infodev incubator initiativemation and communication tools is a critical element in the fight...

infoDevIncubator Initiative

building a global supportnetwork for innovators

Information for Development Program

October 2004

w w w . i n f o d e v. o r g

The Information for Development Program (infoDev) is a consortium of public bilateral and multilat-eral development agencies, working in close cooperation with partners from civil society and theprivate sector, and assisted by an expert secretariat housed at the World Bank. Its mission is to helpdeveloping countries and their international partners use information and communication technolo-gies (ICT) broadly and effectively as tools of poverty reduction, sustainable economic growth, andempowerment of individuals and communities. Its work is rooted in the conviction that informationand communication are indispensable elements of effective and responsive institutions (includinggovernments), markets and societies.

With generous support from the Government of Japan, infoDev has created an Incubator Initiativedesigned to support ICT-enabled innovation and business creation in developing countries, both topromote broad-based economic growth in those countries and to foster the development of ICT-re-lated or ICT-enabled products and services for the poor. Our goal in this Initiative, as describedherein, is not only to support a group of individual incubators in developing countries, but throughthis support to promote the growth of a vibrant global network of incubators and innovators who canlearn from each other, support each other, and work together in creative ways to harness the power ofICT as tools of poverty reduction, growth, and economic and social opportunity for all.

Mohsen A. Khalil Mostafa TerrabDirector, Global Information and Program ManagerCommunication Technologies Department infoDevThe World Bank Group

infoDevInformation for Development Program

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infoDev Incubator Initiative


Information for Development Program2121 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Washington, DC 20433 USA

Tel: 202-458-5153Fax: 202-522-3186

E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.infodev.org

building a global support network for innovators

October 2004

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About infoDev

The mission of the Information for Development Program (infoDev) is to help developing countriesand their international partners use information and communication broadly and effectively as toolsof poverty reduction and sustainable economic growth. Its work is rooted in the conviction thatinformation and communication are indispensable elements of effective institutions, markets andsocieties. Empowering people and the institutions and markets that serve them with effective infor-mation and communication tools is a critical element in the fight against poverty and the effort torealize the Millennium Development Goals and promote broad-based, sustainable development.

infoDev pursues its mission through an integrated set of activities that includes:

• Support for innovation in the application of information and communication technologies(ICT) to the specific challenges facing poor people and communities, and for innovative ap-proaches to extending access to ICT;

• Research, analysis, evaluation and monitoring of global experience in applying ICT to devel-opment challenges, with a particular focus on best practices and on the enabling conditions forsuccess;

• Support for research, innovation, capacity building and global/regional dialogue and knowl-edge-sharing to create policy and regulatory frameworks, public expenditure priorities, andenabling environments for increased access to information and communications opportunities.

• Support for innovative approaches to expanding the role of the private sector in scaling upsuccessful ICT applications, expanding ICT access, and harnessing ICT as tools of broadereconomic growth and efficiency, including a major program of support for ICT-related newbusiness incubation in developing countries.

infoDev is a consortium of public international development organizations and other partners, fa-cilitated by a secretariat at the World Bank, which is a founder of and major donor to infoDev.Since its founding in 1995, infoDev has supported over 400 innovative pilot projects, wide-rangingpolicy dialogue, and the preparation and dissemination of valuable information, knowledge and bestpractice guidance on the role of ICT in development and poverty reduction. Recently, infoDev hasshifted its approach from an open-ended support for pilot ICT projects to a thematically-focusedblend of support for ICT innovation, research and analysis, best practices, toolkits, and donorcoordination mechanisms designed to maximize the beneficial impact of ICT in core developmentand poverty-reduction programs. This includes not only a more rigorous attention to understanding“what works and why” in mainstreaming ICT in development programs, but also a broader atten-tion to enabling environments, the balance of public and private sector roles in promoting ICTaccess and applications in society and economy, and ways to promote ICT-related private sectorinnovators and entrepreneurs in developing countries.

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Table of Contents

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About infoDev

Background and Objectives

Sructure and Activities of the Incubator Initiative

Grant Portfolio

Regional and Global Workshops

Description of Projects and Institutions Receiving Grants

Operational Grants Approved in 2003Operational and Capacity Building Grants Approved in 2004Planning Grants Approved in 2004

Contact Details of infoDev Incubator Grantee Institutions

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Background and Objectives


Developing countries face considerable challenges in promoting and sustaining informa-tion and communication technology (ICT) related innovation and new business creation,and in attracting broader private investment (local and international) to expand access to

ICT services and applications and to grow ICT-enabled businesses in all sectors of their econo-mies. To help developing countries meet these challenges, infoDev provides support for innova-tive approaches to expanding the role of the private sector in scaling up successful ICT applica-tions, expanding ICT access, and harnessing ICT as tools of broader economic growth and effi-ciency, including support for ICT-related new business incubation through its Incubator Initiative.

In 2002, with support from the Government of Japan, infoDev launched its Incubator Initiativeaimed at fostering entrepreneurship and private sector development in developing countries. ThisInitiative is dedicated to establishing a network of incubators to facilitate the emergence anddevelopment of small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries that utilizeICT to improve performance and expand operations. With the completion of a new round ofgrant allocations in June 2004, the infoDev Incubator Initiative is supporting over forty incuba-tors worldwide by: (i) providing the necessary financial and technical assistance to help existingbusiness incubators improve and scale up their operations; (ii) facilitating the development ofnew business incubators in areas that are not currently served; (iii) encouraging innovative usesof ICT and entrepreneurship at the local-level and based on local needs; and (iv) establishing anetwork of knowledge sharing among business incubators that supports SME development.

The Incubator Initiative complements and leverages the efforts promoted by the World Bank andother donors, in assisting developing countries by sharing international experience with them onICT-enabled business incubators and providing initial funding supporting the establishment oflocal incubators.

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To complement this direct support to new and existing incubators in developing countries, theInitiative also focuses on strengthening networks of knowledge-sharing and mutual support amongincubators both regionally and globally. To this end, by working closely with a broad range ofexisting networks of incubator associations, science parks and other organizations promotinginnovation and business development, the Initiative will support regional networking and knowl-edge-sharing initiatives among its supported incubators and other partners in each developingregion. It will also support the emergence of a global network on business incubation, designedboth to promote mutual support and knowledge sharing among infoDev supported incubators andothers world-wide and to strengthen the linkages between these incubators and related initiativesand networks.

The Initiative aims at promoting economic growth by fostering private sector development through thefollowing objectives:

• Improve performance of existing incubators and developing viable programs in developing countries

• Knowledge generation & dissemination: good practices, toolkits

• Foster national and international partnerships and networks

• Foster ICT-enabled innovation and development of a new generation of small enterprises as enginesfor socioeconomic development in developing countries

Objectives

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Structure and Activitiesof the Incubator Initiative

The Incubator Initiative is being implemented in phases focusing on the followingfour main activities:

� Assessment of private sector development and Incubator-readiness at countrylevel; collection of best practices and common performance objectives/indica-tors; development of a toolkit; and on-line advisory services.

� Support to the improvement/sustainability/growth of existing Incubators indeveloping countries.

� Technical assistance and support to the planning of new ICT Incubators.� Monitoring, evaluation and administration activities.

Figure 1: infoDev Incubator Initiative

- Surveys - Website - Tool-kits - Seminars - Training/TA - Workshops

Grants to existing incubators for improving: - Performance - Sustainability - Growth

Grants and technical assistance for start-up incubators

- Networking - Best Practices - Lessons Learned

Information Sharing

infoDev Incubator Support Center

(iDISC)

Grants for Existing

Incubators

Capacity Building and Planning

Grants

Sustainability and Competitiveness

Building

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Each activity is promoted under Requests For Proposals (RFP) and Call for Proposals (CFP),which are periodically announced over the overall duration of the program. The activities aremanaged in accordance with Terms of Reference (TOR) that reflect their objectives, target, andexpected outcomes. Guidelines, eligible proponents and funding criteria are also specified in theTOR for each of the activities.

Activity 1: Creation of the infoDev Incubator Support CenterProvide support for networking and knowledge sharing among business incubators

In response to the limited information available on business incubation in developing countries,infoDev established the first common repository of knowledge, best practices, toolkits and researchspecifically targeted to the needs of ICT-based business incubation in developing countries. TheinfoDev Incubator Support Center (iDISC) is a web-based knowledge sharing platform that offerstailored content including case studies, best practices, toolkits and online discussion boards(www.idisc.net). In addition, infoDev organizes global conferences and workshops on commonchallenges such as policy, regulatory and financial constraints, and on how business incubators canbuild their capacity and mobilize public and private sector support to address these challenges.

An 18-month contract, for establishing and maintaining the infoDev Incubator Support Centerwas granted to the consortium of the Brazilian Association of Science and Technology Parks(ANPROTEC) and International Business Incubator (IBI) in March 2003.

Activity 2: Support for Existing Business Incubators in Developing Countries

Many incubators already exist in several developing countries, with different degrees of success.With the objective of helping existing incubators improve their own performance, and bridge thegap between their current progress and their development potential, business incubators in devel-oping countries with more than two years of operational experience were invited to apply forgrants (under an RFP announced in February 2003) aimed at improving performance, sustainabilityand growth. Twenty business incubators from seventeen developing countries were selected, in2003, and are receiving grant funding. Table 1 below provides the list of grants approved in 2003.

Activity 3: Support and Technical Assistance to New Incubators

infoDev is providing support for the development of new business incubators in developingcountries by helping entrepreneurs to draft business incubator proposals that are both finan-cially attractive and sustainable, and by assisting early stage business incubators. Business

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Region & Country Proponent Organization

South Africa Voxel Technologies Innovation Support Center

Kazakhstan SODBI Business Incubator, ShymkentRomania The Development Centre for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises Maramures (CDIMM

Maramures), Baia MareUkraine Ukrainian Business Incubators And Innovation Centres Association (UBICA-ICT); and Kharkov

Small Business Incubator (KSBI)

Chile Access Nova Incubator Colombia Incubadora Parque Tecnológico Del Software De Calí (Parquesoft); and Corporacion InnovarDominican Republic CyberPark of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (PCSD)Panama Panama Technology Business Accelerator – PTBAPeru Centro de Innovación y Desarrollo de la Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (CIDE-PUCP)Uruguay Ingenio – Incubadora de empresas LATU – ORT

China Yangling Business Incubation Center; and Tianjin Women’s Business Incubator (TWBI)Indonesia Koperasi Starcall WartelnetMalaysia Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Philippines Ayala Technology Business Incubator

India Indiaco Private LimitedSri Lanka Sri Lanka Technology Incubator (Pvt.) Limited - ConceptNursery

Jordan National Consortium for Technology and Business Incubation (NATCTIB)

EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC

SOUTH ASIA

AFRICA

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

Table 1: Incubator Grants Approved in 2003

incubators with less than two years of operational experience and entrepreneurs interested indeveloping a business incubator were invited to apply for grants (under an RFP announced inFebruary 2004) aimed at providing technical assistance and capacity building support. Twenty-eight early stage business incubators and entrepreneurs from twenty-six developing countrieswere selected, in 2004, and are receiving grant funding. Table 2 below provides the list ofgrants approved in 2004.

