NextBillion brings together the community of business leaders, social entrepreneurs, NGOs, policy makers, and academics who want to explore the connection between development and enterprise.
Our Staff Writers and Editors offer insights on the latest news, events, interviews and other happenings from the development through enterprise and base of the pyramid universes
March 31, 2009 — 08:00 am
Four years ago, Nicholas Negroponte announced the One Laptop per Child initiative and the $100 laptop to much fan-fare at Davos in Switzerland. He captured the imaginations of world leaders with promises of ultra-affordable computing for school children around the world. He talked about changing the way children learn, improving their education ...
March 11, 2009 — 07:09 am
Even if PCs was made so easy to use (simplify the interface with large, logical icons) so someone that couldn't read or had no computer skills could use the PC easily, they likely wouldn't see that much value in it. The missing element is some unique value for consumers and enterprises at the BoP. I do not think this value exists in PCs today.
December 20, 2008 — 09:22 am
I recently read an article titled Negroponte - missionary not manufacturer, in which the author makes the argument that, well, Nicholas Negroponte - founder and Chairman of the One Laptop Per Child project - is a missionary, not a manufacturer. I think this is a very interesting point and...
December 10, 2008 — 07:25 am
This is Part Two of a two-part series on the economic crisis and what disruptive leaders everywhere should do to survive and thrive. Go here for Part One. "You can't save yourself out of a recession." This quote was used often by Craig Barrett, Intel's CEO in 2001. The basic...
December 9, 2008 — 02:45 pm
This is Part One of a two-part series on the economic crisis and what disruptive leaders everywhere should do to survive and thrive. If you have been following my posts here or on my blog you'll notice that my underlying approach to business is how all things disruptive - disruptive...
October 23, 2008 — 02:33 pm
The initial $100 price tag of the XO Laptop from Nicholas Negroponte's One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) created quite a furor when it was first announced three years ago. At the time, the cheapest laptops were hovering around $400 to $500. This subject has been rehashed many times in the press...
October 15, 2008 — 07:01 am
I absolutely love that phrase. I heard it at the Social Capital Markets 2008 conference this week in beautiful San Francisco, said by William Foote, Founder and President of Root Capital, on a panel I didn't attend but heard about later. The phrase perfectly epitomizes the mood and...
October 2, 2008 — 10:13 am
I've long been an advocate of using for-profit business principles (e.g. capitalism) to promote development and world progress, specifically in technology. This belief has been formed from: My personal experiences working with local entrepreneurs in emerging market countries.Leading...
September 19, 2008 — 11:42 am
Editor's note: The posts in the "When Being Disruptive is a Good Thing" series were originally published as Guest Posts by Mark Beckford, before he joined NextBillion.net's team as Staff Writer. In general, the penetration of tech products into emerging markets has not made a...
September 17, 2008 — 10:17 am
Editor's note: The posts in the "When Being Disruptive is a Good Thing" series were originally published as Guest Posts by Mark Beckford, before he joined NextBillion.net's team as Staff Writer. Someone or something that is disruptive is usually associated in the negative....
