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ICT Venture Capital Challenge for start ups
by Andrea Bohnstedt 14 Oct '10

14 Oct '10

Hey listers, You might have spotted this somewhere already, so apologies for cross-postings. The ICT Board and Ratio Magazine are organising this venture capital challenge for ICT start ups at the IHub on Monday afternoon: http://tandaatechideas.eventbrite.com/ Six ICT start ups get to pitch to a panel of five VC/PE funds - short, snappy presentations, and they'll be grilled on their business idea on the spot. If the funds are interested, they can then follow up in more detail individually. We've also invited an audience - 60% of the people who have registered have started an ICT company. This has a double purpose: - bring VCs and start ups together, and - give the audience of developers etc a better understanding of what kind of questions a VC would ask. I think there are still a few space available to attend, so if you are interested, click on the link above and register! Andrea -- Andrea Bohnstedt Publisher, www.ratio-magazine.com +254 720 960 322 http://ke.linkedin.com/in/andreabohnstedt

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Rather nice referral bonus
by Andrea Bohnstedt 13 Oct '10

13 Oct '10

And check out this rather nice incentive to help your employer find competent new staff - Ericsson are willing to pay a referral bonus of USD4,000 (yes, that's USD, not KES) if their staff recommend competent friends for jobs: http://www.ratio-magazine.com/201010133700/Corporate-Press-Releases/Press-R… Now excuse whilst I get myself hired by Ericsson ..... :) Andrea -- Andrea Bohnstedt Publisher +254 720 960 322 www.ratio-magazine.com

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Mobile/banking and juicy recruitment bonus
by Andrea Bohnstedt 13 Oct '10

13 Oct '10

Hey all, Safaricom: You can't beat us, so join us - M-PESA/Barclays partnership: http://www.ratio-magazine.com/201010133698/Corporate-Press-Releases/Kenya-P… Interesting because I remember the early days of M-PESA when there was a lot of debate over whether there'd be competition or co-operation between mobile money and conventional banking. It seems to me that the trend is towards co-operation and integration. Interesting to watch. Andrea Looking for an ICT job? Looking to recruit? Check out http://www.ratio-magazine.com/careers/index.php. ICT and other business events: http://www.ratio-magazine.com/businessevents/index.php -- Andrea Bohnstedt Publisher +254 720 960 322 www.ratio-magazine.com

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PC Tech's Technology of the year awards nominations open now
by Albert Mucunguzi 13 Oct '10

13 Oct '10

?Dear All, PC Tech's Technology of the year awards nomination forms are now available. Members are encouraged to nominate individuals and organizations for the various categories indicated. Please click the link below to download the nomination form. http://pctechmagazine.com/downloads/cat_view/64-pc-tech-awards As a reminder, registration for the Africa Internet and Mobile Entrepreneurs' Conference, 2010, scheduled to take place on December 10th, 2010 is now in progress on the conference website, www.afriec.com. Thank you. _______________________ Regards, Albert Mucunguzi Executive Director PC Tech Communications P.O. Box 32180, Tel: +256 712619812 / 700 297031 Kampala, Uganda. Email: ed(a)pctechmagazine.com Website: www.pctechmagazine.com / www.albertmucunguzi.com

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Job Openings at IDC East Africa (Kenya)
by Francis Hook 13 Oct '10

13 Oct '10

Hi Listers, IDC, one of the foremost global ICT research and consulting firms,with regional African hubs in Nairobi, Lagos, Casablanca and Johannesburg, is looking at expanding its presense in the region and would like to fill the following positions in its Nairobi Office. 1 - Senior Research Analyst 2 - Research Analyst 3 - Associate Research Analyst 4 - Editor. Interested applicants may request a job description, by citing one of the above positions in an email to fhook(a)idc.comm no later than 25th October 2010. Thanks Francis Hook Regional Manager IDC East Africa

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Re: [kictanet] The big Kwaheri: reflecting on 10 years on the MJ 10 yr safari and his-tory - day 1
by charles nduati 12 Oct '10

12 Oct '10

hi MJ Indeed you deserve all these acolades. For me the biggest lesson I learnt from you is that "Innovation is Taking knowledge and experience and aplying it in daily life" I wish you were eligible to run for presidency in 2012 and apply the same, we would be guaranteed of achieving vision 2030 by 2020 all the best charles nduati On Tue, 12 Oct 2010 10:54 EEST Edith Adera wrote: >Two things I remember Michael for: > >1. Taking PERSONAL interest in ensuring subscriber issues (brought to his attention) were sorted promptly. This is a point his successor, if listening, might want to keep! > >2. During a recent breakfast session for a youth program supported by Safaricom, MJ said (paraphrased) "Whatever you do in life, always remember to give back to society! You are considered a real success when you give back to society"...this touched my heart to the core and I got to know a part of MJ that I did not know before! That's a great corporate culture that MJ leaves behind! > >Kudos and all the best in your future endeavor! > >Edith

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ICANN head warns against putting Internet addresses under UN control
by alice 12 Oct '10

