March 2013
| Business World Magazine | 15
’
Canada
Doug Fregin and Mike Lazardis
But look to the rise of other tech-infused townships. In-
novators in quantum computing have a hundred mil-
lion reasons to look to
Waterloo, Canada
, as a growing
property for technical intellectual property. Mike Lazar-
dis and Doug Fregin, the brains behind the creation of
Research-In-Motion’s Blackberry, have just announced
their establishing of a fund (valued at almost $100 mil-
lion) whichwill be deployed to develop and commercial-
ize breakthroughs in quantum computing capabilities.
Unlike the chip or transistor dependent functionality of
traditional computer systems, the quantum variety re-
lies on particle-like applications that essentially improve
speed and power in the way of data processing, very
much the thing of the future, but also a very big deal in the here and now. Lazardis and Fregin are basing
Quantum Valley Investments
in Waterloo, Ontario, with the hope of transforming the community into
Canada’s Quantum Valley.
Other tech firms may find certain hope-on-the-ho-
rizon in terms of opportunities in Africa. Ghana’s
President John Mahama has just announced the
upcoming ground breaking of a $10 billion tech-
hub called
Hope City.
Encompassing more than
1.5 million square-meters of acreage outside of Ac-
cra in West Africa, Hope City is hoping to attract
major players of the tech industry through the cus-
tom development of interconnected, sustainable
facilities which includes various assembly plants,
office spaces, an IT-themed university, and a hospi-
tal, as well as theatres, sports arena, restaurants and
worker housing. The site will also reportedly boast
the building of the largest tower in Africa. Con-
struction of this new technopolis will commence
in June and is anticipated to be completed within
three years, Developers report that Hope City will
accommodate some 25,000 residents, but provide
jobs for 50,000 workers. Microsoft is among the
project’s most visible partners at present, and com-
pany Vice President Ali Faramawy was among the
guests at the recent ceremony announcing launch of
the site. Hope City follows Kenya’s recent ground-
breaking on another mega-tech machination called
Konza
Techno City.
Situated some 37 miles south-
east of Nairobi, this hub hopes to generate more
than 100,000 jobs in information technology over
the next two decades. Development of these tech
hubs aim to position Africa as the Silicon Savannah
of the future.
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