Activity 4: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Impact Assessment (MEIA)

The central administrative, monitoring and evaluation, and knowledge dissemination functionsare being carried out by infoDev. The Initiative will be evaluated at intervals, on the basis ofkey success indicators. During the program, a few explorative and illustrative case studies willbe undertaken to demonstrate the developmental impact and dissemination of lessons learnt.

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Region & Country Proponent Organization

Ghana Busy InternetKenya Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT)Mauritius National Computer Board (NCB)Namibia IT@AB Network - NamibiaSenegal National Council of Negro Women/International Division (NCNW)Tanzania World Ahead Consulting NetworkUganda Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI)

Armenia Viasphere TechnoparkAzerbaijan Information and Telecommunication Technologies Development Association (INFOTEK)

Georgia Civil Society Support CentreKrygyzstan Republic Union Of Business Incubators And Innovation Centers of Kyrgyz RepublicTurkey Ankara Cyberpark Inc. Uzbekistan The Association of Business Incubators and Technoparks of Uzbekistan (ABIT)

Brazil Minas Gerais Incubators Network; and Technological Incubator of Popular Cooperatives of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro – ITCP; and Instituto Gênesis da PUC-Rio

Colombia Corporación para el Desarrollo de Tunía (Corpotunía)Costa Rica Comisión Asesora en Alta Tecnología de Costa Rica (CAATEC)Paraguay Fundación Enlace

Indonesia Broadband Network System (BNS)Mongolia InfoCon Co., LtdThailand Kenan Institute Asia (KIAsia)Vietnam Center of Research and Consulting on Management (CRC)

India Tiruchirappalli Regional Engineering College-Science & Tech. Entrepreneurs Park Nepal IT Professional Forum (ITF) Sri Lanka Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG) - South Asia

Iran Isfahan Science & Technology Town (ISTT)Morocco Moroccan Information Technopark Company

SOUTH ASIA


Incubator Grants Approved In 2004

AFRICA



EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC

Table 2: Incubator Grants Approved in 2004

Through information sharing and knowledge dissemination, including best practices guidesand toolkits, it is expected that the Initiative will benefit a large number of enterprises in thedeveloping countries. infoDev is dedicating special resources to this Initiative to ensure thatthe results are shared not only with the infoDev grantees but also hundreds of other organiza-tions which can access the online service to acquire information. This will be achieved throughcommunication and networking with the development community through various means in-cluding the web, newsletters, mass media, conferences, and presentation of papers and lessonslearnt. Exchanges of experiences and best practices at the regional and inter-regional levelsshould further increase this multiplier effect.

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Grant Portfolio

The overall grant portfolio for country incubators is shown in the table below:

REGION

First round (2003)

Second round (2004)

Total Number of

grants

Total amount of

grant funding ($)

Africa

1

7

8

$1,370,000

Asia (East and South)

6

7

13

$3,020,000

Europe and Central Asia

3

6

9

$2,070,000

Latin America and Caribbean

6

4

10

$2,750,000

Middle East and North Africa

1

2

3

$900,000

Total 17 26 43 $10,110,000

Table 3: Country Incubator Grant Portfolio

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Three types of grants have been approved to-date. These include:

• Operational Grants (under RFP announced in February 2003)For support to existing incubators in developing countriesAimed at consolidating the operational and self-sustaining capacity, efficiency, performanceand outreach of business incubators through the building and more effective use of ICTskills and ICT-enabled business incubation services.

• Capacity-Building Grants (under RFP announced in February 2004)For support to new and start-up incubators in developing countriesAimed at providing financial and technical assistance to new or start-up business incubatorsand related programs for developing and piloting viable incubation models and processes.

• Planning Grants (under RFP announced in February 2004)For support towards the planning of business incubators in developing countriesAimed at providing financial support for the planning of self-sustaining new business incu-bators in developing countries.

An important feature to note is the diversity within the types of organizations receiving grantfunding. With an effort to broaden the lessons learned, and to include a wide variety of organiza-tions which are working on different aspects and dimensions of business incubation, the infoDevgrant portfolio covers organizations which can be classified into:

• Business incubators• Science and Cyber parks• National Associations• Foundations and not-for-profit organizations• Universities and research institutions• Other (private sector, consulting) organizations

The grant portfolio has the following distribution by percent of number of grants:

Figure 2: Grant Distribution

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Regional and Global Workshops

A s part of the Incubator Initiative, the infoDev has adopted a strategy of sup-porting Regional Workshops and Global Events that bring experts and practitionerstogether on a platform to discuss major issues relating to business incubation and the

applicability in different environments and countries.

In May 2003, infoDev supported the National Business Incubator Association (NBIA), USA, bybringing participants from developing countries to attend their international conference in Rich-mond, USA.

Regional Workshops

Europe and Central Asia Region — infoDevprovided financial support for participants fromthe region to the ADT/Spice Group conference in Berlin (September 27-30, 2003). This AnnualConference of ADT, the German Association of Business Incubators and Technology Parks, high-lighted 20 years of business incubators in Germany.

Asia-Pacific Region — On October 7-10, 2003 about 150 government officials and businessincubator specialists took part in a conference in Bangalore, India organized by Karnataka Bio-technology and Information Services and supported by infoDev, to take stock of experience andincrease knowledge exchange among incubators in Asia.

Latin America and Caribbean Region – This regional workshop was held in conjunction withthe annual conference of the Brazilian Association of Science and Technology Parks, in Brasilia,Brazil on October 22-24, 2003.

Africa Region – A regional workshop for Africa was conducted between Dec 2-4, 2003 inBagamoyo, Tanzania by WorldAhead Consulting Network, in close cooperation with the WorldBank’s country office in Dar es Salaam.

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Global Forum on Business Incubation

infoDev, in cooperation with the Department of Science and Technology of the Government ofIndia, is organizing a Global Forum on Business Incubation in New Delhi from October 14-19th.This Global Forum, focused on “Creating the Conditions for Innovation”, consists of two relatedparts, which together support the launch of a global incubator network:

• a Conference (October 14-16th) on the opportunities and challenges of promoting innova-tion, entrepreneurship, and new business creation in developing countries, particularly inways that harness the creative power of information and communication technologies (ICT)both for traditional and new products and services;

• a planning and networking Workshop (October 18-19th) for business incubators, incubatorassociations, and others involved in promoting business incubation and innovation, particu-larly in developing countries.

The Conference will focus on the broader environment in which incubators function and thesustainability challenges of attracting private sector support for successfully incubated busi-nesses. Placing incubators within the broader “innovation chain” and the broader context ofprivate sector development and finance, the conference will explore the key gaps – in access toventure capital and other forms of finance, in policy and regulatory environments, in institutionalcapacity – that sometimes prevent developing country innovators from “taking ideas to market”,and explore ways to bridge those gaps.

The Workshop will focus on how incubators, both those supported by infoDev and others, canbuild their capacity, share knowledge and strategies, and mobilize public and private sector sup-port to address these challenges through a global incubator network.

This Global Forum builds upon infoDev’s Incubator Initiative, which supports ICT-enabled busi-ness incubation in developing countries, and provides the platform for expanding infoDev’s Ini-tiative into a global incubator network. The Incubator Initiative is a key component of infoDev’sbroader focus on “scaling up private sector-led ICT innovation and services in developing coun-tries.” Developing countries face considerable challenges in promoting and sustaining innovationand new business creation, and in attracting broader private investment (local and international)to grow ICT-enabled businesses in all sectors of their economies. Through this Forum, the launchof a global incubator network and its “Scaling Up” program, infoDev seeks to help developingcountries, and the international donor community, better understand and address these challenges.

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Description of Projectsand Institutions Receiving Grants

CHILE

ACCESSNOVA Incubator is a Santiago-based state-run University of Chile-associated technol-ogy-based business incubator funded and managed by the University’s Technological Transfer Foun-dation (University’s Information Technology Science Department), operating in strategic alliancewith the OCTANTIS Net Incubator, managed by a consortium comprising the privately-run AdolfoIbañez University/Valparaiso Business School, the Invertec IGT export business group, and Orga-nized Enterprising Environment (CEO), www.ceo.cl Chile’s most innovative private network forenterprise promotion. It was established in 1996, and has a reputation as being the most effective ofChile’s ten incubators (particularly in terms of its management, methodologies, and quality of itsconsultancies and training services), and as being a business incubator model for other South Americanincubators. It currently has a building area of 450 sq. metres with 7 on-site tenants and 3 off-sitetenants, with a high rate of graduation of more than 40 technology companies.

The incubator seeks to extend the technological incubation concept by reducing entrance barriersfor creation of ICT-related companies; minimizing risk through mentoring and training in businessmanagement; fostering successful businessmen to lead and manage profitable businesses when leavingthe incubator; and become an important economic and social instrument for the universities andlocal communities. Important programs include the design and startup of an angel investment net-work, and strengthening of networking with the National Business Incubators Association (ANIN).

infoDev Grant: $US 400,000Contact: Mr. Antonio Holgado, Tel 56-2-678-4816; Email: [email protected]: www.incubadora.accessnova.cl; www.octantis.net

Operational Grants Approved in 2003

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CHINA

Through a grant to the Ministry of Finance, Government of China, infoDev is supporting twoincubators:

Tianjin Women’s Business Incubator (TWBI)

TWBI is based in Tianjin, China’s third largest city, and has the status of a non-profit mixedincubator specializing in assisting women entrepreneurs and fostering growth in the employmentof women made redundant through economic reform and restructuring. Established 2000, it isChina’s only women’s mixed business incubator. It was established with the financial assistanceof the Tianjin Municipal Government, which provided the building and some cash investment, theTianjin Women’s Federation, and three other local government authorities. The incubator hadreceived earlier technical assistance, in the form of business planning, consultancies and training,from UNDP, and has been guided in its establishment and development by Australian and USconsultants. Incubator managers have traveled extensively abroad to learn from other incubators,and have drawn extensively on the NBIA website for information.

