This page features panels at SXSW Interactive 2013 that will be presented within the BiT House at the Hilton-Garden Inn.
Additionally - this page includes panels that will take place outside of the BiT House that self-selected BiT as a tag, or have panelists or subject matter that we think is of particular interest to blacks in tech. If you would like to have a panel included on this page, please email the SXSW schedule page url to us at info@wearebit.com.
A huge opportunity exists for content creators, service providers, brands, and media companies on the continent. In Africa, more people than ever have access to the internet, to the tune of 140 million, but this only represents 13% of the population. By 2020, internet penetration in Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to reach 24.7%, outpacing internet penetration rates across the globe and representing a virtually untapped market with unlimited potential. Africans are using their newly acquired connectivity to engage each other, launch tech starts, develop apps, create content and organize grassroots movements.
From mobile money to “smart’ water pumps that send SMS messages when they need repair, Africans are using the web to solve local problems and diversify their economies. This panel will look at the growth, size and characteristics of Africa’s internet market, analyze country specific trends, discuss the content being produced, and outline opportunities for collaboration &investment.
