Home/Business/Information Technology/‘iDEA will create successful software businesses’

‘iDEA will create successful software businesses’

The InfoTech Developer Entrepreneurship Accelerator, an initiative designed by the Ministry of Communications Technology to help Nigerian Information and Communications Technology entrepreneurs, has said it is committed to creating successful software businesses.

 It also expressed the desire to build growth-oriented companies with impact on employment in the ICT sector and place Nigeria on the international ICT map.

Speaking at a media interactive session in Lagos, the Vice Chairman, iDEA Governing Board, Mr. Pius Okigbo, said the initiative was targeting students, start-ups and software development companies

iDEA, which is a private not-for-profit company, he said, was strongly supported by the Ministry of Communication Technology and the National Information Technology Development Agency

“Entrepreneurs accepted into iDEA centres have access to physical work space, shared facilities, training, and business services as well as access to capital. WE are partnering with technology companies to offer training and access to software development tools across a number of platforms. Interested individuals can apply for membership,” he said.

Also speaking on the initiative, iDEA Project Manager, Mrs. Helen Anatogu, said software production and development had been shown to contribute to structural transformation, learning and innovation, job creation and export revenues; and is also an enabler for socio-economic development.

She said the initiative was exploring partnership arrangement with Microsoft, Nokia, Google and Blackberry, adding, “More partners will be engaged as time goes on.”

Anatogu described the programme as  non-profit-making that operates on a cost-recovery basis, which sustainability will be achieved through government funding, sponsorships from partnering organisations, and charges for workshops, classes, services and space; as well as from other grants.

According to her, the initiative will also engage established local software development companies to build new innovations or assist in bridging the gaps preventing the companies from fully exploiting and commercialising existing innovations.