It currently has a building area of 5,000 sq. meters, with 48 on-site tenants and 10 off-site tenants,and to date, has graduated 4 companies. Directly and indirectly it has been responsible for provid-ing employment opportunities for an estimated 2,000 people, a ratio far higher than developedcountry incubators. It offers clients start-up assistance, business training, business mastermindassistance, and assistance to graduates, and facilitates an on-site micro credit program whichreceived seed funding from UNDP and the Tianjin authorities. Operating at full capacity, it hasmanaged to develop near financial self-sufficiency through charging for office rents, businessservices and external training courses. It has become famous in China as a model, and acts as acentre for study tours from other incubators and incubator intenders in China.

Yangling Business Incubator Centre

Yangling is based in Shaanxi Province, Northwest China, and is managed by the Yangling Agricul-tural High Tech Industries Demonstration Zone and the Torch Centre of China’s Ministry of Science& Technology (MOST). Established in 1998, it specializes in agricultural, animal husbandry and biotechnology commercialization at the SME level, and has received most of its investment from China’sMOST Torch Program and the local Shaanxi Province Science & Technology Bureau, both of whichfund high tech R&D and technology commercialization projects. It currently has four centers with atotal building area of 30,000 sq. meters (one central incubation building of 11,000 sq. meters), all withbroadband access, which services 56 on-site tenants and 40 off-site tenants. To date, it has graduated15 companies, of which 6 were in 2004. The Yangling incubator developed under guidance fromthe government (MOST), as well as through knowledge gained from study tours to existingincubators including abroad (US and Europe), training by existing incubators, and networking

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within China. infoDev funding has been used to train incubator staff as well as tenant entrepre-neurs, help develop model enterprises for broader enterprise promotion, install an ICT networkthroughout the centre, and help tenants develop products and absorb technology, know-how andnew skills.

infoDev Grant: $US 500,000Tianjin Contact: Ms Wang Yan, Tel. 86-22-24013573 Email: [email protected]: http://www.twedc.com/Yangling Contact: Mr. Zhao Wanchao, Director / Mr. Hui Jiazheng Tel. (Xi’an City) 86-29-87036933 Email: [email protected]: www.ylibi.com

COLOMBIA

Through a grant to INNOVAR, infoDev is supporting two incubator operations in Colombia, onein Bogota and the other in Cali.

INNOVAR

Innovar Incubator is a non-profit technology incubator based in Bogota servicing ICT-enabledtenant clients and offering ICT regional and virtual services. It currently has an incubator build-ing with an area of 2,200 sq. meters, and 25 on-site tenants and 20 offsite tenants. Graduatecompanies to date number 43.

Innovar’s objective is to develop a regional incubator centre in cooperation of Colombia’slocal governments and linked with university, regional and national government programs.The incubator is building capacity within its management team, to disseminate its experiencesand to promote the utilization of ICTs in business development.

PARQUESOFT - Incubadora Parque Tecnologico del Software de Cali

PARQUESOFT - Incubadora Parque Tecnologico del Software de Cali (PSTC), was foundedin December 1999, at an industrial estate located at the north of Cali. It created its own method-ology of incubation of the Model of Entrepreneurship developing a unique cluster of knowledge atnational level. This methodology is based on alliances with key actors of the economy. The prod-ucts and solutions developed by the entrepreneurs include business solutions and applications indifferent sectors of the economy including education, health, security, transportation, govern-ment, services, agro-industry, environment and industry. These products and solutions align andintegrate enterprise strategies, with the overall mandate of bridging the digital divide. The incuba-

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tor provides to the entrepreneurs infrastructure, synergy across groups and complementary pro-fessional services for enabling the development of information and communication technologies(ICT) products and solutions.

infoDev Grant: $US 500,000Innovar Contact: Mr. Adolfo Naranjo, Executive Director; Tel. 57-1-3684983 x 201, Email:[email protected]: http://www.innovar.orgParquesoft Contact: Mr. John Restrepo Zapata, Project Director, Parquesoft; Tel. 6901100;Email: [email protected]: http://www.parquesoft.com/

INDIA

Indiaco.com (P) Limited is a small privately-run venture capital-backed technology incubatorestablished in 2001 and based in Pune, operating as an investment business model where theincubator’s owners, through their own venture capital and seed capital funds, have invested inselected tenant businesses and other businesses. The incubator is 4,444 sq. meters in area, with12 on-site ICT-enabled and focused tenants and 40 off-site tenants. 95% of the tenants are prof-itable, and growing, and 18 have graduated (3 have gone on to issue IPOs).

India.com has introduced an Innovation Accelerator Program, a seed funding program valued at$US 5 million, four post-seed fund venture capital funds with potential investment of $US 50million, and undertakes consulting and innovation for SME and large companies to supplementits rentals and other business services. The incubator’s business objectives are to increase opera-tional skills and ICT capacities, to improve capacity to mentor their tenants and other ICT com-panies, to establish a website, help improve access to international networks, and continue theirwork with Science Parks, research labs, R&D corporations and their existing 100+ partnerships.

infoDev Grant: $US 400,000Contact: Mr. Rahul Patwardhan; Tel. 91-20-4021357; Email: [email protected] : www.indiaco.com

INDONESIA

Koperasi Starcall Wartelnet is a non-profit private cooperative communication organization estab-lished in 2002 and based in Jakarta to provide ICT support and related advisory services to outsourcedSME clients through their multimedia-based telephone and business service franchised kiosks (underthe name Starcall). It is not a standard incubator, but it has identified a way to bring ICT technologiesto a large number of rural and suburban areas in Western Java. It has been successful through their

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network of kiosks in servicing micro-enterprises and SMEs which hitherto had no access to moderncommunication facilities and business services, and in expanding SME employment through improvedservicing. It has also been successful in educating micro and SME entrepreneurs in the benefits ofusing ICT to deliver better and more cost effective services. The Starcall central building has an areaof only 200 sq. meters, with no incubator tenants, but this operation services 105 off-site clients (ICT/business service kiosks) and significantly enlarges ICT networking to outer suburban and rural com-munities. To date, there have been ten graduates who have gone on to establish larger premises else-where, but who maintain networking with the Jakarta centre.

infoDev Grant: $US 250,000Contact: Mr. Eddie Cendana, Project Manager; Tel. 62-21-5805828/829; Email:[email protected]: www.starcallwartelnet.com

JORDAN

The National Consortium for Technology and Business Incubation (NCTBI), based in Amman, isled by a successful but small non-profit government-sponsored ICT business incubator set up in 2003.The lead incubator in the consortium is aimed at fostering new ICT enterprise start-ups and jobcreation. It has a building area of 800 sq. meters, with 8 tenants and no graduations, as the incubatoris only one year old (one tenant is about to graduate and expand operations). There are 3 otherincubators in the consortium; one focuses on agriculture, one on general engineering, and one has anemphasis on women entrepreneurs

The work program addresses the key issues of entrepreneurial culture in the region, especially inregard to facilitating enterprise start-ups, SME finance, and government networking. Following agovernment grant of $US 200,000 to establish the incubator, the incubator aims to achieve financialself-sufficiency through a model of tenant rentals and revenue sharing.

infoDev Grant: $US 350,000Contact: Mr Taher Kanaan; Tel. 962-6-5340401; Email: [email protected] Website: www.hcst.gov.jo/nactib.htm

KAZAKHSTAN

SodBi Business Incubator is a non-profit (legal entity) ICT-enabled business incubator based inShymkent, southern Kazakhstan, established with the support of the Shymkent City Administrationand closely associated with the City Innovation Committee and its programs. The incubator is wellknown for its capable leadership and staff, good facilities and good early preparations in terms ofcompleting a feasibility plan/business plan and creating a good image conducive to attractive more

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innovative tenants. The work program addresses issues of donor support in mentoring/consulting,facilitation of business partnership arrangements between incubators and with clients, advocacy forSME policy reform, fund raising, access to supportive networks, as well as access to Russian lan-guage translations of global and infoDev literature on incubation. An objective of the incubator is todevelop business support networks throughout southern Kazakhstan and Central Asia (known asCABIN).

It has a building area of 3,000 sq. meters, with over 20 tenants and 10 graduates to date. To supportICT-related business tenants, SodBi had established its own loan fund for SMEs and has an agreementwith banks on providing loans to its tenants and clients. It is financially self-sufficient, generatingrevenue from tenant rentals, business services to internal and external clients, and training services.

infoDev Grant: $250,000Contact: Mr. Kairat Sugurbekov, Project Manager; Tel. 7-3252-512003; Email: [email protected]: http://www.sodbi.kz

MALAYSIA

The Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) in Johore established and funded three non-profit tech-nology incubators in its Technovation Park in the period 1997-2000. These are known as the IndustryCentre (1997); MARA Technology Entrepreneurial Complex (2000), & the UTM-MDC InnovationCentre (2000). The UTM incubators are of various types, with the mixed-use/technology IndustryCentre, the postgrad ICT commercialization MARA Complex, and the R&D commercialization of theUTM-MDC incubator. The UTM incubator complex’s objectives are to enhance a high tech entrepre-neurship culture in southern Malaysia, and by doing this, enhance UTM capacity to become a worldclass university.

The UTM’s total incubator building area in its three centers is 2,370 sq. meters (Industrial Centre:1,592 m2; MARA 290 m2; UTM-MDC 488 m2). On-site tenants were 35 (Industrial Centre 15;MARA 15; UTM-MDC 5), and the number of graduates to date were 24 (Industrial Centre 3; MARA18; UTM-MDC 3). The incubator complex provides assistance to tenant clients through seminars/training, forums (held twice in 2003 on venture capital subjects), interviews, and provision of grantsthrough a commercialization fund from UTM.

infoDev Grant: $US 250,000Contact: Mr. Azian Adrian; Tel. 607-5591503; Email: [email protected]; [email protected]: http://www.bip.utm.my/

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PANAMA

The Panama Technology Business Accelerator (PTBA), established in Panama City in 2000, oper-ates on a non-profit foundation-supported basis, and focuses on ICT and bio-technology. It is the onlyincubator in Panama. It provides a comprehensive range of services to tenant and graduate clients,including pre and post and support centre incubation through mentoring; assistance with finance throughlocal banks, private investors, and developing angel investor networks; broad quality technology incu-bation in the least amount of time possible; and provision of business plan, management, and virtualentrepreneur development training courses.

