MIT International Science and
Technology Initiative
Dr. Michael Gordon
University of Moratuwa
February 2011
Massachusetts Institute of
Technology
• What makes MIT so special?
– Combination of technical capacity and
innovation
• Innovation drives the American economy
The Internet Revolution
• Beginning in the 1990s, the Internet
Revolution brought:
• New opportunities: Digital Economies
• Huge increases in efficiencies for
traditional businesses and individuals
The Internet Revolution
• Revolution driven by entrepreneurs
• Started small, many got huge
• Many new billionaires
MISTI/UoM Program
• MIT and UoM want to bring a spirit of
entrepreneurship to Sri Lanka
• Innovation focused on the mobile
technologies
– Catalyze the mobile revolution
• We want you want to become $ millionaires
– Create the next huge mobile service
MISTI/UoM Program
• 6 – 8 weeks of intensive instruction and
mentorship from MIT instructors
– Technical component
– Entrepreneurship component
• Stimulate entrepreneurship and innovation
• Give you the necessary framework to start
the service
• Teach advanced mobile technologies
– Plus anything else needed for service ideas
MIT Mentors
• Concentrated interaction with MIT
instructors
– Small class
– 2 grad instructors, 2 undergrad assistants
• Help you with:
– Brainstorming
– Refining your ideas
– Technical issues
– Networking and connections
Idea Generation
• Work with your fellow students and our
instructors
• Study regional conditions and opportunities
• Case studies, market analysis, guest lectures
• Brainstorming sessions
– Paid weekly elevator pitch competitions ($100)
Entrepreneurship Skills
• Presentation and public speaking skills
– Be ready for many presentations
– How to pitch to investors
• Market research and analysis
• Components of a business plan
Technology
• We will push you on technology
• Software development
– Objected oriented design
– Threaded applications
– Regression testing
– Versioning control systems
– Bug ticketing trackers
Technology
• What are the appropriate technologies for
your service idea?
– SMS, USSD
– Mobile Web
– Smart phone technologies (Android)
• Location awareness, camera/video, audio,
orientation/acceleration, ad hoc networking
– Backend technologies:
• HTTP, PHP, Parsing, XML, SQL, …
Technology
• What are the appropriate algorithms for
your service idea?
– Machine learning, distributed algorithms,
networking, image processing / recognition,
speech technologies, …
• If we don’t know what to do, we can hook
you up with an expert at MIT.
Local Mentors
• We introduce you to our network of local
mentors
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Successful entrepreneurs
Business leaders
Professors
Engineers
• Help with all aspects of the program
– Will remain to help you when we leave, if you
keep them interested
Unprecedented Access
• We are building a network of highly-placed
individuals
• If you have a great idea, we will help you
find the right audience
• Access to:
– Funders
– Mobile operators
– Businesses
– Gov’t
Deployment
• We want you to deploy your service during
the class
– Access to operator APIs, app stores, and
gateways
– Work with operators to help you market your
service
– We will pay for cloud/server time if needed
• We want you to make money before the
course is over
– Motivation to continue with the business
Graduate School at MIT
• This program will allow you to make
contacts at MIT
– MISTI Instructors
– MISTI Advisers
• Can help you with the application process
• Can help you find the right contact person
Where MISTI Fits
Stages of a Startup
Skill
Development
Idea
Generation
Incubation
Transition
Where MISTI Fits
MISTI
Skill
Development
• Appropriate
technical and
business skills
Stages of a Startup
Idea
Generation
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Brainstorming
Competitions
Case studies
Technologies
Proof of concept
Incubation
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Refine idea
Contacts
Mentorship
Seed funding
Transition
History of Program
• First program: Kenya 2000
• Model: Send MIT students
to ER to teach programming
and Internet technologies
– Promote entrepreneurship
• Since 2000:
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32 programs
5 countries in Africa
Over 1500 African students
Over 100 MIT instructors
Personnel
Faculty Leadership
Prof. Paul Gray
14th President MIT
Prof. Amarasinghe
MIT EECS
Student Leadership
Prof. Akinwande
MIT EECS
M. Gordon, PhD
Postdoc MIT
EECS
Staff Leadership
Zawadi Lemayian
Sloan, PhD Cand.
Pat Gercik
Associate Dir.
MISTI
Paul Njoroge
AITI Founder
CSAIL PhD
Bryant Harrison
MBA Harvard
Advisers, Former AITI
Martin Mbaya
AITI Founder
MPP HKS
Spotlight:
Richard, Amiri, Clarisse, & Jean
• Rwandan CS undergrads
• June 2010
– Little practical programming experience
– No entrepreneurship experience
– No mobile technologies experience
Spotlight: Hehe, Ltd
• January 2011:
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Running successful mobile services startup
Funded by multiple angle investors
> $5000 USD revenue per month
Meetings with CEO of RwandaTel, ICT Director, funders
Press coverage in multiple national and international outlets
Survey
• If you are interested, please visit:
http://bit.ly/mit-uom
Questions?