Supportive ecosystems
The ecosystem is a key factor in acceleration and success when implementing innovative projects. It brings together all the partners: entrepreneurs, universities, research bodies, investment partners; provides physical spaces, promotes dialog and the sharing of experience... For the past few months, the talents from Diaspora Techs have enhanced the ecosystem and are starting to play a key role in speeding up innovation and in helping start-ups on the path to success.
Diaspora Techs: an increasing role in the development of emerging countries
There are several examples of Diaspora Techs helping their country to rise to the challenges of globalization: Indus Entrepreneurs, which pool Indian talent throughout the world, and are behind the “10,000 start-ups” incubator in the Bangalore Valley; TechWadi, the Arab-Californian network, or the African diaspora which supports many of the continent’s incubators. These Diaspora talents established in technological hubs of the North can boost start-ups back at home by helping them to grow and become international. They become coaches for young entrepreneurs in their country of origin, business angels investing in start-ups and facilitators between North and South.
The success of Senegalese Diaspora Tech entrepreneurship
Created in March 2008, Nelam Services is a Senegalese company incubated at CITC that provides web solutions tailored to African organizations, enabling them to develop their potential thanks to new technologies. The company is also behind the leading Senegalese website, dedicated to culture and events: agendakar.com. Its founder, Alassane Deme, is a genuine product of Diaspora Tech: he studied software engineering in France, before getting his first job with a French telecoms operator. He then returned to Senegal, keen to share his expertise with start-ups in his country before creating his own structure.
Have you heard about French Tech?
In contrast to Diaspora Tech, new technological discoveries from a given country can benefit from moving beyond its borders. There are many opportunities, particularly in emerging countries. This is particularly true of French Tech, a large-scale collective mobilization movement aimed at enhancing the growth and international sphere of influence of French digital start-ups. Launched by the government in 2013, the program is designed to promote the emergence of global start-ups, able to increase from a few employees to several thousand or even tens of thousands of staff in a few years. The main idea involves the mobilization of ecosystems in territories to showcase those cities with a world-class digital ecosystem, coupled with an ambitious project to harness growth. It also involves investing €200 million in private initiatives, acceleration programs that help digital businesses to grow faster. Lastly, it involves earmarking €15 million for the international promotion of French Tech.
A promising French Tech discovery
Incubated at La Ruche, this young entrepreneur has invented two revolutionary products that quickly attracted the attention of both the Orange Technocentre and MIT! The first is an innovative form of QR code, accessible to people with hearing or visual impairments, those whose mother tongue is not that of the country in which they live, or even the illiterate. This application tailors the format of the information presented to the constraints of the reader or listener. The second product could be likened to “Shazam for the hard of hearing.” It is a smart app that allows users to display the sounds from their environment and tell them where these noises come from: doorbell, breaking glass, etc. A wide range of applications are sure to result from this invention.