The incubator has a total of 2,896 sq. meters in building area, with 11 tenants, and since its establish-ment it has graduated 10 clients. The work program includes assistance to clients and tenants onmentoring/consulting, finance, establishment of supportive networks, and access to other incubatorsthrough exchanges and study tours.

infoDev Grant: $US 300,000Contact: Mr. Jorge Arosemena; Tel. 507-3170111; Email: [email protected]: www.ciudaddelsaber.org.pa

PERU

The Centro de Innovación y Desarrollo de la Pontificia Universidad Católica is a non-profit uni-versity technology incubator based in Lima, established for the purpose of promoting an entrepreneur-ial culture and ICT projects, provision of entrepreneurial training, business plan and incubation train-ing, and establishment of networks of national and global significance to assist Peruvian SMEs. Itcurrently provides training and consulting services, it networks with investor angels, and partnershipswith microcredits for the further development of small ICT companies.The university incubator has 30 off-site tenants and one on-site tenant in a small area of only 30 sq.metres (centre’s office), and has graduated 15 clients.

infoDev Grants: $US 350,000Contacts: Mr. Domingo González, Executive Director; Tel. 511-4602870 x 387; Email:[email protected]: http://www.pucp.edu.pe/cide

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PHILIPPINES

The Ayala Technology Business Incubator is part of the University of the Philippines’ (UP)Ayala Technology Park Project to undertake technology development through ICT-based entre-preneurship. The incubator, established in 2001 at the UP Diliman Campus Science & Tech-nology Park, Quezon City (part of Greater Manila), is a non-profit ICT technology incubator,encouraging new enterprise start-ups and business growth in (1) internet technology; (2) net-work technology; (3) wire and wireless communication; (4) data communication; (5) digitalsignal processing; (6) algorithm development; (7) software design and development; (8) hard-ware design and development; and (9) microelectronics design. Its overall objective is to pro-mote government-academic-industry or private sector collaboration to forge more support tosmall and micro enterprise development in the Philippines.

The incubator provides assistance to clients with financing through tie-ups with the government’ssmall business loan facility and small business guarantee and finance corporation, and officialgrants for ICT development and commercialization, and arranges regular brainstorming fo-rums and meetings involving VCs and tenants, and access to collaborative programs of theDepartment of Trade and Industry (DTI)’s Bureau of Small and Business Development(BSMBD) to foster the use of ICT in small and micro enterprise development. Funding of theincubator came from three major sources since its foundation – Ayala Foundation with $ 80,000USD, rental revenues, and common area fees and other miscellaneous fees. Uses and applica-tion of funds went into operating costs of the facility with a major chunk used to refurbish thebuilding. The incubator has a current total building size of 520 sq. meters, but plans to expandin a new building with an area of 10,000 square meters. It has 8 on-site tenants (with 80 staff)and 160 off-site tenants, half of which are in Mindanao Island, and 61 in Negros Island.

infoDev Grant: $US 400,000Contact: Ms Victoria P. Garchitorena, President; Tel. 63-2-8485785; Email:[email protected]: www.ayalafoundation.org

ROMANIA

The Business Incubator Centre at Baia Mare, Romania, is a mixed business incubator man-aged on a non-profit basis with the funding support of a foundation, established with the aim tosupport entrepreneurship among university graduates, youths and other business newcomersby the fostering of ICT start-ups using ICT research developed in Romanian universities andresearch institutions. The incubator also aims to improve the capability of associated/networkedincubators in developing ICT ventures and assisting SMEs to adopt ICT for improved effec-tiveness and competitiveness.

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The incubator has a total building area of 1,550 sq. meters, housing 32 on-site client/tenants (no off-site tenants), and has already graduated 26 companies. The incubator assists on-site and off-site tenantclients through training and mentoring services, and has developed advocacy capacity with other SMEpromotion organizations.

infoDev Grant: $US 350,000Contact: Mr. Radu Big; Tel. 40-262-224870; Email: [email protected]; [email protected]: www.cdimm.org

SOUTH AFRICA

In South Africa, the Southern African Technology Incubator Network (SATIN), which consist ofthree ICT Incubators - BrainWorks Technology Incubator, Voxel Technologies Innovation SupportCenter, and SoftStart IT Incubator, have been funded under the infoDev Incubator Initiative. Thisproject proposes to use ICT to enhance the current capacities of the existing high technology incuba-tors in South Africa, and to use ICT to transfer this knowledge and learning to other incubators. Thiswill have a measurable impact on the success rate of these incubators in their attempt to eradicatepoverty and to uplift people from previously disadvantaged groups. The Godisa programme (the SAgovernment incubation agency, which also represents a number low tech incubators) supports thisproject and assist in the eventual transfer of the results of this project to these incubators. BrainWorksTechnology Incubator, Voxel Technologies Innovation Support Center provides the resources for de-velopment portion of the project, while SoftStart is to participate as a lead user during the implemen-tation phase. The proponents (and their supporting organizations) have been successfully involved inincubation activities in South Africa over the past three to four years.

infoDev Grant: $US 400,000Contact: Mr Sean Achim & Mr Steven Giddings, Tel: +27 31 273 1502 / 27 31 273 1500;Email: [email protected], [email protected]/Website: www.bti.co.za, www.innovation.org.za

SRI LANKA

The Sri Lanka Technology Incubator is an ICT technology incubator, established in July 2000in Colombo as a small non-profit company operating under the title of the Concept NurseryExpansion Program. Its business development aim is to strengthen and encourage entrepreneur-ship and stimulate the adoption and consumption of information and communications technology(ICT) in Sri Lanka by growing and franchising ConceptNursery to provide opportunities forentrepreneurs throughout the country to establish and grow viable ICT related ventures; developprograms to assist SME enterprises to adopt and utilize ICT; develop and promote technologyentrepreneur programs for women; and disseminate best practices in business incubation includ-ing the exchange of entrepreneur experiences and incubator management.

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The total building area of the IT incubator is 325 sq. meters, housing 10 ICT-enabled softwaretenants employing 50 staff. There are also two off-site tenants, and three more are about to belaunched. The incubator has graduated 20 clients over the past 3 years, mainly due to rapidexpansion of their business and staff numbers. The incubator provides assistance to clients withfinancial assistance by arranging regular forums and meetings involving venture capital investorsand tenants (through one of the incubator’s partners (NextVentures), a venture capital company.This company is used to help develop tenants’ business plans, finance applications, other docu-mentation, and undertake due diligence.

infoDev Grant: $US 350,000Contact: Mr. Mohammed Azmeer, General Manager/Co-Founder, Media Solutions Pty Ltd(IT Consultants); Tel. 94-114-722856; Email: [email protected]: www.conceptnursery.com

UKRAINE

Through a grant to UBICA, infoDev Initiative is supporting two programs in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Business Incubators and Innovation Centers Association (UBICA-ICT)was established in Kiev by a non-profit international foundation with 168 members compris-ing the Ukraine Association of Business Incubators and Business Support Centers, and pro-fessionals dealing with business incubation and local development, in cooperation with theKiev Municipal Administration and the Ukrainian Government and its State Committee forRegulatory Policy and Entrepreneurship. Its objective is to develop a business support in-frastructure in the Ukraine centered on Kiev; provide professional development for incubatorstaff and clients; promote business incubation in the Ukraine, provide new ICT/ technologiesfor entrepreneurship support; and improve incubator services and quality.

The Kharkov Small Business Incubator (Kharkov Technologies) was established in Kharkovas a non-profit virtual technology incubator. It provided clients with a collaborative relation-ship with two banks for financing purposes; a credit fund which has supported 20 clients/projects to date; training services for client staff; and an entrepreneurial ICT network amongoff-site virtual clients. The work program includes enhancing ICT facilities, access to sup-portive regional incubation networks, extension of the VBI network elsewhere in Ukraine,and further development of and access to distance learning and international training net-works.

The Kharkov incubator has a total building area of 1,000 sq. meters, which houses 18 on-site ICT-enabled tenants and 45 off-site ICT-enabled tenants. It has achieved 6 gradua-tions since it was opened. The Kharkov incubator seeks to establish financial self-suffi-

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ciency through increased income from ICT and virtual services (training, consulting, webdesign and business plan development), and sales to clients throughout the Ukraine of VBIsoftware package.

infoDev Grant: Ukraine: $US 500,000UBICA Contact: Mr. Tarelin Anfriy, UBICA ICT Project Leader Tel: 380-44-228-38-24; Email:[email protected]: www.ubica.kiev.uaKharkov Contact: Ms. Inna Gagauz; Tel. 380-572-307964 ; Email : [email protected],Website : www.isc.kharkov.com/kt

URUGUAY

The Ingenio-Incubadora de empresas LATU-ORT is the first non-profit technology incubator tobe established in Uruguay, based in Montevideo. It was developed with the funding support from thegovernment, university and the private sector. It provides to tenant clients a range of services such asmarketing support; international linkages, ICT and e-business infrastructure and training; supportfor regional and international networking; exchanges with other incubators in Latin America, on lineforums, and business planning training workshops.

The incubator’s total building area is 580 sq. meters, and services 8 on-site tenants and 23 off-sitetenants. The work program includes the development of an incubation support network includingwith other incubators in developing countries with similar conditions, and on-line forums to im-prove its international linkages for clients.

infoDev Grant: $US 300,000Contact: Mr. Manuel Bello/Germán Martinez; Tel. 598-2-6013724, Email: [email protected]: www.latu.org.uy

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ARMENIA

Viasphere Technopark (VT) is a private company incorporated in the Republic of Armenia in2001 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Viasphere International. VT started operations July2001 housing 5 startup companies. Since its inception in July 2001, Viasphere Technopark hasbecome a model commercial incubator in Armenia currently housing 11 tenants, and has createdmore than 400 ICT jobs, in addition to the long-term value to local resident companies andsubsidiaries in the United States. The VT is centrally located in the capital of Armenia, Yerevan,in the southeastern industrial part of the city with close proximity to Zvartnots InternationalAirport and downtown Yerevan. The Technopark campus consists of 10 buildings. The site wasformerly a headquarters of Transistor Co., one of the most advanced semiconductor research anddevelopment centers recognized throughout the former Soviet Union for power semiconductordevelopment. The buildings consist primarily of office space and electronics laboratories.

The main objective of the work program is to improve the managerial and operational capabilitiesof the Viasphere Technopark and their tenants and strengthen the growing ICT sector in Armenia.The outcomes of the work program funded incubator initiative is anticipated to facilitate theeffective flow of information and expertise for the transfer of know-how in creating and runningsuccessful startups; tap into a global network and exchange experiences among ICT incubators inthe US, Europe, and Far East; exchange experiences among incubators in the US, Europe, LatinAmerica, and Armenia; and Support to local start-ups to serve as catalyst providing cost-effec-tive and ICT-enabled solutions for various branches of industry that are key to the socioeconomicdevelopment of Armenia. These objectives will be achieved through targeted consulting, training,residency and commercialization services to be offered by VT in Armenia and VI in the US.

infoDev Grant: $US 150,000Contact: Mr. Khachatur Khachikyan; Tel. +374(1) 44-21-88; Email:[email protected]: http://viasphere.com/technopark/

Operational And Capacity Building Grants Approved in 2004

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BRAZIL

Through a grant to RMI, infoDev is supporting three incubator operations in Brazil, one in BeloHorizonte at the Minas Gerais state; and two in Rio de Janeiro.

