1. Dr. Faheem Hussain
Assistant Professor, Department of Technology and Society,
College of Engineering and Applied Sciences,
SUNY Korea
faheem.hussain@stonybrook.edu
ICT Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries:
Challenges & Beyond

2. Agenda
 What is ICT Entrepreneurship?
 Situation Analysis of Developing Countries
 Global ICT usage trends: Disparity and Opportunity
 ICT Entrepreneurship: Billionaires’ Club to BoP Initiatives
 Challenges in ICT Entrepreneurship
 Opportunities: A Collaborative Future

3. What is ICT Entrepreneurship?
• ICT Entrepreneurship explores newer business
opportunities using the virtue of traditional
entrepreneurship, empowered by digital
technologies
• ICT Entrepreneurs utilize digital tools to
– Ensure better participation of its partners/ stakeholders,
higher level of ROI
– Foster sustainable future financial growth, and
– Expand service access to the unreachable in developing
countries

4. Developing Countries: A Reality Check
• Global development has been unequal, even though
the trends in human development are generally
positive
• In 2011, just over 1 billion people live on less than
$1.25 a day
• Life expectancy in some of the country is below 40
years

5. Developing Countries: A Reality Check
Source: The World Bank: http://povertydata.worldbank.org/poverty/home/

6. Developing Regions: ICT usage trends
Rahul Tongia, Eswaran Subrahmanian, and V.S. Arunachalam. Information and Communications Technology for Sustainable Development: Defining a
Global Research Agenda. Allied Publishers, 2005

7. Coming out of Age: The Korean Miracle
Source: Angus Maddison, “South Korea GDP (PPP) evolution from 1911 to 2008 in millions of 1990 International dollars”
South Korea’s GDP (PPP) Growth from 1911 to 2008

8. Coming out of Age: The Korean Miracle
Source: Dr. James Larson’s Blog: http://www.jamesflarson.com/blog/

9. Developing Countries: A Young World

10. Global ICT usage trends: Disparity and Opportunity
6,915
1,515
5,400
629
410
3,640
397
780
1,059
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
Global Developed
Nations
Developing
Nations
Africa Arab States Asia & Pacific CIS Europe The Americas
Mobile Phone Subscription in 2014 (millions)
Source: Global mobile statistics 2014 Part A: Mobile subscribers; handset market share; mobile operators

11. Global ICT usage trends: Disparity and Opportunity
Mobile Broadband Subscription

12. Stage is set for rapid diffusion of
ICT Entrepreneurship

13. ICT Entrepreneurship:
Billionaires’ Club to BoP Initiatives

14. ICT Entrepreneurship:
Billionaires’ Club to BoP Initiatives
Source: ICT Sprin, http://www.ictspring.com/startups/

15. Info-Ladies in Bangladesh
ICT Entrepreneurship:
Billionaires’ Club to BoP Initiatives

16. Portable Clinics
ICT Entrepreneurship:
Billionaires’ Club to BoP Initiatives
Source: Portable Health Clinic, http://hyoka.ofc.kyushu-u.ac.jp/search/details/K003912/english.html#Current_and_Past_Project

17. ICT Entrepreneurship: A Game Changer
• Traditional entrepreneurship as creating business
opportunities, jobs and services for the region
• Start Up culture ensures dynamism in ICT Industry
• Also, ICT enabled, newer trend/social entrepreneurship
where it is directly linked with
• Improving access to services to excluded populations,
• Improving impact and opportunities for them, etc.
• Scope for Collaboration, Innovation, Technology
Diffusion, CHANGE

18. ICT Entrepreneurship: A Game Changer
• Four Dimensions of Addressing Digital Divide:
– Awareness
– Availability
– Accessibility
– Affordability

19. Challenges in ICT Entrepreneurship
• Outdated Government Policies and failure to
recognize and facilitate ICT Entrepreneurship
– Absence of administrative structure to ensure legal
registration and safety net
• Lack of ownership, power play between multiple
ministries/departments
– Absence of/Poor implementation of Intellectual Property
Right addressing the specific needs of ICT Entrepreneurs,
• Fewer new entrants in the marketplace
• Discouraging foreign investors

20. Challenges in ICT Entrepreneurship
• Outdated Government Policies and failure to
recognize and facilitate ICT Entrepreneurship
– Many Governments failing to recognize their roles as
investor, client, and development partner
– Inefficient Financial Services
• Higher overhead cost, Complex legal issues with foreign currency
transaction,
– In many developing countries, Information based
Products/Services are not qualified to be covered by
insurances, increasing the risk of investment

21. Challenges in ICT Entrepreneurship
• Skepticism of the Investors (traditional and VC)
• Absence of Freedom to Failure
• Absence of role models and collaboration
• Inaccessible and Costly Internet/ICT tools
• Insecure Network
• Faltering Infrastructure (electricity, communication)

22. Challenges in ICT Entrepreneurship
• Irrelevant HR training
– Many incubators fail
– Need for localized learning content
• Failing Education Standards
– Entrepreneurial training should begin in pre-school
• Dismissing the less privileged groups
• Nascent Digital Citizenry:
– Rights, Privileges, Responsibilities

23. Opportunities: A Collaborative Future
• Government Mechanisms and Private sectors alike need to be
evolved and be involved
– Better Flexibility : Freedom to Failure
– Transparency in Policy Formulation and Implementation
• Inclusive financial services and applications, ensuring effective
participation & empowerment of ICT Entrepreneurs
• Coordinated and Future looking ICT Infrastructure
Development
– Benchmarking ICT Entrepreneurship Readiness

24. Acknowledgement
• SUNY Korea IT Consilience Creative Program (ITCCP)
Research Fund
• Dr. James Larson, SUNY Korea
• Dr. Christian Girard, Asian University for Women
• Sufi Ibne Abu Bakar, ICT Entrepreneur