Context
The past 16 months have demonstrated how important connectivity, entrepreneurship and innovation are to keeping economies running. The state of countries’ digital innovation ecosystems has played a significant role in determining how well countries have been able to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Even in countries that experience challenges to digital innovation, innovators and entrepreneurs are coming up with projects that can help transform their communities. However, innovators are only one part of the equation. To build a thriving, competitive digital innovation ecosystem, all ecosystem stakeholders — the government, private sector, financial institutions, academics and entrepreneurial support networks, who support the entrepreneurs — must understand what roles they should play in their ecosystem.
Recognizing the significance of innovation and technologies in building resilient and competitive economies, Smart Africa and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) have developed a virtual capacity-building course, Digital Innovation Ecosystem Training: Building Entrepreneurial Communities and Competitive ICT Industries for Job Creation (DIET).
This six-session course is designed to empower policy-makers, academics, innovators and ecosystem-builders who wish to build thriving entrepreneurial communities that can navigate technological revolutions and create competitive ICT industries. It is geared towards decision-makers who wish to become experts in developing successful ecosystems and/or those who have a project idea focused on nurturing entrepreneurship-driven innovation, but need assistance in being able to conceptualize it.
About the event
To kick off DIET, Smart Africa and ITU have invited high-level representatives from the public and private sectors to share their aspirations for their countries, and their experiences working with the respective organizations.
The event will be held in both English and French.
