Designing the Ultimate Tech-Hub: ICT Ecosystem Virtualization and Acceleration

Abstract

This paper argues for a virtual tech hub design ontology which would be the closest representation of the tech-innovation ecosystem. Many physical tech hubs seek to bring to one place actors and agents within the tech-innovation ecosystem. The tech-innovation ecosystem has been a primary aspect of discussion around the success or failure of many tech innovations in developing countries. Existence of an enabling ecosystem which absorbs and sustains technology innovation solutions is necessary. The question of understanding appropriate technology context as ecosystem has led to many approaches and definitions, many of which have the limitation of focusing only on a given aspect rather than the whole ecosystem of actors and their inter-relations. The paper addresses and proposes a definition of the tech-innovation ecosystem, and proposes the use of the virtual tech-hub as a useful tool to measure the intensity of tech-innovation. Starting from the premise that each locale presents its own unique physical ecosystem, this paper proposes a method of representing that ecosystem in the virtual sphere through ecosystem virtualization and representation. The virtual tech hub will be the ultimate hub without limitations of space, access or tenancy. It shall allow for uninhibited engagement of innovators and ecosystem enablers and stakeholders. The virtual hub can help policy makers to correctly measure actors and their interactions, and effectively accelerate ecosystem development, through focused intervention. This paper describes a virtual hub which attempts to achieve an entire ecosystem virtualization by offering through a single window, a collaborative integrated platform.