Safaricom has launched Zindua Café website to enable external innovators and developers submit their ideas, applications and prototypes. The portal – www.safaricom.c.ke/zindua – aims at encouraging innovators and developers to share their ideas with Safaricom in an easier and structured way.
“Over the years, we have received numerous proposals from customers on new ideas, products and services. This portal will serve as a central place where those ideas are captured while ensuring that Intellectual Property and other laws are given due regard,” said Joe Ogutu, Director, Strategy and Innovation, Safaricom.
The Zindua portal is inspired and modeled along the lines of a coffees shop, the de facto universal workshop of software and app developers.
“At Zindua Café, any idea is fair game. It is not necessarily about feasibility, it’s about surprise. Set aside any constraints and push yourself to think in new ways,” reads a statement on the portal.
Safaricom has moved to reassure the mobile innovation community in respect to intellectual property by organizing education sessions in partnership with the Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI) and the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO).
“It is important to ensure that developers are able to protect their work, which lays solid ground for them to present the work to the market and earn from it,” said Mr. Ogutu.
Ideas submitted to the portal will go through four phases; Submission, review, response and pact.
