Make-IT Startup Ecosystem Scouting & Study in Asia

February-April 2020

The “Tech-Entrepreneurship Initiative Make-IT” (short: Make-IT Initiative), a joint initiative of the BMZ with companies, associations and social enterprises, has the aim to develop growth and employment potential for entrepreneurs in the digital sector in partner countries of German development cooperation. The support measures have so far been implemented by the GIZ in the regional project “Make-IT in Africa” in selected African countries and is currently looking to expand to other regions.

Taking into account the possible expansion of the Make-IT Initiative to Asia, the aim of this contract was to provide insight on the possibility of initiating a new project in the region to promote innovation and entrepreneurship specifically during the critical phase in the transition from a micro-company to a growth-oriented start-up. Konnektiv, in collaboration with our partner endeva, was brought on to handle the design, planning and coordination of scouting trips to four selected countries in Asia to explore 8 cities and their startup ecosystems. This included research, interviews and focus group discussions with startups and other important stakeholders and additional meetups.

Based off of the scouting mission, a comprehensive internal study and documentation was written that included a national and regional SWOT and ecosystem analysis, recommendations for potential regional, national and global cooperation, and concept recommendations for the regional project’s potential expansion to Asia.

Konnektiv has previously supported the Make-IT initiative by advising the GIZ and endeva on the concept phase of the Make-IT Ecosystem Accelerator in Kenya and Nigeria (2017), through the EU-AU Business Summit Pitching Sessions in Abidjan (2017) as well as developing the “Tech Trendscouting Toolkit: How to become a Tech Trendscout for Digital Innovation with Social Impact in Africa” (2019).