Technology’s Role in Developing Markets
By Sarah Szabo
Technology and new innovations fuel economic growth and in recent years, technology’s impact on developing markets has become even more significant. Rural and emerging markets are active laboratories for applications that bring the power of technology to meet economic, educational, health and social outcomes.
From state-of-the-art technology training in remote areas, innovative harnessing of solar and other alternative energy sources, to low-cost easy to use laptops, international technology companies large and small are playing a major role in advancing economic development.
This past January, CES launched a new program, Technology and Emerging Countries (TEC), focused on technology’s role in economic growth. The TEC program featured major technology leaders and government officials including His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, Nicholas Negroponte, founder of the One Laptop Per Child Project, and Dr. Paul E. Jacobs, CEO of Qualcomm, and highlighted what some companies are doing to advance development, and addressed the challenges that lay ahead. (Click here for podcasts from the program.)
The TEC program at CES was a huge success and CEA’s mission is to grow the program into a leading voice for the industry. To ensure we’re on the right track, we announced last week an Advisory Council for the TEC program. The Council is comprised of past participants and speakers, including:
- Dr. David Foster, General Manager, Development, Unlimited Potential Group, Microsoft Corporation
- Dr. Paul E. Jacobs, CEO, Qualcomm
- His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda
- Paul Meyer, Co-Founder, Chairman & President, Voxiva
- Nicholas Negroponte, Founder, One Laptop Per Child Project and MIT Media Lab
- Eric Nonacs, Managing Director for Global Affairs, Endeavour Financial Ltd.
- Dan Shine, Vice President, 50×15 Initiative, AMD, and President, 50×15 Foundation
- William Swope, Vice President and General Manager, Corporate Affairs Group, Intel Corporation
- Tae Yoo, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Cisco.
As technology’s impact on economic advancement becomes ever more pivotal, the TEC program will remain a critical component at CES. Stay tuned for speaker announcements and program updates for the Technology and Emerging Countries program at the 2009 CES.
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