12 Oct '10

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/icann-head-warns-against-put… Alexander Dziadosz Cairo — Reuters Published on Tuesday, May. 25, 2010 8:00AM EDT The head of the U.S.-monitored organization in charge of assigning global internet addresses such as .com and .net has cautioned against proposals to put the group under UN or other international control. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), at the heart of global debate over who should run the Internet, is the closest thing the vast system of intertwined computer networks has to any central authority. Countries such as Iran and Brazil have argued ICANN, which was founded in 1998 under the aegis of the U.S. Department of Commerce and still reports partly to the U.S. government, should cede its authority to a global body such as the United Nations. “If you think of that rate, or pace, in technology, it’s just a lot more rapid than most traditional forms of policy development would be suited to,” Rod Beckstrom, the organisation’s chief executive, told Reuters on Monday. Multilateral state control could make ICANN less nimble, he said, and therefore less likely to quickly develop technologies like Arabic-language domain names that feed rapidly expanding Internet demand. “It’s hard to imagine any replacement for (the current system), and I feel I can say that somewhat objectively because I’ve worked for government as well,” he said, adding such a decision would be up to ICANN’s board of directors. Still, the U.S. government last September agreed to changes that meant ICANN would no longer report solely to the United States, part of a push to give global constituents more say. The agreement set up an international review team to monitor ICANN’s performance and it is due to issue initial recommendations at the end of the year. The deal also included guidelines aimed at making the group more transparent. In 2003 a group of nations suggested ICANN come under the authority of the International Telecommunication Union, a UN agency, but that move stumbled on the view that the private sector is better able to run the Internet’s addressing system. A contract that gives ICANN authority over much of the Internet’s basic plumbing, such as allocating Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, is up for review next year. Mr. Beckstrom was in Cairo after Egypt became one of the first countries to win approval to use Arabic script on its national domain name, the last part of the address after the dot. ICANN approved use of non-Latin scripts in October. Egypt said this month it had launched the first domain name using Arabic letters under the name .misr – the Arabic word for Egypt, which is spelt in Arabic script. Countries including China, Russia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have so far won ICANN approval to use their national language scripts on the top-level domain. ICANN is now on track to broaden the non-Latin script, top-level domain names that are available into generic names such as .org, Beckstrom said. “Of course you know .com and .net. Those are English language names that are shortened, basically. Where’s the equivalent of that in Arabic?” he said. He said ICANN might be able to introduce generic domain names in international scripts by the end of this year, but the approval process made dates hard to forecast.

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Re: [kictanet] Need for BPO sector re-alignment?
by Edwin Onchari 11 Oct '10

11 Oct '10

Hi Bobby, Thank you for your insightful contribution to the debate. Indeed, the answer lies with an industry driven implementation body, with the several government agencies being enablers. Kenya does not have a single representation to the market, in turn creating a lot of chatter, but without a consistent selling point. It is my hope that we have this in place in good time to put Kenya solidly in the world map. Kind regards, Edwin From: Bobby Varanasi [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, October 11, 2010 8:02 AM To: Francis.Hook(a)gmail.com; Edwin Onchari; Raychelle Injete; KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions; Sean Moroney; godera(a)skyweb.co.ke Subject: Need for BPO sector re-alignment? Ladies & Gentlemen, Please find attached a brief document I've prepared, adding to the various perspectives presented over the past few days. I would love to hear from yourselves. Sean - thank you for including me into the very interesting and thought-provoking conversations, all in the right direction I must say. Best regards -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bobby Varanasi | Certified Outsourcing Professional | bobby(a)matryzel.com Chairman & CEO -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Matryzel Consulting, Inc Kuala Lumpur | New York | Davis | Dubai | Austin | Mumbai | Delhi | Manila M: +60.17.379.0215 | +1.302.465.6471 |Skype: bobbyvar www.matryzel.com Strategy. Sourcing. Globalization. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Asia Ambassador - IAOP Authorized Global COP Trainer Chairman – Malaysia Chapter, IAOP Chairman – Pacific Rim Advisory Board, IAOP Member – Advocacy & Outreach Committee, IAOP -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “The Certified Outsourcing Professional (COP) designation is awarded by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) to individuals who successfully complete its rigorous certification requirements.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- P Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail. Thank you No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.448 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3189 - Release Date: 10/10/10 18:34:00

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Fw: ITU Elections - Africa Going Places!
by Shem Ochuodho 10 Oct '10

10 Oct '10

My Good Friend Brahima Sanou (formerly Head of ITU Africa Regional Office, Office) has just been elected Director of the BDT in Mexico - making him one of the senior most officers within the ITU system at #3. With Dr Hamadoun Toure at the helm (#1) and now Brahima, Africa could never ask for better. Congrats, Bro. Sanou, and warm rgrds. Shem Shem J. Ochuodho, MSc (Eng), PhD, LLD (Hon) Senior Advisor Ministry of Telecom & Postal Services Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS), Juba Kenya Community Abroad (KCA) 2007 Excellence Award Winner AfricaOnline 2005 Industry Pioneer Award Recipient Father of Internet in Kenya (CSK 2000) Cell: +249-955-021-040/+256-477-232025/+254-734-137371 Skype: shem.ochuodho ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Brahima Sanou <brahima(a)bsanou.name> To: Brahima Sanou <brahima(a)bsanou.name> Sent: Sun, 10 October, 2010 11:46:35 Subject: ITU Elections This is to inform you that I have been elected Director of Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT). Thank you for your valuable support. Best Regards Brahima Sanou Director elect, ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) Tel: +251 11 551 49 77 Mob: +251 91 120 86 06 Fax: +251 11 551 72 99 Website: http://www.bsanou.name

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Out sourcing; where does Kenya stand
by robert yawe 09 Oct '10

09 Oct '10

Hi, The BPO environment is changing as a result of the financial crisis and the new found American menial work ethic so where do we stand as a destination of choice when even Obama made it clear that no more off-shoring until the unemployment levels reduce substantially. http://www.silicon.com/management/cio-insights/2010/09/30/offshoring-why-in… So after reading this I am sure you will agree with me that the 2030 targets are not looking as rosy, our model should look at us being the preferred destination for BPO for African countries, we are already seeing it with the central depository system providing custodial services for Rwanda and the NSE working towards making the ATS available to other East African Countries. Regards Robert Yawe KAY System Technologies Ltd Phoenix House, 6th Floor P O Box 55806 Nairobi, 00200 Kenya Tel: +254722511225, +254202010696

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