The Minas Gerais Incubators Network ICT Program, (in Portuguese, ‘Rede Mineira deIncubadoras’ - RMI) is a not-for-profit organization created in 1998 in the state of Minas Gerais,Brazil. Its mission is to contribute to regional and national economic and social developmentthrough the support to organizations which promote technology-based companies in the state ofMinas Gerais, such as incubators, technology parks and technopoles. RMI is constituted by 15technology incubators located in the State. The participating incubators are all not-for-profitorganizations connected to public or private manager institution including universities, founda-tions, and mayoralties). The 12 month project aims at improving the economic results, commer-cializing, training, and the creation of better instruments for monitoring and evaluation of incuba-tors, tenant and associated companies, through a substantial improvement in web based educa-tion, increased ICT use and diffusion.

Technological Incubator of Popular Cooperatives of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro– ITCP, is a program of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, aimed at supporting popularcooperatives, for creating livelihoods and income generation opportunities for poor and disadvan-taged people, particularly women. The ITCP is managed by Fundação COPPETEC (COPPETECFoundation), the Technology Transfer Office of COPPE/UFRJ. ITCP was founded in 1996, througha signed agreement between COPPE/UFRJ, FINEP (Brazilian Innovation Agency), and theFundação Banco do Brasil (Bank of Brazil Foundation), in response to the growing unemploy-ment in Brazil. Since its creation, ITCP has contributed directly to create more than 1,200 newlivelihoods and jobs in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. ITCP has its own facilities, with 400 m2 of buildingspace, located on the university campus. There are 8 offices, an auditorium, a classroom, atelecenter and a conference room with optimal infrastructure. The Project’s specific objectivesinclude the introduction, development and incorporation of ICT in all applicable ITCP, its tenantscooperatives and their graduates; foster the creation of cooperatives dedicated to ICT-relatedservices; and disseminate to replicate the lessons learned from implementation across other Tech-nological Popular Cooperatives Incubators.

Genesis Institute For Innovation And Entrepreneurial Action, is a private non profit founda-tion of the Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (Pontifical Catholic University ofRio de Janeiro – PUC-RIO), with a mandate to transfer research results to society for promotinginnovation and entrepreneurship action, by training entrepreneurs. It was founded in June 1997and is the unit of the university’s that promotes innovation and entrepreneurship action.

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The infoDev funded work program is to lead to the creation of an audio-visual park in Rio deJaneiro municipality, in the region comprising Rocinha slum, Gávea, Jardim Botânico and Humaitá,with the purpose of improving social and human conditions and fostering economic and techno-logical development, by supporting innovative ICT business incubation. The projected outputs ofthe project are to include a Project guide, and a toolkit for replication to other communities,regions and countries; Creation of an Incubation management tool, to support the planning, man-agement and monitoring of the business incubation programs; a statistical report of the growth insocial, economic, labor, corporate, and fiscal areas; and other instructional material to be madeavailable at IDISC.

infoDev Grant: $US 300,000RMI Contact: Mr. Christiano Gonçalves Becker; Tel 55 31 34995587, 55 31 32815446;Email: [email protected]: www.rmi.org.brITCP Contact: Ms. Valéria Augusta Braga, Tel : 55 21 2598.9240; 55 21 2598.9240; Email:[email protected]: www.itpc.coppe.ufrj.brGenesis Contact: Ms Luciana Thibau Moreira da Rocha; Phone: 55-21-3114-1769; Email:[email protected]: http://www.genesis.puc-rio.br/

COSTA RICA

The lead proponents of the project are Comisión Asesora en Alta Tecnología de Costa Rica(CAATEC) and the Centro de Incubación de Empresas-Instituto Tecnológico de CostaRica (CIETEC). CAATEC is a private, independent, non-profit foundation that supports so-cial and economic development in Costa Rica by leveraging advances in information and com-munications technologies (ICT). CAATEC is made up of individuals from the academic (in-cluding the presidents of the four national universities) and private sectors of Costa Rica, aswell as representatives of the largest multinational high technology corporations operating inthe country. The mission of the CAATEC Foundation is to increase the competitiveness ofCosta Rica through the strengthening of strategic infrastructure, the development of humanresources, and the appropriate use of science and technology by Small and medium enterprises(SMEs). The Business Incubator Center of Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica (CIE-TEC)was created in 1994 with the objective of promoting innovative start-up firms with the potentialto make substantial contributions to national productivity. CIETEC’s facilities are located atan Industrial Park, in the province of Cartago, Costa Rica. The current facilities account for600 square meters, which allow CIETEC to support the incubation of a maximum of eightcompanies, and support other incubating firms outside its premises. It currently offers twomain kinds of incubator services to tenant companies generically referred to as logistic andstrategic services.

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The infoDev funded work program is to facilitate the development of competitive ICT-enabledsmall and medium size enterprises (SMEs) in Costa Rica, through the creation of an effective e-Business Incubator Model (eBIM) at CIETEC, and the implementation of this model in such away as to improve the functioning of the incubator itself, resulting in the creation of truly com-petitive Costa Rican SMEs (estimated at 95% of the entire country’s formal businesses). Duringthis process, the project will help CIETEC consolidate its operational and self-sustaining capa-bilities, efficiency, performance and business outreach through the creation and more effectiveuse of ICT skills and ICT-enabled business incubation services.

infoDev Grant: $US 250,000Contact: Mr. Ricardo Monge, Tel (506) 253-8828 / 253-3324 / 392-1455; Email :[email protected]: http://www.caatec.org

GHANA

BusyInternet Ghana, a private Ghanian company, was established in 2001, and is a joint ven-ture between Ghanian investors and BusyInternet International. Its mandate is to promote socialand economic development in Africa through Information Technology applications. The overallapproach is that of facilitation, through a combination of physical infrastructure, includingelectricity and bandwidth, and the social environment of experts and entrepreneurs. BusyInternetGhana is a service business, focused on providing the appropriate resources for businesses andorganizations to execute on their core competencies and skills enhancement. Over the last 26months, in the current form of incubation, BusyInternet has facilitated the setup and growth of 11ICT companies. It is the leading technology incubator in Ghana, and has established a clearmarket differentiation providing the mix of tenants with a unique environment of networkingopportunities and a competitive edge over similar businesses in Accra. To date, 5 companies havebeen successfully incubated. At the moment, it has 6 tenant companies in its portfolio. The infoDevfunded work program is to include a mix of pre incubation preparatory work (facilities set-up andmanagement); incubation program administration (business development, ICT infrastructure,management and legal issues); marketing and networking (branding, and financing); and postincubation activities (knowledge dissemination and outreach functions).

infoDev Grant: $US 300,000Contact: Ms. Estelle Akofio-Sowah / Mr. Mark Davies, Tel 00233 21 774002 ; Email :[email protected] : http://www.busyinternet.com/

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INDIA

Tiruchirappalli Regional Engineering College - Science and Technology EntrepreneursPark (TREC-STEP), is the first Science Park promoted in the country in the year 1986, forpromoting knowledge based ventures of young Science and Technology Entrepreneurs. Thepromoters of TREC-STEP are Department of Science and Technology; Government of India,Government of TamilNadu, Industrial Development Bank of India, Industrial Credit and Invest-ment Corporation of India (ICICI), Industrial Finance Corporation of India (IFCI), state finan-cial and development organizations such as TamilNadu Small Industries Development Corpora-tion etc. along with the premier educational institution - Regional Engineering College ( nowrenamed as National Institute of Technology ), Tiruchirappalli. TREC-STEP is situated in 2,00,000square meters of land, between Regional Engineering College, Tiruchirappalli and Bharat HeavyElectricals Limited, and right in an industrial area that houses a nationally reputed SME Clusterof over 300 fabrication industries. These locational advantages provide a unique industrial andacademic ambience for TREC-STEP to promote knowledge-based ventures. The infoDev fundedwork program is planned as a flagship Incubation initiative in the country, for other incubators toemulate. TREC-STEP, with its good track record of Best Performing STEP in India, is to imple-ment a series of ICT enhanced incubation initiatives for developing ICT Synergies in BusinessIncubation. These set of innovative initiatives is to facilitate formation and growth of start-upclusters, while at the same time leveraging regional competencies. Specifically the work programis to include the Creation of an ICT enabled business incubation web portal; Capacity buildingthrough training in focus areas (emerging ICTs, business excellence models and quality issues);Learning and partnership traveling tours and networking platforms; Information Infrastructuredevelopment; and Documentation and dissemination platforms.

infoDev Grant: $US 300,000Contact: Mr. R. M. P. Jawahar; Tel 91 431 2500085, 2500697; Email: [email protected],[email protected]: www.trecstep.com

INDONESIA

Broadband Network System (BNS) is a registered private enterprise founded in 2001, and islocated at Jakarta, Indonesia. Beside office space, the Incubator facilities include state of the artbroadband network, servicing major cities in Sumatra, Java, Bali and Lombok islands. PT Broad-band Network System is a holding company, and it consists of several IT companies with acumulative 13 years of experience as Network System Integrator, Turn-key solution Provider,Broadband ISP, IP based Multimedia Operator, Fiber & VSAT links Provider & Operator (to-gether with a licensed microwave Batam-Singapore link) as well as IP Phone Operator. Using thefinancial and technical resources from infoDev and the Indonesian government, BNS is to

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consolidate its operational and self-sustaining capacity, to provide quality ICT services by en-hancing its organization infrastructure. This will include improving efficiency , performance andoutreach of business incubation services through the building and more effective use of broad-band-enabled information communication technology and e-services solution.

infoDev Grant: $US 200,000Contact: Mr. Kurnia Tugiono, Tel 62-21 3905611; Email: [email protected]: www.bns.co.id

IRAN

The infoDev Funded work program in Iran is a strategic collaborative effort of Isfahan Science AndTechnology Town (ISTT); a government organization running three incubators, a pre-incubationprogram, a multi-tenant building, and one newly-established technology park; Yazd Science AndTechnology Park (YSTP), established in 2001 with special focus on IT, Biotech, new energies, andtextile technology, and Rooyesh ICT Incubator affiliated to the Not-for profit organization NationalJob Creation Organization of Iran (JobIran) that was established in 2000. This funding for this uniquepublic–private partnership include internal funds, and those solicited as grants from Deputy Ministerof Science, Research and Technology, and from State Management and Planning Organization (MPO),in addition to funding from the infoDev Incubator Initiative. The planned work program is to result inthe creation of training packages for trainers, enhance the incubator services, establish wider relationsnationally and internationally, establish new incubation programs, and develop an Incubators PortalSystem to benefit from ICT-enhanced capabilities and services towards the achievement of their orga-nizational goals and contribute to national interests. The work program is to include five main modulesrelated to training of site specific content by national and international experts; creation of two compli-mentary networking systems, one for tenants and the other for technology parks and business incuba-tors; enhancement and diversification of services and eServices; creation of a bilingual portal system;development of virtual incubation programs.

