Kenya har i de seneste år været centrum for Afrikas teknologiske udvikling. Den status blev styrket med IBMs beslutning om, at placere et forskningscenter i Nairobi. IT-koncernen har 11 andre forskningscentre men dette er det første i Afrika.
The IBM Research – Africa physical lab space opened at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi on November 7, 2013. The lab is IBM’s 12th global laboratory and the first commercial technology research facility on the continent conducting both applied and far-reaching exploratory research, the company website states.
IBM Research’s presence in Kenya is intended to encourage and strengthen an innovative culture, and engage local entrepreneurs and innovators to develop solutions to the challenges faced by the people of Kenya, the surrounding region and other fast-growing markets around the world.
[video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW-um_DUG9o]The African continent accounts for 14 percent of the world’s population and is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. With a growth rate expected to average 7 percent annually over the next 20 years, Africa is poised to become a leading source of innovation in a variety of industries.
To further enhance the scientific and technology base on the African continent, the IBM Research – Africa team in Nairobi, Kenya has been conducting research projects for the past year while the laboratory was under construction.
Over the past year, a team of seasoned IBM scientists and new recruits, starting with 20 PhDs, have joined the lab.
Læs mere: http://www.research.ibm.com/articles/africa.shtml
