A European Commission plan to further deregulate its telecommunications market has come under fire, after it was claimed the plans would help the continent’s biggest players increase their grip on the market.…
In Kabul, Three Generations of Startups Make Plans for a Future without Donors
In 2005, when Farshid Ghyasi founded NETLINKS, Afghanistan barely knew IT. The market, he generously says, was “virgin…there were no players.” It doesn’t take a Silicon Valley VC to know that founding…
Surrounded by Security, Afghanistan’s First Coworking Space Aims High
Few tech hubs are hidden behind concrete blast walls, barbed wire and a team of gun-toting security guards. There again this is Kabul’s – and Afghanistan’s – first ever coworking space. Berlin…
In Kabul, More Women Are Drawn to the Emerging Tech Sector
For Fakhria Ibrahimi Momtaz, finding clients for her tech company was just a tiny, first step. It was 2010 and Momtaz’ startup, Momtaz Host, had just registered with the government. Even that…
Five of the technology industry’s biggest political controversies
Uber recently became embroiled in a political row, after listing the territory of Western Sahara as a separate country, enraging users and officials in Morocco, which claims the state as its own.…
Lifting of sanctions will help Iran’s entrepreneurs, but changing military service is key
A lot has been made of Iran’s fledgling startup community recently, and how the easing of western-imposed sanctions could herald an explosion in tech activity. That may be true, but some of…
New 4G is taking Western Sahara’s protests beyond refugee camps
At an English school in the Western Saharan camp of Smara, young men are drinking sugary local tea, talking and checking social media. The first two activities, in a region much of…
South Sudan’s telco market holds a mirror to the embattled nation
Calling a contact in South Sudan can be frustrating. Business cards can list many numbers, and it can be necessary to trawl through each option before the correct one is reached. This…
Gaza’s first startup accelerator seeks survival crowdfunding
Gaza’s first startup accelerator has launched a campaign to ensure its survival, as the region rebuilds after this summer’s conflict with Israel. Gaza Sky Geeks (GSG), an offshoot of humanitarian group Mercy…