infoDev Grant: $US 300,000Contact: Mr. Mehdi Keshmiri Tel 98 311 3913912; 3913917; Email: [email protected]: www.istt.org

KRYGYZSTAN

The Union of Business Incubators and Innovation Centers of the Kyrgyz Republic, the imple-menting organization of the infoDev Incubators Initiative funded work program being implemented inKyrgyzstan, was launched in August 2003. The mandate of the Union of Business Incubators andInnovation Centers, include the promotion of small and medium size business development in theKyrgyz Republic through implementation and maintenance of business incubators, innovation cen-

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ters, and technology parks. In addition to functions related to asset- maintenance, the Union is alsoresponsible for promoting economic growth of Kyrgyzstan, raise employment, help start-up busi-nesses and integrate Kyrgyzstan into the global knowledge-based economic system through develop-ment of business incubators and introduction of Information technologies. The infoDev IncubatorInitiative funded work program are to include three main activities to the already existing businessincubator of the Union of Business Incubators in Kyrgyzstan including introducing tenant companiesof an existing business incubator to the information technologies in order to increase efficiency of theiroperations; launching a branch to incubate ICT projects; and rendering help in ICT development to theregional business incubators. The partners for this work program include Eurasia Foundation, Orga-nization for Cooperation and Security in Europe OCSE Center in Bishkek, IFC-SECO Program forLeasing Development in Central Asia, UNIFEM, and the UNDP program in Kyrgyzstan.

infoDev Grant: $US 150,000Contact: Ms. Zamira Akbagysheva Tel 996 312 66 45 49; Email : [email protected]: http://congresswomen.host.net.kg/

MOROCCO

Casablanca Technopark is managed by a private company, the Moroccan Information TechnologyCompany, or MITC. With an area of 29 000 m², including conference rooms, meeting rooms, cafete-rias, and offices equipped with the latest technologies, the Casablanca Technopark provides its clientswith a set of general services and technical presentations. Casablanca Technopark is currently hosting130 companies, most of them are start-up and SMEs in the ICT sector. Multinational companies,Training and R&D centers are also tenants in the technopark. All these companies are provided withfacilities as well as services, such as international networking, business plan follow-up, commercialassistance. The operational grant under the infoDev Incubator Initiative has been earmarked for Ca-pacity Building especially for the integration of IT to the overall innovation process, monitoring func-tions of the tenants progress and the transmission chain of knowledge, and functions related to marketingand networking functions for the tenant companies. With this work program, the first Moroccan incuba-tor functioning like a private fund is to be established. The project is to be independent from any form ofsubsidies and create significant value-added for the incubated companies and for Morocco as a whole.

infoDev Grant: $US 250,000Contact: Mr. Abderrafie Hanouf Tel +212 22 50 78 71 ; Email: [email protected]: http://www.casablanca-technopark.ma/404.asp

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TURKEY

Ankara Cyberpark is a science and technology park, which is established in partnership withBilkent University. The university’s affiliate Bilkent Holding has also been involved with infor-mation technology and has been a local leader in research and development of software systems.Ankara Cyberpark’s primary mission is to establish an infrastructure bringing together govern-ment, business and the academic community and to create an atmosphere to better develop ITtechnologies and solutions. The Cyberpark seeks to provide its stakeholders (shareholders, ten-ants, academicians, students, government, city of Ankara) and provide its tenants with an atmo-sphere that creates synergy, the best quality and most cost-effective techno park services. Withthis infoDev incubator initiative, the Cyberpark plans to establish Turkey’s first private incubatorwithin a technopark, aiming to create an incubation culture in Turkey and guiding future privateincubator establishments in Turkey, which will have an important contribution to the community’sdevelopment. Furthermore, support of important organizations, such as Turkish Technology De-velopment Foundation (TTGV) and Small and Medium Industry Development Organization(KOSGEB) is expected to facilitate the growth and development of the incubator.

The incubator is to serve research and development project groups and technology-based start upfirms, and encourage these firms to utilize ICT to a maximum level possible. The incubator isalso expected to foster the internationalization of firms operating within it by using European andinternational knowledge networks to which the parent Cyberpark will be associated. It will alsobe a gateway to access international resources, such as programs funded by the European Union,the World Bank, the UNDP, and the OECD.

infoDev Grant: $US 250,000Contact: Mr. Mustafa Atilla, Tel +90 (312) 266 31 37; Email: [email protected],[email protected]: http://www.cyberpark.com.tr/tr/

UGANDA

One of the instruments that the Uganda government is using in order to eradicate poverty ispromoting rural industrialization and turning primary or raw products to semi-finished or pro-cessed commodities through rural small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The Uganda Indus-trial Research Institute (UIRI), the implementing organization of the project, is to provideassistance to SMEs through partner centers in the country. UIRI offers training to the ruralSMEs to improve their technical and management competence and it offers advisory services tothe SMEs. The goal of the infoDev Incubator Initiative sponsored work program is to improvecommunication, trade, performance, and efficiency; and to allow for business expansion of aselect number of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that were originally established underthe auspices of UIRI.

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As the Institute continues to develop and nurture these businesses the anticipated result will bethat these businesses will act as models for other product lines and sectors. The expansion ofthese partners is intended to enhance capacity for them to ultimately engage in export business.Specifically, the work program is to include application of ICT tools to improve the overallperformance levels of the incubator and partner centers administration, improve the overall con-tent, quality and delivery of technical training materials through application of ICT tools; andstrengthen the overall monitoring and evaluation processes of the incubators and its partners.

infoDev Grant: $US 200,000Contact: Mr. Charles G. Kwesiga, Tel 256 41286245 / 256 41286124Email address: [email protected], [email protected]

UZBEKISTAN

The Association Of Business Incubators and Technoparks of the Republic of Uzbekistan(ABIT) was founded in 2000 and is registered as a non-government organization. The main tasksof ABIT include the coordination of the activities of the country’s business incubators andtechnoparks; render support to members of the Association and their business partners for socio-economic and scientific and technical cooperation, the external economic and investment activ-ity; and promote the creation of the small enterprises focused on use of new technologies, manu-facturing import-substituting and export-oriented products. The initiators and founders of ABITconsisted of 23 business incubators and 1 technopark. The goal of the infoDev Incubator Initia-tive funded work program is to foster socio-economic development in all provinces of the countryby establishing ICT units on the basis of 13 existing business incubators to facilitate access toinformation and knowledge-sharing for all groups of population with a focus on small and micro-entrepreneurs and tenants of business incubators. The work program is to create an Internet-Portal with a user-friendly interface; create ICT Units through providing necessary equipment toexisting 13 business incubators, training of personnel in use of ICT; and provide access andconnectivity to the internet-portal for ICT Units.

infoDev Grant: $US 250,000Contact: Mr. Zafar Mukhitdinov, Tel 998 (712) 562602; Email: [email protected],Website: www.binc.uzsci.net

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AZERBAIJAN

Information and Telecommuniations Technologies Development Association (InfoTek) is alocally registered non-profit organization, with a mandate for the development of ICT in Azerbaijan.It is the organziation that is responsible for the “az” domain name. The objective of the workprogram funded under the infoDev Incubator Initiative is to foster social and economic develop-ment of Sumgayit community by launching a business incubator there. Sumgayit is located in thenorthern part of Absheron peninsula, north from Baku, and is the second largest industrial city.The project is expected to foster entrepreneurship and private sector development in the city,develop higher penetration in domestic and international markets of national businesses, and pro-vide more dynamic knowledge flows and collaboration among stakeholders of the local businesscommunity. This is to be primarily achieved by developing the organizational capacities of theincubator, and client orientation through increased services and products for tenant companies;creating a suite of online tools and forums for partnerships; and formulating a business plan forthe long term sustainability fo the business incubator.

infoDev Grant: $US 100,000Contact: Ms. Melahet Kazimova / Mr. Anar Mahmudov Tel +994 12 439 02 90; 4990360;Email: [email protected]: www.gateway.az

COLOMBIA

Corporación para el Desarrollo de Tunía (Corpotunía) is a not-for-profit civil society organi-zation serving rural communities in the central and northern parts of Colombia’s Cauca state. Itwas established in 1986 by a group of community leaders, with financial assistance and supportmainly from the Fundación Carvajal in Cali. Corpotunía’s headquarters are located at Tunía inthe Municipality of Piendamó (about 500 km south of Bogotá), just off the Pan-American High-way. The buildings occupying about 400 m2 of floor space provide a reasonable amount of officespace and training activities. The organization is legally recognized by the Government and itsChamber of Commerce. Corpotunía conducts integrated development projects aimed at organiz-ing and supporting local producers of tropical agricultural products. A central aim of these projectsis to link rural people more fully with growth markets as a means of reducing poverty in thisneglected, predominantly rural region of the country. Drawing on experience in Colombia andelsewhere, this project will consolidate an agro enterprise incubator in the country’s southwesternCauca Department. Strategic partners in the region’s agro enterprise development will contributeto the process, including the Cauca Chamber of Commerce, Cauca Regional Center for Produc-tivity and Innovation (CREPIC), and International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT).

