FLOSS Business Network

FLOSS Business

Becoming successful with FLOSS through sound business practices and collaboration

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How to get involved:

• Create a free account on WikiEducator (link on top right).
• Add your name and/or organisation to the Parties links below.
• Browse the site and add comments, learning resources, etc.
• Check out the FLOSS Business Regional links below and add something about your region.
• Find out more about using WikiEducator and go wild :-).

Events

• Ict@innovation - training on African FOSS business models (Dakar, 21 March 2008) - where we started.

Parties

• People
• Organisations

Initiatives

• ict@innovation - training on African FOSS business models

• it@inwent - supporting ICT Networks in the South

• FOSSFA

• OpenTTT

Networking Ideas and Channels

FLOSS Professionals Collaborating to Support Government

• See IOSN's Orgnizations related to FOSS and Government
• Government Open Source Software Resource Center (GOV-OSS-RC)

MasterMind Groups

Creation of Local (maximum 10 Member cells) for the purpose of self-support to establish and support local business development

Features

• Common shared values
• Help each other develop sustainable businesses.
• Profile best practices
• Showcase the top Ten businesses
• Creation of How to Checklists
• Exchange ideas, collaborate, brainstorm, ... towards common goals.
• Standing on the shoulders of giants

• Local, Provincial, National, Global groups

Required

• Facilitator's Guide
• Creation of Train the Trainer sessions
• African Network of MasterMind Coordinators

User Needs

This area is for users to express needs - looking for help from FLOSS businesses.

FLOSSBusiness Regional Links

Africa

• FLOSSBusiness West Africa
• FLOSSBusiness East Africa
• FLOSSBusiness southern Africa
• FLOSSBusiness Central Africa

Funders

Investors in FLOSS businesses Links to Community Loan funds or called Peer to Peer Lending

Details on CLF

• Examples Prospers and ZOPA

An interesting alternative model is called KIVA

Kiva lets you connect with and loan money to unique entrepreneurs in the developing world. By choosing a loan on Kiva, you can "sponsor a business" and help the world's working poor make great strides towards economic independence. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates from the entrepreneur you've sponsored. As loans are repaid, you get your loan money back.

The main problem is the size of the micro-loans.