Microsoft’s East-African footprint expands with iHub and m:lab co-op

Microsoft wants to play a big role in driving innovation in Africa. After recently introducing the 4Afrika Initiative — geared at improving the continent’s economic development and global competitiveness — the software giant has announced a strategic cooperation with business incubator iHub and the m:lab East Africa consortium.

The goal is to support startup, innovator and developer communities in East Africa to grow their skills and ultimately build businesses using Microsoft technologies by providing software training and access to capital investment.

iHub is an innovation hub in the tech space, and is made up of technologists, investors and tech companies in Kenya and surrounding areas. The m:lab consortium comprises four organisations aimed at leading the way to identify, nurture and help build sustainable enterprises in the “knowledge economy.” Together, they support entrepreneurial growth in Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Somalia and Southern Sudan.

Some standout initiatives and projects that Microsoft, iHub and m:lab will be working on in the future are:

• Supporting the startup community with Microsoft BizSpark, a global program that helps startups grow through software support and a vibrant ecosystem
• Giving developers access to the latest events and workshops on Microsoft’s development technologies, especially the iHub UX lab
• Deploying Windows Phones, and Windows-based tablets at iHub and m:lab facilities to be used for testing applications and other software developed by local IT teams
• Connecting the iHub Research team and Microsoft Research
• Enabling collaboration between the iHub Consulting team and Microsoft Consulting Services on joint projects

Fernando de Sousa, general manager of Microsoft Africa Initiatives, said of the venture:

“Microsoft sees tremendous potential in African youth, developers and entrepreneurs, and we see this collaboration with iHub and m:lab as an excellent way to quickly and directly engage with these critical communities to listen to how we can best support their ambitions and goals. It is our hope that this collaboration will help many more African startups become strong players in the information and communication technology sector at a global scale.”

Erik Hersman, managing director and founder of iHub sees a bright future for the colaboration:

“We are very pleased to establish this cooperation with Microsoft, spanning the iHub ecosystem, to enable us to provide tech community members with great programs that can help them develop innovative new software products, establish their businesses and reach new markets. Microsoft is clearly a brand that developers and startups want to engage with, and we look forward to this collaboration, which will accelerate the development of technology across East Africa.”

The Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative aims to place tens of millions of smart devices in the hands of the African youth by 2016, and bring one million small and medium-size African enterprises online. The initiative is also a great avenue to get Microsoft device-penetration across the continent.