iHub Gives Kenya a Boost in Race for ‘Africa’s Silicon Alley’ Title

Posted by Staff Writer on Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at 10:17pm.

Ask any Africa Investment Professional which industries have the potential to accelerate Africa’s growth into middle class economies and you’ll hear Information Communications Technologies (ICT), across the board.  The industry not only has a seemingly endless shelf life, but it has great potential to create middle class jobs, spur foreign investment, and improve the quality of government and private sector services among other benefits.  As a result, there is an unspoken race to be dubbed ‘Africa’s Silicon Alley.’ 

Governments, Investors and developers have embraced the possibilities.  While there are many technology initiatives across Africa, iHub - Nairobi’s Innovation Hub for the Kenyan technology community is the latest to receive significant funding from a non-government source.  iHub is described as an open space for tech savvy youth, investors, tech companies and hackers.  It’s a physical facility that is built to attract young entrepreneurs, web and mobile phone programmers and designers.   

Perhaps, Africa’s closest comparison to this space is Busy Internet based in Accra, Ghana.  Busy Internet opened as an internet café with facilities that were designed to be a business incubator, essentially increasing the number of start up success stories in Ghana.  The project received funding from the World Bank’s InfoDev and is still operational.  However, unlike Busy Internet, iHub is free to members and is purely designed for the tech community. 

The iHub will provide data connectivity at 10Mbs and an atmosphere that is conducive to techies being productive.  They will also provide special access to the entrepreneurs and startups who need space to meet with VCs, seed funders and local businesses.  According to their website, they’re trying ‘to create the place where seeds are planted and are easily found by the people with money to help them grow.’

The project is currently being driven by an advisory group made up of individuals who have been pioneers in the Nairobi Tech space. This advisory group includes the following people:

• Riyaz Bachani, CTO of Wananchi
• Josiah Mugambi, Co-Founder of Skunkworks
• Rebeccah Wanjiku, Tech reporter and entrepreneur
• Conrad Akunga, Blogger and Software Manager
• Erik Hersman (me), Tech blogger, Founder of AfriGadget and co-Founder of Ushahidi

The space was made possible by funding to Ushahidi by the Omidyar Network and Hivos. Ushahidi covers the lease, electricity and data connections.

The Kenyan Government is working hard through its Ministry of Information and ICT Board to position Kenya as ‘Africa’s Silicon Alley.’  They aren’t alone as countries like Rwanda who have added computer training to their K-12 Curriculum, and South Africa that already boasts over 5 million internet users and a vastly improved infrastructure ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.  However, the ultimate source of the title might lie with ideas and products that are born out of creative spaces like Busy Internet in Ghana and iHub in Kenya.  The Jury is still out.