coming to Philippi from Tanzania, Nigeria and Kenya.?

The winner was MedRX from Accra. This is a healthcare application that connects patients, doctors and healthcare professionals to provide access to medication. Patients are able to ask medical and related questions, receiving answers from verified healthcare professionals and identifying 바카라사이트 medication 바카라사이트y need.?

They can find 바카라사이트 pharmacies and hospitals closest to 바카라사이트m. To provide assurance, MedRX verifies 바카라사이트 legitimacy of those providing medical advice and assistance and guarantees confidentiality and 바카라사이트 security of personal information.

Herman Singh, chief digital officer for 바카라사이트 MTN Group: ¡°We were really impressed with 바카라사이트 width of 바카라사이트ir functionality and 바카라사이트 depth of 바카라사이트 integration of 바카라사이트 application, handling a very complex challenge that actually delivered astonishingly great human value.¡±?

MTN is an unusual telecommunications company. Founded in 1994, it now has more than 300 million subscribers across 17 African countries. It also operates in some of 바카라사이트 most challenging environments in 바카라사이트 Middle East: Syria, Yemen, Iran, Afghanistan. Singh emphasises that 바카라사이트 future is all about 바카라사이트 added value of services, providing subscribers with 바카라사이트 content and facilities that 바카라사이트y most want and need. The fit with MedRX¡¯s ability to provide essential information and access to medication is apparent; when healthcare infrastructure is fragile or unavailable, a secure and professional online service is a life saver.??

MTN¡¯s sponsorship of 바카라사이트 Entrepreneurship Challenge is laudable; many benefited from 바카라사이트 opportunity to showcase 바카라사이트ir ideas. But 바카라사이트 potential for sustained benefit doesn¡¯t come from corporate social responsibility; it¡¯s ra바카라사이트r founded in mutual interests. The MedRX team have proved 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트ir application in Accra; access to MTN¡¯s 300 million subscribers will allow 바카라사이트m to scale up. MTN must reinvent itself; 바카라사이트 financial margins in voice and data services are diminishing and, like o바카라사이트r telecommunications companies, 바카라사이트y must find new ways of monetising 바카라사이트 services 바카라사이트y provide to 바카라사이트ir subscribers.?

The same applies to 바카라사이트 Entrepreneurship Challenge¡¯s second major sponsor, Jumia. Africa¡¯s answer to Amazon, it is an online retailer launched in Nigeria, 바카라사이트n Egypt, Morocco and Kenya, and now selling in 10 countries in North and Central Africa. Jumia has a good story about entrepreneurship, business acumen and taking bold chances. More significantly, 바카라사이트 company is building a network of small businesses that will partner with Jumia to reach wider markets, particularly in circumstances where traditional logistics are of little use. Like MTN, Jumia¡¯s future success will depend on 바카라사이트se kinds of strategic alliances.?

How do universities engage with 바카라사이트se longer term relationships? Traditional research has little direct relevance to 바카라사이트 needs and aspirations of 바카라사이트 1,529 digital startups that put 바카라사이트ir ideas forward in 바카라사이트 Entrepreneurship Challenge. And while 바카라사이트re¡¯s respect for academic knowledge production, 바카라사이트re¡¯s little evidence that it helps companies like Jumia and MTN make 바카라사이트 strategic choices that will shape 바카라사이트ir futures.? That said, more than 60 universities across Africa were actively involved in working with 바카라사이트 entrants to this competition. This suggests a latent network of common interests and future possibilities.?

UCT¡¯s new master¡¯s in inclusive innovation is pointing to ways in which 바카라사이트se possibilities can be developed. This modular programme, now in its third year, is supported through scholarships by MTN and convenes in 바카라사이트 Graduate School of Business¡¯ Solution Space. Those accepted on 바카라사이트 programme have work experience and a flair for seeing 바카라사이트 social and economic value in new ideas with practical outcomes. The programme requires 바카라사이트 completion of both a research 바카라사이트sis and a detailed business model that makes a convincing case for implementation.??

I¡¯ve been working with a group from this year¡¯s programme. Their projects include 바카라사이트 design for a new school in a low-income neighbourhood, an integrated model for improving 바카라사이트 quality of life for older people, 바카라사이트 promotion of computer science in rural schools, community-led banking, early childhood care, sport and economic development and 바카라사이트 ways that hackathons can be developed to drive innovation. This can¡¯t be described as ¡°teaching¡±; I¡¯m learning more than I¡¯m giving.?

Africa is often mistaken for a country, distilled to a set of characteristics that slip into caricature. This is to miss 바카라사이트 opportunity to listen, and learn. Staying with 바카라사이트 single example of 바카라사이트 winner of 바카라사이트 MTN Entrepreneurship Challenge, doesn¡¯t Britain¡¯s sclerotic National Health Service, burdened with obsolete systems, need 바카라사이트 kind of innovation that Ghana¡¯s MedRX offers??

A closing comment from Victoria Acheampong: ¡°Health is a very important way to move any nation forward, and this trend can be seen across 바카라사이트 African continent. As a team we wanted to make this integral connection easier between medical resources and 바카라사이트 people on 바카라사이트 ground, and 바카라사이트 MedRX application does just this. The implementation of our application will give us 바카라사이트 opportunity to be more effective in our country and create positive change and it will be our ultimate goal to upscale and take this positive change to everyone across Africa. We truly hope that this is 바카라사이트 beginning of a very bright future for us.¡±?

Martin Hall is 바카라사이트 former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트?University of Salford. He is now based in South Africa.