The iSpace hub is serious about creating a community and space for Ghana’s techies to succeed. Through offering members access to the Internet, office space, meeting rooms, event space and training, iSpace nurtures the entrepreneurial spirit of tech enthusiasts.
Launched in June 2013 by co-founders Fiifi Baidoo and Josiah Eyison, the business partners planned to create an avenue for start-ups to get easier access to “entry barriers of entrepreneurs,” Baidoo told AFKInsider.
In an exclusive interview he also spoke about the hub community, forthcoming projects, recruitment, and more.
AFKInsider: How did iSpace begin? Who are the participants, owners, and hub specialties?
Fiifi Baidoo: It was started by myself and my business partner Josiah Eyison with the intention of helping to reduce the entry barriers to entrepreneurship. Some of these difficulties are access to office space, reliable Internet, collaboration, mentorships, training and investment opportunities.
Our main objectives and goals have been to provide these resources to those who need them. For about 18 months before launching, Josiah and I worked hard. We set-up iSpace to create the environment for creative individuals to thrive and benefit from resources derived from partnerships with industry players.
AFKInsider: What is your role at iSpace?
Fiifi Baidoo: I am the community manager of the space, which requires me to engage and interact with the community [and introduce them to] our services and offers. I also plan and execute content that attracts entrepreneurs and business to us.
AFKInsider: Are there any special projects, notable apps and inventions that you can tell us about?
Fiifi Baidoo: Right now, we are incubating a range of products and services. We are working on education with E-Solutions, health with iLife and Governance with Odekro. We also have people working on building apps for tourism, sports, music and a peer-to-peer lending platform called Lending Square. On a social development side, we are working on encouraging the youth, particularly women/girls, into tech with both Tech Needs Girls and iDesign initiatives.
AFKInsider: Have iSpace members created any apps to sustain water or natural resources — or to help agriculture and farming in Ghana? Please name and explain the functions of these apps.
Fiifi Baidoo: At the moment no, but we have a Hack 4 Good tournament coming up in the next quarter which will address identified problems and issues the hackers will encounter. We have most of our members working on tech and creative projects. However, there’s one project which helps farmers that have expressed an interest in moving their operations to the space and becoming a member.
AFKInsider: How do you recruit members to iSpace?
Fiifi Baidoo: We identify potential members at events and programs that we are passionate about. We do more of a direct approach at the moment so we can be sure we are in-sync with the members and share similar interests and objectives. We look out for entrepreneurs with the bootstrap mentality. At events and programs such as hackathons, workshops and seminars we recruit and pitch iSpace to potential members. We also visit universities to give tech talks with topics in entrepreneurship. Our members who like our services also recommend and refer iSpace to their entrepreneur friends.
AFKInsider: Please explain how Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has affected iSpace?
Fiifi Baidoo: iSpace as a tech hub relies heavily on ICT to create that environment we so desire for the businesses we want to support. The primary tool we use is the Internet — and we have fast speed Internet access. ICT has made it easy for us to reduce one of the many obstacles start-ups face in our environment. The iSpace team relies a lot on this to reach out and interact with the community.
AFKInsider: What are the current stages of technology project developments offering tech services and creating applications that can help with Ghana’s health, economy, agriculture, and education?
Fiifi Baidoo: These start-ups are in different stages. Some have matured enough and are already affecting businesses and traditional ways of doing things. Some are still in incubation and being prepared for the prime market.
AFKInsider: What are the current stages of technology projects being developed to increase employment in Ghana?
Fiifi Baidoo: The government in her own way is working on various schemes to help make things easy for the unemployed to get jobs. However, the effects of these schemes are rather in the long run and don’t help those trying to get their own business up and running. Hence, projects that iSpace is working on makes it easy for people to start their own business, which will have a spiral effect in increasing employment.