Planning Grants Approved in 2004

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The project will develop and test, both direct and virtual approaches to provide training andsupport, aimed at creating and strengthening competitive rural agro-enterprises. It is designed tolink those approaches with the use of more conventional communications technology, such asradio and printed materials. Through this combination of measures, the project is to make theincubator’s services and support widely available to rural communities, so that they reach highlyvulnerable groups, such as refugees and indigenous people.

infoDev Grant: $US 100,000Contact: Mr. Adolfo Plasas Tenorio Tel 057 – 8242204; Email: [email protected]: www.corpotunia.org

GEORGIA

The Civil Society Support Centre (CSSC) was founded in 1999 in Gori, center of Shida Kartli,one of the largest regions in Georgia. Since then, CSSC has covered the whole Gori region and in2003 had a branch office inaugurated in Tbilisi. The Centre has several departments that imple-ment programs in various spheres of civil society development including community develop-ment; self-governance; small business assistance; and information and communication technolo-gies. The planning grant is aimed to create strategic framework for launching and developing aGeorgian business incubator and educate stakeholders in Georgia, to create a solid basis on whichthe incubator can be established. The incubator feasibility study is to serve also as a marketdevelopment tool to foster introduction of business incubation systems across the region. Thework program includes undertaking and completing a feasibility study, disseminating the busi-ness incubation plan and formulating an business and implementation plan.

infoDev Grant: $US 70,000Contact: Mr. Vazha Goginashvili, Tel 995 99 105 634, 995 32 951 633; Email:[email protected]: www.cssc.ge

KENYA

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology started operations in 1981 as a diplomaawarding institution in the fields of Agriculture and Engineering. In 1989, it was elevated to thestatus of a University College and in 1994 it was established as a full-fledged University. TheUniversity facilities have been funded through grant aid and technical co-operation programmeswith the Japanese Government. The mandate of the infoDev Incubator Initiative work program inKenya is the creation of the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology Centerfor Business Innovation (JKUAT-CBI). The University’s proposed Center For Business Inno-vation is to be created with assistance from the African Institute for Capacity Development, the

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Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), Kenya Industrial Estates (KIE), Ministry of Finance,Government of Kenya, and USAID. The Center for Business Innovation (CBI) is to be a publicnot-for-profit center, co-sponsored by government departments, non-profit organizations, andprivate investors for the primary purpose of sustained economic development and job creation. Itis to involve successful entrepreneurs, lawyers, accountants, bankers, scientists, and other pro-fessionals in the provision of expertise to its members. It is planned to be a hybrid incubator inthat it will provide its membership with access to government as well as private sector fundingand other resources. The emphasis of the work program is to be on innovative technologyapplications and transfers, providing research opportunities for university researchers and asso-ciated groups. It is planned to provide start-up business opportunities for alumni of JKUAT andother Kenyan universities, among others. The incubator is to be strategically placed on thecutting edge of thinking about how to support small business development and about the use ofinformation and communications technology (ICT) in community development with emphasis oninnovation.

infoDev Grant: $US 100,000Contact: Mr. Atieno Ndede-Amadi Tel 254-67 52244 ; Email : [email protected]: www.jkuat.ac.ke

MAURITIUS

The National Computer Board, the implementing institution for the infoDev Incubator Initia-tive work program in Mauritius, was established under the National Computer Board Act 1988.It is a para-statal organization under the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommuni-cations, and is administered by a Board of Directors. The role of the NCB is to e-power people,businesses and the public sector by developing and promoting ICT and ICT related services inline with national goals and policies. The NCB is a key enabler in transforming Mauritius into aCyber Island and, amongst others, advises the Government on the elaboration of national policiesfor the development of the ICT sector in Mauritius. The overall objective of the project is toconduct an appraisal of existing facilities and services offered to start-ups in the Information andCommunication Technology (ICT) field at the National Computer Board – ICT Incubator Centreand to examine ways to enhance and streamline the same. A marketing and business strategiesplan is to be formulated for the Incubator Centre, a strategic plan for partnership created, and thedevelopment of a training plan for IT incubatees and the managing staff is also envisaged.

infoDev Grant: $US 100,000Contact: Mr. Kemraz Mohee Tel +230 2105520; Email: [email protected],[email protected]: http://ncb.intnet.mu/

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MONGOLIA

The activities during the planning phase are to be directed towards building a solid foundationtowards the establishment of a business incubator. This proposed New Path Incubation Center,is to be a joint initiative resulting from an on-going and highly productive relationship betweenInfoCon, the Mongolia Development Gateway, and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences (MAS).It is to be complemented by the involvement of the Mongolian Chamber of Commerce and officialrecognition and support from the Ministry of Infrastructure. In the medium term, this incubatorcentre is to engage a number of partners from the private sector to strengthen the capacity andviability of the project. The role of InfoCon is to oversee the implementation of the project and tofoster and maintain strategic partnerships. The Mongolia Development Gateway is to contributeits expertise and experience in the area of ICT development and training, and the ability to facili-tate the integration of ICTs and sound business practices into participating organisations. Therole of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences in the New Path project is to serve as the link betweenMongolian businesses and research and development information and outcomes. The main ac-tivities that are to be undertaken during the planning phase are to include extensive needs assess-ment, strategic and business planning, creating partnerships, establishment of incubator infra-structure, and a formal monitoring and evaluation mechanism.

infoDev Grant: $US 100,000Contact: Ms. Tsetseg-Ulzii Yadamsuren Tel +976 11 325 438;Email: [email protected], [email protected]: http://www.infocon.mn/eng/index.php, http://www.mongolia-gateway.mn

NAMIBIA

The IT@AB (Information Technology in African Business) Network was inaugurated in 2001under the sponsorship of InWEnt gGmbH, Capacity Building International, Germany (the formerCDG), one of the leading European Institutions for International Training and Dialogue in Eu-rope. The partners of IT@AB include InWent gGmbH and 30 partner organisations from theSADC region, from Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania and Zam-bia. The 30 partner organisations are constituted from both the private and public sectors. Theprimary focus of the network is to reduce the digital divide between Africa and the developedworld. IT@AB seeks to enable small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and small enterprises(SEs) to participate in the global digital economy. Since the beginning of 2004, IT@AB hasstarted preparing to set up Business Incubators in each member country. The purpose of theIncubators is to take a number of high potential SMEs and SEs and through intensive training andskills transfer, to turn them into very effective and sustainable enterprises. Each incubator is to bee-business enabled and turned into a global player. The Incubator project is being undertaken incollaboration with InWEnt and the other participating organizations.

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The three companies implementing the planning grant in Namibia include the University of Namibia,BITS (Private) Limited and Telecom Namibia that are part of the IT@AB network. The projectis to involve the creation of a Namibian Incubator with a view to incubating selected small andmedium enterprises, through delivering effective training in business skills and by enabling themleverage the benefits of ICT. The infoDev funded work program is intended to result in incremen-tal, multiplicative and sustainable development in Namibia.

infoDev Grant: $US 100,000Contact: Mr. Tom Mukaiwa Tel +264 61 224087; Email : [email protected]: www.it-inwent.net

NEPAL

The Information Technology Professional Forum (ITPF) has been awarded a grant for theplanning phase of Business Incubation System in Nepal. IT Professional Forum in cooperationand support of stakeholders like High Level Commission for Information Technology, His Majesty’sGovernment of Nepal, Nepal Chamber of Commerce, Kathmandu Engineering College, KathmanduUniversity and others will conduct the needs assessment in the country, in-depth research andanalysis and planning for the provision of business incubation services to promote business inno-vation and private sector development. The business incubation services will focus on the inte-gration and use of information and communication technologies into the development of smalland medium enterprises (SMEs) and micro enterprises (MEs). The objective is to build localcapacity in the target business communities, raise awareness and promote the appropriation andutilization of ICT by local entrepreneurs and small businesses as tools to address their short- andlong-term development goals. This planning project is designed to be completed in nine months.The first five months are to be allocated to research and consultation. Programming and consen-sus building (IT Business Incubator System Design) is scheduled to begin in the fourth month andis designed to take five months for completion. Awareness and promotion campaigns to benefitthe prospective stakeholders are also to be initiated with the planning process and continue be-yond the project period.

infoDev Grant: $US 100,000Contact: Mr. Suresh Kumar Regmi, Tel + 977 1 4244475;Email: [email protected], [email protected]: www.itpfnepal.org

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PARAGUAY

The IPORA Project, Catalyst Agency for Incubators, Technological Parks and Entrepre-neurship Support Organizations, has as its objective, the development and implementation ofan inter-institutional program of business incubation that integrates intensive use of technologyas a fundamental tool for optimal production processes, management, marketing and knowledgenetworks formation. The project design includes an initial phase of investigation, diagnosis andbenchmarking followed by the subsequent implementation of network creation programs, partici-pant training, and dissemination and promotion of an entrepreneurial culture. Additionally, thereare a series of technological tools planned to be created that enable incubators to offer, from thestart of their activities, services of high value during the incubation process, to improve thesuccess indicators of new business and to stimulate exchange on best practices amongst incuba-tors and their incubated businesses. There are a number of collaborating institutions in the IPORAproject, which include the Ministry of Industry and Commerce – (MIC), National Science andTechnology Council (CONACYT), National University of Asuncion (UNA), Business Coopera-tion and Industrial Development Center (CEDIAL), in addition to the Enlace Foundation, theimplementing institution.

infoDev Grant: $US 100,000Contact: Ms. Andrea Marcia Alvarez, Tel (595.21)230.047 - 498.177 / 495.724 ; Email :[email protected]: www.enlace.org.py

SENEGAL

The International Development Center of the National Council of Negro Women, throughNCNW-Senegal, is implementing a year long planning project titled ‘Creating An Enabling Spacefor Young Entrepreneurs (EYE)’. Its purpose is to plan the development of a business incubatorthat provides services to new and existing enterprises, especially women-owned/operated busi-nesses, to enable them to access and use ICT to develop their businesses and penetrate globalmarkets. This one-year planning project is directly linked to the NCNW-Senegal strategic pro-gram and is designed to produce a fully elaborated strategic and operating plan for the develop-ment of a business incubator in the St. Louis region of Senegal. The National Council of NegroWomen (NCNW), founded in 1935, is a voluntary non-profit membership organization with themission to advance the opportunities and the quality of life for African American women, theirfamilies and communities. NCNW fulfills this mission through research, advocacy, national andcommunity based services and programs in the United States and Africa. With its 38 nationalaffiliate organizations and its more than 200 community based sections, NCNW has an outreachto nearly four million women, all contributing to peaceful solutions for the problems of humanwelfare and rights. The overall objective of the project is to plan the development and start-up ofa business incubator. The services and programs offered to tenants and other client businesses of

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the incubator is planned to be geared to expanding the use of ICT to enhance the viability anddevelopment of SMEs, with an emphasis on women’s entrepreneurial development. The planningprocess is to be a broadly participatory one, involving relevant Senegalese national and localgovernment representatives; public and private sector partners; institutions in the region; andpotential incubator tenants and clients.

infoDev Grant: $US 70,000 (Planning Grant)Contact: Ms. Cynthia Ferguson Colas, Tel 1-202-383-9157 / 221-825-36-71; Email:[email protected]: www.ncnw.org, http://www.telecomplus/ncnw.sn

SRI LANKA

Intermediate Technology Development Group – South Asia (ITDG) helps eradicate povertyin developing countries by developing and using technology and by demonstrating results, shar-ing knowledge and influencing others. Under the infoDev Incubator Initiative, ITDG will workwith small scale agro processors to strengthen their market linkages through networking andintroducing simple and effective applications of ICTs and link them with the e-business world.The services that are planned to be identified include market intelligence, marketing services,expert inputs, management inputs and timely information that are beyond the conventional busi-ness development services delivery. This commercial provision of marketing and other consultancyservices for the rural and small scale agro processing sector is to be undertaken through a com-munity network model ‘Rural Enterprise Network’ (REN) that was established among the groupenterprises assisted by ITDG, which has now emerged to be the business incubating arm of ITDG-South Asia. Today, REN is incubating fifteen group enterprises in the districts of Badulla,Kurunegala, Kandy, Matara, Anuradhapura and Puttalam in the field of agro processing (dehy-drated vegetables, fruits, and medicinal herbs.)

infoDev Grant: $US 70,000Contact: Mr. Jayantha Gunasekara, Tel 94 1 829412/ 94 1 829412; Email: [email protected]: www.itdg.org

TANZANIA

In Tanzania, World Ahead Consulting Network (WCN), is the lead implementing organizationfor the work program related to a planning grant for business incubation. The partner organiza-tions include the University Computing Centre (UCC) and the University of Dar es Salaam’sEntrepreneurship Centre (UDEC). The activities of the project is to be coordinated by a projectsteering committee composed of representatives from these three institutions, the Ministry ofIndustry and Trade of the Government, and representatives from other stakeholders. The role of

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the World Ahead Consulting Network (WCN), as the main implementing institution, coversoverall project management functions, including overseeing research and analysis, facilitatingmeetings and workshops as part of a consultative process, establishing and moderating the net-working among key stakeholders and other interested parties, overseeing logistics and other ar-rangements, providing technical input to the business plan and reporting to infoDev regularly onproject progress and issues.

