03.25.08 | New York City: United Nations Meets Web 2.0 New Media, New Entrepreneurs and New ICT Opportunities in Emerging Markets
I have been discussing with Gary Bolles his effort through Xigi to help UN GAID organize the United Nations Meets Web 2.0 New Media, New Entrepreneurs and New ICT Opportunities in Emerging Markets 25-26 March 2008.
What’s it All About (Tagline)
The rationale for organizing the event is along these lines: New York City is a bastion for global finance, and the staged at the United Nations will serve “as a gateway to encourage technology and investment to flow into the world’s developing communities.”
Gary in a email explained the core of the event well:
What we expect the most is to educate the UN community about the need to support social entrepreneurs – with resources, with visibility, with policies. For example, if one country re-examines, say, its telecom policy to enable more open ICT competition, that would be a tremendous result.
Background
“UN Meets Web 2.0” is a follow up to the February 2007 event helped organize in Silicon Valley titled “United Nations Meets Silicon Valley“, which explored how the technology industry and business community in Silicon Valley can bolster development and discussed challenges and partnerships between the public and private sectors in the area of ICT for development.
Event Synopsis
The event will consist of a series of policy dialogues and panel sessions on the first day, showcasing a variety of perspectives on key issues, including the use of technology to drive development; understanding what is in the mind of ICT entrepreneurs; and how the new media and content are shaping the landscapes of business and economics in developing countries.
The second day will include an Investors Forum, showcasing emerging business and investment opportunities in information and communication technologies in developing nations, including ICT initiatives from countries across Africa, Asia, the Americas, the Middle East, the Pacific, the Caribbean, and Eastern Europe.
For more details, see their Event Program.
What Participants get Out of it
Participants will learn how new media and content are shaping the landscapes of business, economics and policy in developing countries; learn about global ICT opportunities; and understand what is in the mind of ICT entrepreneurs and investors. Participants will also have an opportunity to watch for the next “mega-venture” to champion doing business with the “Base of the Pyramid.” They will also hear about financing solutions from a range of well-known investment firms.
Session Highlight: The Social Capital Markets Forum
Gary is also involved in organizing the Social Capital Conference, which will explore a broad range of issues relating to the rapidly emerging social enterprise field. This includes enterprise development in areas as varied as Fair Trade, BOP, Clean Tech, Green Biz, Preventative/Alternative Health Care, Social Conscious Consumerism + Investing. Event will include social mixer and opening reception; 2 days of conf panels, 1 day open space facilitated by Jerry Michalski of Sociate.com.
As a Prelude to the Oct 13- 16 Social Capital Markets Conference, The UN Meets Web 2.0 event will include the Social Markets Conference Investors Forum designed specifically to connect Global Investors with ICT Entrepreneurs from developing countries.
The forum will feature several showcases/presentations on emerging business or investment opportunities in ICT in developing nations.
For the forum, an A-list panel of global investors will be present to hear presentations from government officials, business leaders and entrepreneurs.
The general audience will include a variety of distinguished guests, including Venture Capital and Private Equity firms from the Silicon Valley (CA), Silicon Alley (NY), China and other parts of the world.
Presentations will be brief, compelling, and of the following type:
- Showcasing an “Inward Investment Opportunity” – An ICT-based business opportunity in a developing or a least developed country for which investment capital is needed.
- From non-profit organizations, which are using ICT to help address social and/or environmental issues in specific countries.
- Showcasing an “Outward Investment Opportunity- i.e., Financing solutions available in a country to invest in an ICT-based business opportunity in a developing or a least-developed country.
- A large-scale public/private partnership (both business and government-sponsored) on ICT that seeks private co-investment.
On a Related Note: OVF and GAID Geneva Sept 07
Kafui Prebbie presented at the GAID Geneva event after being selected as one of the ITU Youth Forum Alumni to be at the Global Forum on Youth and ICT Development –
Some Thoughts on Web 2.0: Demonstrate Examples of Practical Utilization of Web 2.0 Tools for Social Enterprise Development and Empowerment
What comes to mind (with regards to UN Meets Web 2.0 in particular) is the need for a clear picture of what web 2.0 really is in terms of how people can use these tools to empower their work in the NGO community. It might also be worthwhile to consider a process for collaboration that might lead to demonstrating how ICT can lead to effective online collaboration during a conference in a workshop or series of workshops at the March Conf. For example people are now using Second Life as a virtual conferencing tool to demonstrate how ICT can save money as well as reduce carbon emissions http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg4IJcX4sI0
Clear and Simply Define Holistic ICT/Open Digital Village Model – In terms of our own efforts I think its important that we really distill useful and also easy to understand information about ways in which ICT can and is be used to promote a sustainable and socially just global society. I see that as a possible unifying theme to bring together relevant networks through these events.
We are now looking at how we might tell the story of our work and that of our networks in a way that is compelling and which leads to the realization of our vision of a network of Open Digital Villages.
