An Ecosystem Enabled Framework for Digital Co-operation : A Collaborative Platform that Supports Technology Enabled Entrepreneurship

Africa is a greatly diverse continent. This presents a unique opportunity for a new model of how to scale and sustain tech-innovations. The tech-innovation ecosystem has been a primary aspect of discussion around the success or failure of the many tech innovations within Africa’s developing countries. Existence of an enabling ecosystem that enables and sustains technology innovation solutions is necessary. The question of understanding appropriate technology context as an ecosystem has led to many approaches and definitions. We wish to address and propose a definition of the tech-innovation ecosystem. We then propose a model for its simulation as a virtual digital platform modelled for collaboration. The virtual platform will be a hub without limitations of space, access or tenancy, with adaptability to any and every locale, mirroring its unique ecosystem digitally. It shall allow for uninhibited engagement of innovators and ecosystem enablers, stakeholders and market to fulfil the value chain. The interactions in the virtualised ecosystem platform can help policy makers through data analytics to correctly measure actors and their interactions, and effectively accelerate ecosystem development, through focused intervention. We describe this collaborative, multi-functional and integrated platform.