Innovation needs no Incubation, I think

Have you realized how apps that win competitions go nowhere? And as if that's not enough, do you know how judges decide the winner? Presentation. A lot of money is floating in the everywhere waiting to be won in the next competition. In fact Myself if I had money to sponsor an event, I would. At least  to remain relevant against my competitors. I think we're training presenters as opposed to innovators.So, is this what we're calling innovation? I know and you also can give examples of individuals and groups who appear on every next competition with an idea/app and actually take home a runners up prize if not win it. Seems we/you created a career for presenters at the expense of innovators. Now let me be honest, most of the applications that don't win in competitions make most business sense or at least could be changed a little to work? And this means that they are sustainable solutions to the existing problems. That to me would be innovation

Let's come to my main point.

They are doing it. Innovation is acted on.

Innovation needs no Incubation. The successful ones did not need it; neither will the successful future ones need it. Innovation should be sustainable. I/We know of PesaPal & Cheki. See what they're doing? Compare that to KamataKab or even Mfarm. I'll not mention the detailed weaknesses but you know  M-farm has kind of changed their model severally.

 As for KamataKab, the last tweet they ever had that would be relevant to implementing it was on january 5th and it was to wish it's audience a happy new year.

Happy new year people

— kamatakab (@kamatakab) January 5, 2012

These  apps/ideas who won an iPad, money or just something else never go far beyond the publicity they get from winning. No pun intended but by now you get what I meant to put across

Here's a link i'd suggest you go read and understand more on this.

http://www.howwemadeitinafrica.com/are-social-impact-innovations-distracting-kenya-from-real-business/15968/

app nomenclature - a dull pattern

This post has been long overdue. Over time I have followed the trend in naming apps and it's clearly a pattern. Have a look at a list I came up with from various sites. These are 'upcoming' apps or recent start-ups based on apps.

1. mCollector
2. mPermit
3. M-Tafiti
4. MyBusiness App
5. SMS Offline and Online virtual Market place
   
6. Andromaid
7. FarmPal
8. mpoultry
9. MPrep
10. Crowdpesa
11. I travel
12. mTracker
13. m-verified
14. Cloudmatatu
15. cloud governor
16. [the list is endless... not really but it is long]

And now my point, Over the last few years of what I think of as 'the mobile revolution' in eastafrica (more specifically in Kenya) There has been many apps and app competitions.

Don't you think that these apps have names that are techie? saying m-something or crowd-something or cloud-something does not relate to a basic user.

Maybe a user would think that cloud- something is an app for meteorology.

The i and the m also are not exactly the best names for the apps from wanjiku's side but we seem to like them cause other techies clap for us and they don't need lot's of explaining to know what 'our' idea was.

Don't get shocked to hear two apps with the same name but none copied the other's; Reason- our app-naming follows an obvious style. I can guess the next matatu app that wins any competition will be called 'm-matatu' or 'm-nganya' and if not it's something close to that, or maybe it already exists. Then utapata domain yako imesha kuwa registered. Or worse you start saying somebody copied your idea. (see patahao & patasq).

So please as you name your next app, consider wanjiku. Won't you? it's also a good idea to have a name that can have a global effect.

PS: Don't mistake me for saying that they're bad apps. Some of these apps are doing well apart from winning competitions. A book shall not be judged by it's cover... but a better cover won't hurt.