fashTECH takes a leap to organize Forum for Internet and Mobile Entrepreneurs in Ghana
March 10, 2010 1 Comment
In continuance of our technology seminar series like FASHTECH and Video game workshop last year, we have launched a technology entrepreneurs seminar series to give a space for African technology entrepreneurs to showcase their creative ventures and unique concepts.
TESS – Technology Entrepreneurs Seminar Series [www.tessafrica.org] is a project set up to promote and develop technology entrepreneurs in Africa. Hence, this year fashTECH has been expanded into a forum for Internet and 
Mobile Entrepreneurs to give space for Internet and Mobile Entrepreneurs in Ghana to showcase their creative ventures and unique concepts. We believe by doing so African Youth and Graduates will be challenged into using technology entrepreneurship as means of enhancing their livelihoods. The importance of such a forum cannot be overstated. Why is this so?
Here is the answer:
The information economy, driven by the new media – Internet and mobile applications -, has birthed a space for participation, access, expression and creativity. Concerning development in Ghana, we ask, what is the impact of the new media on the Ghanaian Entrepreneur?
Entrepreneurs play a critical role in the starting and establishing small business opportunities in Africa. However, a number of newly-established ventures in developing economies fade out in the early stage of business, within 42 months [1]. There are multi-prong challenges including access to information and new skills which contribute to this failure. These challenges stifle the contribution of African entrepreneurs to the society.
Research studies have discussed the impact of the new media for business and development as including new business models, access to new resources, markets and opportunities for collaboration, and novel approaches to sustaining livelihoods [2-4]. However, these opportunities depends on the ‘capability to function’ – thus the ability of the African entrepreneur to go beyond access to new media and use associated functions and services which empower them in their individual ventures and contribute to sustaining their livelihoods. This capability to function starts from educating and training in the use of new media, and hence, the objective of this conference.
Under the auspices of the TESS (Technology Entrepreneur Seminar Series), the 2010 MBA MIS Class of the University of Ghana Business School, Ghana, and The PearlRichards Foundation, Ghana are organizing a one day conference on the new media and entrepreneurship in Ghana. The conference titled, Ghana Internet and Mobile Entrepreneurs’ Forum 2010 (GIMEF 2010), seeks to showcase the innovative use of new media – internet and mobiles – by entrepreneurs to address the socio-economic and development challenges in Africa. This year’s theme is “Building Ghana through Internet Enterprises and Mobile innovations. The conference has three interrelated objectives, namely:
- To offer participants an opportunity to share, discuss and learn from individual career experiences and profiles of Ghanaian Internet and Mobile entrepreneurs.
- To educate participants on how to use Internet and mobile resources and applications to support and promote their creative ventures.
The conference will take place on November 5th 2010 at the University of Ghana Business School. This conference will bring together a blend of academics, practitioners and policy makers in the area of ICT for sustainable development and innovative mobile solutions for Africa. GIMEF 2010 will encourage open minds, critical thinking, self-examination, creativity, and sharing ideas. We invite you to join us and look forward to welcoming you to Ghana Internet and Mobile Entrepreneurs’ Forum 2010. We believe your invaluable experience and insight academics, practitioners and policy makers of Africa will add to what is an invaluable discourse for Ghana. We have no doubt it will be a challenging and thought-provoking, as well as an entertaining, experience.
Forum Chair
Richard Boateng, PhD Executive Director, PearlRichards Foundation Adjunct Lecturer, University of Ghana Business School
