Busy had/has a bigger concept: They are also an ISP, have a bar in the building, used to have a Monday movie night, I think, had some ICT classes and talks, and they had initially set up Busy to also serve as an incubator, although I think that did not really work out as planned. I have been there a couple of times of the years and always met some really fun and interesting people. Recently, they set up some work stations in a new shopping mall.

Mark Davies, one of the founders, set up BusyLab who, if I remember correctly, built e-soko, an online/mobile commodity trading and information platform that has recently attracted some investment from the IFC to support their roll out across the continent.

Regarding the internet cafes in Kenya: are there any data to show that the numbers are shrinking? Also, this is a market, too: If there is no demand for internet cafes, then they'll go out of business.

On 2 March 2011 19:27, Edith Adera <eadera@idrc.or.ke> wrote:
I think what a Ghanian told me got me thinking "BusyInternet does more than a cafe so the catch is i go to one place and do multiple things"
 
I think that might the "catch"...."a suite of services" to survive.
 
Would love to see this in action.
 
Edith
 

________________                                   

Edith Ofwona Adera

Senior Program Specialist

ICT4D Program and Climate Change & Water Program

International Development Research Centre | Centre de recherches pour le développement international

Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa

Tel: +254202713160 | Fax/Téléc: +254202711063 | Skype: edithadera

eadera@idrc.or.ke | www.idrc.ca | www.crdi.ca


From: Eric Kirimi [eric@ictinfrastructure.co.ke]
Sent: 02 March 2011 19:26
To: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions; Edith Adera
Subject: Re: [kictanet] The Death of Cybercafes?

edith

i thought the government is implementing the PASHA centre's projects across the country. this will increase competition and eventually more cyber cafe.


Regards,

Eric






From: "Edith Adera" <eadera@idrc.or.ke>
To: "Eric.K" <eric@ictinfrastructure.co.ke>
Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke>
Sent: Wednesday, March 2, 2011 7:12:16 PM
Subject: [kictanet] The Death of Cybercafes?

Listers
 
Just back from Ghana where I was impressed to see that cybercafes are still alive (e.g. BusyInternet)...as my experience in Kenya is that it's hard to find a functional cybercafe within easy reach with cutting edge services and programs (PDF etc)....most are closing down with Internet available on the mobile (with aggressive competition). So outside the office set-up and with minimal home connections...one has almost no options for innovation.
 
Is it a good thing that cybers are dying in Kenya and broadband is yet to reach homes? what needs to be done differently to inform our efforts on digital villages etc?
 
Edith
 

________________                                   

Edith Ofwona Adera

Senior Program Specialist

ICT4D Program and Climate Change & Water Program

International Development Research Centre | Centre de recherches pour le développement international

Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa

Tel: +254202713160 | Fax/Téléc: +254202711063 | Skype: edithadera

eadera@idrc.or.ke | www.idrc.ca | www.crdi.ca


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