Disruptive Leadership

Over the last five years, the public and private sectors have introduced a plethora of initiatives aimed at bridging the digital divide and bringing computers to underserved markets.
Intel launched the World Ahead program in 2006, a sweeping initiative to encompass all activities Intel was driving to bridge the digital divide.  Microsoft launched Unlimited Potential in [...]

Recently I participated in an online debate sponsored by Infodev and UNESCO on technology in education with Walter Bender, CEO of Sugar Labs, the non-profit organization that provides the software for the XO laptop of One Laptop Per Child. The debate was focused on which model was better for schools in the developing world. I [...]

Four years ago, Nicholas Negroponte announced the One Laptop per Child initiative and the $100 laptop to much fanfare in Davos, Switzerland. He captured the imaginations of world leaders with promises of ultra-affordable computing for school children around the world. He talked about changing the way children learn, improving their education and ultimately [...]

The initial $100 price tag of the XO Laptop from Nicholas Negroponte’s One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) created quite a furor when it was first announced three years ago. At the time, the cheapest laptops were hovering around $400 to $500.
This subject has been rehashed many times in the press and the blogosphere, but reading [...]

This is a reposting of an article I wrote last week for NextBillion.net.  NextBillion is a site that “brings together business leaders, social entrepreneurs, NGOs, policy makers, and academics who want to explore the connection between development and enterprise.” While a few of the ideas are covered in the About section of this blog, I wanted [...]