Building a Digital Business Ecosystem.
Yembe Nfor Chief Executive, Y’ems Group Incorporated
www.yemsgroupinc.com
Information and Communication Technology for Entrepreneurship - #ICT4E
Steve Ballmer, then CEO of Microsoft
“The number one benefit of information technology is that it empowers people to do what they want to
do. It lets people be creative. It lets people be productive. It lets people learn things they didn't
think they could learn before, and so in a sense it is all about potential.”
Information technology (IT) is the application of computers and
telecommunications equipment to store, retrieve, transmit and
manipulate data, often in the context of a business or other enterprise.
Wikipedia
Information Technology
"Entrepreneurship is simply identifying challenges and providing 'sustainable', 'profitable' solutions to these challenges.“
Yembe Nfor
Entrepreneurship
The Key is bringing POSITIVE, SUSTAINABLE CHANGE!
• IT as a Business Venture.
• IT to promote other Ventures.
Two Main Approaches
I.T. as a business Venture- Tech-preneurshipBuilding IT businesses as a means to create positive change, fight unemployment and improving the economy.
“Technology has continued to bring the world closer together and increased the horizons of each individual as never before…”
Rohan Kar
From Bill Gates of Microsoft, to Steve Jobs of Apple Inc, to Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook to Richard Brandson of the Virgin Group, to Aliko Dangote (Richest man in Africa and 77th in the world), to Alhadji Danpullo of Cameroon, etc all entrepreneurs have been known to share one thing in common:
A Vision!
Tech-preneurs are people who’ve identified a common Technological need, challenge or opportunity in their communities and are doing something to provide sustainable solutions to these challenges and add value
Its about
• Solving a problem (story of Facebook)
• Seizing an opportunity (story of Y’ems Group)
• Adding/providing value
Examples of Tech-preneurs
• Mark Zuckerberg Facebook, US
• Bill Gates Microsoft, US
• Steve Jobs/Wozniak Apple, US
• Larry page & sergei brin Google, US
• Evan Williams / Jack Dorsey / etc Twitter, US
• Churchill Mambe Njorku, Cameroon
• Arthur Zang Cardiopad, Cameroon
• Alain Ntef Gifted Mom, Cameroon
• Vision…
• Quick Turnover… (almost the fastest)
• Minimal Initial Capital… (apple, fb, etc)
• Global Market…
• Passion and Fun…
• Ever growing market…
• Government Intervention…
• Other obvious business reasons.
Reasons Why We should do Tech Business
• Freelance Development…
• Selling IT equipment…
• IT Training…
• IT Consulting…
Some Simple Ventures to Explore
“Technology has gone a long way to answer the most pressing questions and solve the greatest worries of our time through IT Entrepreneurs…
Become the Next!
IT to promote other Ventures
James Surowiecki
“Technology is supposed to make our lives easier, allowing us to do things more quickly and
efficiently.”
• Faster Processes.
• Better Documentation. (Word processors)
• Automation. (ATMs).
• Efficient and Faster Book Keeping. (Excel, etc.)
• Communication and Outreach. (Websites/SM)
• Customer Relationship Management. (ERPs).
Technology as a tool for businesses!
• Smart Phones.
• Tablets.
• Computers.
• The Internet. A bulk of information.
Common Devices we should (or continue to) Utilize to maximize businesses
As entrepreneurs (and potential)
• We must think of how we can seize the IT opportunity
• We must work towards seizing this opportunity and using it to do something big.
It Begins with YOU!
Thank You!