The beat at the Harvard Africa Business Conference

I was recently invited to speak on panel at the 'The Harvard Africa Business Conference' in Boston and I wanted to share with our readers some highlights of what I learned and gained from the experience.

The theme this year was 'Your African Legacy' and a lot of the discussion revolved around Africans living in Africa as well as those in the Diaspora are taking steps to create their African legacy through projects, NGO's and businesses that they are involved in. Interestingly, this was not just limited to finance people (which there are a lot of at Harvard Business School - HBS), but doctors, scientists, government officials, fashion designers, engineers and more all interested in taking meaningful steps on the continent.

It was very much evident from the speakers and attendees that Africans in the diaspora as well as Africans studying and working abroad have a renewed interest in the opportunities on the continent and more importantly want to return to their respective countries. I met a number of Kenyans and Nigerians in particular who were actively seeking opportunities at home (both employment and entrepreneurial). Tanzanian's take note! From the sessions I attended (on technology, pharma & starting a business) and through discussions with other attendees, it was also clear that the problems we are all so familiar with continue to exist but the opportunities are there for the taking.

My panel at the conference was on 'Building a business from the ground up' in Africa. I was sharing my experiences on starting a mobile technology company Bongo Live! in Tanzania and the lessons I have learned so far. The panel had a variety of speakers which made for a healthy and at times lively discussion. We also discussed at length about the common hurdles that entrepreneurs in Africa face (infrastructure issues, corruption, difficulty finding funding, unreliable people) and more importantly about the rewards of starting out on your own on the continent.

Lastly, I wanted to mention that young entrepreneurs and professional in Tanzania should make a point to attend local conferences and networking events as they not only raise the profile of your business but also build your personal credibility among local leaders and influential folk.

Harvard African Business Conference Website