The Invitation We Wait For: Bridging Gaps in Global Progress.
In recent years, I've stumbled upon heart-wrenching reports about venture capital, and my heart sank when I discovered that only 1% of it reached the vast and vibrant continent of Africa. Picture this: over 1.3 billion people, a majority of them young, brilliant minds spread across 54 uniquely diverse countries, sharing a mere 1% of the venture capital cake. It felt like my people in Africa were the ones consistently left out, never receiving an invitation to the party of progress.
Despite claims of inclusion, the numbers tell a different story. Unicorns are multiplying, but they all seem to graze in the same pastures. Is it a lack of talent in developing regions like Africa? No, our young population is bursting with talent and passion. All they need is an invitation to the party, a second look.
Yes, the developing world has its challenges, but there's a blueprint of triumph over challenges in other parts of the world. It sometimes feels deliberate, a ploy to keep developing nations in a perpetual state of dependency. Aid, often tied with political strings, seems more like a tool to manipulate than a genuine effort to uplift.
Humanity has a tendency to create classes and divisions, but it wasn't always this way. After the devastation of World War II, the U.S. extended a hand to rebuild Europe and Japan, fostering a sense of brotherhood. Yet, that same camaraderie seems elusive when it comes to today's developing nations, many of which have suffered from exploitation.
Now, standing on the brink of a new beginning, Jensen Huang's words about AI democratizing technology ring with excitement. A million-fold growth in tech promises domain experts the chance to tailor-make solutions. But my excitement is tinged with concern. Basic infrastructural problems still plague many developing nations, leaving them on the sidelines once again.
Could this AI revolution be the moment when the overlooked nations catch a break? Is this the time for genuine inclusion, where venture capital flows to the innovators and entrepreneurs solving local problems? Perhaps this revolution will prompt the organizers of progress-themed parties to print more invitations for those who have been overlooked for too long.
Realists might have graphs and statistics, but I choose to believe in the limitless human spirit. We are capable of more than we know. The tech landscape has transformed dramatically in the past year, who's to say this explosive growth won't sweep through the nations we've labeled as developing? I believe the next decade will birth unexpected giants, and I hope some emerge from the forgotten corners of the world, not just as spectators but as integral participants in the grand symphony of progress.
See you on the next one,
Fred Agaba