The planning grant from infoDev is to be used for gathering data and information on the overallbusiness incubation environment in Tanzania; conducting a feasibility study for sustainable ICTenabled business incubation in Tanzania; and finally developing an implementation and businessplan. There are other activities involved in the above process that are to include knowledge dis-semination, stakeholder and thematic workshops and overall monitoring and evaluation processes.

infoDev Grant: $US 70,000Contact: Mr. Simbo Ntiro, Tel +255 748 780665 ; Email: [email protected]: http://www.world-ahead.com, http://www.ethinktanktz.org

THAILAND

Kenan Institute Asia (KIA) and the Office of Vocational Education Commission developed theKIAsia Business Incubator in 2003 to assist aspiring entrepreneurs within Thailand, especiallyin rural areas whose residents typically lack funds and necessary basic business know-how. TheKIAsia Business Incubator is currently focusing on assisting these aspiring entrepreneurs realizethere business ideas, while expanding their scope to include areas such as ICT utilization andinternational business practices. (KIAsia was established in 1996 with an endowment providedby USAID, the Royal Thai Government, the Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterpriseand the William R. Kenan Charitable Trust). The planning grant under the infoDev IncubatorInitiative is to be utilized over one year to fully research and plan to make this business incubatorcustomized for site specificities in Thailand. The Office of Vocational Education Commission ofThailand is working with the BAC and is to be a strategic partner in providing facilities, staff andrecruitment of tenants once the planning phase is concluded and the operational phase begins.

This work program is to focus on four key areas that are to include basic business education,competency development, funding assistance and ICT utilization/skills. Each area is planned toinclude a number of activities, which are a pre-requisite for the successful implementation of aneffective and efficient incubator. These activities are to have a positive impact on the ICTcommunity within Thailand as the rural community begins to utilize their benefits.

infoDev Grant: $US 100,000Contact: Mr Marc DaSilva, Tel (662) 229-5920 ext. 324; Email: [email protected]: http://www.kiasia.org/

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VIETNAM

The Center of Research and Consulting on Management (CRC), an autonomous unit of HanoiUniversity of Technology, is the lead implementing institution for the work program in Vietnam.The objective of the work program is to fill the current gap in Vietnam of supporting entrepre-neurs in their idea, pre-seed and seed stages. This is to be ensured through EntrepreneurshipTraining, Research-Application Linkages, Business Plan Development, Infrastructure Provision,Network Building, and Business Development Services. The primary target tenants include stu-dents, and researchers in universities and research institutions; authors of ICT related technologyinnovations; individuals or teams with a research under way or a completed innovation; andyoung companies with less than 2 years of operation. The work program includes seminars andworkshops on entrepreneurship topics, annual business plan competitions within HUT, regularnetworking events with VCs, later-stage incubators, corporate venturers, angel investors; main-tain relationships with national competitions; leverage the novelty of the university incubatorconcept to create media coverage. The overall ICT strategy is planned to include three elements:E-learning platform for business plan seminars, and management trainings; Internet-based infor-mation platform on business start-ups; services for web-site creation and e-Commerce.

infoDev Grant: $US 50,000Contact: Mr. Pham Minh Tuan, Tel 84 4 868-3713; Email : [email protected]: www.hut-fem.edu.vn

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Contact Details of infoDevIncubator Grantee Institutions

Country Proponent Organization Contact Person

E-mail Grant Approval

Type Of Grant

AFRICA

1 Ghana Busy Internet Estelle Akofio-Sowah

[email protected] 2004 Capacity Building

2 Kenya Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT)

Atieno Ndede-Amadi

[email protected] 2004 Planning

3 Mauritius National Computer Board (NCB) Kemraz Mohee

[email protected], [email protected]

2004 Planning

4 Namibia IT@AB Network - Namibia Tom Mukaiwa


5 Senegal National Council of Negro Women/International Division (NCNW)

Cynthia Ferguson Colas


6 South Africa

Voxel Technology Innovation Support Centre

Steve Giddings

[email protected] 2003 Operational

7 Tanzania World Ahead Consulting Network

Simbo Ntiro [email protected] 2004 Planning

8 Uganda Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI)

Charles G. Kwesiga


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Country Proponent Organization Contact

Person E-mail Grant Date Grant

Details


1 Armenia Viasphere Technopark Aram Vardanyan

[email protected]

2004 Capacity Building

2 Azerbaijan Information and Telecommunication Technologies Development Association (INFOTEK)

Melahet Keiromova


3 Georgia Civil Society Support Centre Vazha Goginashvili


4 Kazakhstan SODBI Business Incubator Shymkent

Kairat Sugurbekov


5 Krygyzstan Republic

Union Of Business Incubators And Innovation Centers of Kyrgyz Republic

Zamira Akbagysheva


6 Romania Business Incubator Centre Baia Mare, Romania

Radu Big [email protected] 2003 Operational

7 Turkey Ankara Cyberpark Inc. Mustafa Atilla


8 Ukraine Ukrainian Business Incubators & Innovation Centres Association (UBICA-ICT), and

Nikolay Paal [email protected] 2003 Operational

Kharkov Small Business Incubator (Kharkov Technologies)

Inna Gagauz [email protected] 2003 Operational

9 Uzbekistan The Association of Business Incubators and Technoparks of Uzbekistan (ABIT)

Zafar Mukhitdinov



1 Brazil Minas Gerais Incubators Network; and

Christiano Gonçalves Becker


Technological Incubator of Popular Cooperatives of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro – ITCP; and

Gonçalo Guimarães


Instituto Gênesis da PUC-Rio Jesus Hortal Sanchéz S.J


2 Chile Access Nova Antonio Holgado


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Details


3 Colombia INNOVAR and Corporación Bucaramanga Emprendedora (CBE); and

Adolfo J. Naranjo

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

2003 Operational

Incubadora Parque Tecnologico Del Software De Cali (Parquesoft)

John Restrepo Zapata


2003 Operational

4 Colombia Corporación para el Desarrollo de Tunía (Corpotunía)

William Cifuentes

[email protected]

2004 Planning

5 Costa Rica Comisión Asesora en Alta Tecnología de Costa Rica (CAATEC)

Ricardo Monge


6 Dominican Republic

Cyberpark of Santo Domingo Rosendo Álvarez III,


7 Panama Panama Technology Business Accelerator – PTBA

Jorge Arosemena

[email protected]

2003 Operational

8 Paraguay Fundación Enlace Andrea Marcia Alvarez


9 Peru Centro de Innovación y Desarrollo de la Pontificia Universidad Católica

Joaquín González Mavila


10 Uruguay Ingenio–Incubadora de empresas LATU – ORT

Manuel Bello [email protected] 2003 Operational

EAST ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

1 China Yangling Business Incubation Center; and

Madam Cheng Juying


The Tianjin Women’s Business Incubator (TWBI)

Ms Wang Yan


2 Indonesia Koperasi Starcall Wartelnet Buyung Anasril


2003 Operational

3 Indonesia Broadband Network System (BNS)

Kurnia Tugiono


4 Malaysia Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)

Abdul Karim Mirasa


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Details

EAST ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

5 Mongolia InfoCon Co., Ltd Tsetseg-Ulzii Yadamsuren

[email protected]

2004 Planning

6 Philippines UP-AFI Joint Experimental Facility - AYALA Foundation

Victoria P. Garchitorena

[email protected]

2003 Operational

7 Thailand Kenan Institute Asia (KIAsia)

Marc DaSilva [email protected] 2004 Planning

8 Vietnam Center of Research and Consulting on Management (CRC)

Pham Minh Tuan


SOUTH ASIA

1 India Indiaco.com (P) Limited Rahul Patwardhan


2 India Tiruchirappalli Regional Engineering College-Science & Tech. Entrepreneurs Park

R. M. P. Jawahar


2004 Operational

3 Nepal IT Professional Forum (ITF) Suresh Kumar Regmi

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

2004 Planning

4 Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Technology Incubator (Pvt) Ltd. - ConceptNursery

Ms. Thusitha D.Pilapitiya


5 Sri Lanka Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG) - South Asia

Jayantha Gunasekara


2004 Planning


1 Iran Isfahan Science & Technology Town (ISTT)

Mehdi Keshmiri


2004 Operational

2 Jordan National Consortium for Technology and Business Incubation

H.E Dr. Taher Kanaan


3 Morocco Moroccan Information Technopark Company

Abderrafie Hanouf

[email protected]

2004 Capacity Building

infoDev Secretariat

Terrab, Mostafa Program Manager

Alavi, Ellie Consultant, Operations Team

Ayers, Seth Research Analyst

Boulos, Samiha Program Assistant

Bretaudeau, Henri Advisor, Donor Relations

Chaudhry, Vivek Coordinator, Incubator Initiative

Dubow, Jacqueline Senior Program Officer

McNamara, Kerry Knowledge Coordinator

Melhem, Samia Senior Operations Officer

Nachazel, Teri Program Assistant

Pauschert, Dirk Consultant, Operations Team

Pupillo, Lorenzo ICT Advisor, Telecom Italia

Santiago, Melinda Budget Assistant

Thande, Nyambura Resource Management Assistant

Vasudevan, Rajesh Consultant, Knowledge Team

w w w . i n f o d e v . o r g

Information for Development Program2121 Pennsylvania Ave NWWashington, DC 20433 USA

Tel: 202-458-5153Fax: 202-522-3186E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.infodev.org

infodev incubator initiativemation and communication tools is a critical element in the fight...

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