In July 2001, Kickstart was founded in Nairobi, Kenya by Nick Moon and Martin Fisher with the goal of catalyzing the large African unemployed population by developing and introducing innovative technology.  The resulting technologies are then marketed to local African entrepreneurs to help them start their own businesses.  In their recent study on the development of small and medium enterprises, the Washington-based think-tank the Brookings Institution found that “small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), typically employing between 10 and 250 workers, form the backbone of modern economies and can be crucial engines of development through their role as seedbeds of innovation” [2].  The Kickstart organization conducts a five pronged process to achieve their goal of alleviating poverty that conforms to the recommendations of the Brookings Institution; (1) Research markets (2) Design new technologies (3) Train manufactures (4) Promote the technologies and (5) Monitor impact.

The first step towards facilitating economic entrepreneurship begins with researching markets in order to identify areas of need or potential improvement.  The Kickstart staff “identifies profitable small enterprises that can be established by local entrepreneurs with limited capital investments.  They examine raw materials, competing products, potential market demands and constraints and opportunities for small enterprises” [3].  The second component is to design new technologies to respond to the needs, where the local staff provides Africans with the essential materials to develop a sustainable business.  These materials include tools, equipment, and business manuals to ensure the operation’s continuity.  In his influential work An End to Poverty, economist Jeffery Sachs reinforces the mission of Kickstart by arguing that “Economic growth and innovation proceed in a mutually reinforcing process.”  Sachs cites stunted economies as a significant barrier to individual and national development, hindering job creation and the increased productivity of citizens [4].

The third stage in Kickstart’s five pronged approach is to train manufacturers to then use the developed technologies.  This step is essential for ensuring ownership of all aspects of the business process.  The Kickstart staff seeks to give African citizens the proper skill-sets to mass-produce the new technologies.  Additionally, these workers are trained in quality control to guarantee the technology’s full success.  The next step is the promotion of the new equipment.  Kickstart acts as an intermediary between manufacturers and local businesses by promoting the products to local retailers.  The last step in the process is monitoring the impact of the products on the economy.  Kickstart monitors the cost-effectiveness of its initiatives through frequent site visits and a detailed questionnaire that helps them to fix failures in the program and encourage its successes. 

The technologies provided by Kickstart are designed to be affordable, cost-effective, and profitable for local businesses.  These technologies include micro-irrigation technologies, cooking oil technologies, sanitation technologies, and transport technologies.  Their success is indicated by their significant economic impact in local villages.  Currently, Kickstart has created 50,000 new businesses, bringing in $52 million per year in new profits and wages.  These successful initiatives have generated new revenues equal to 0.6% of Kenya’s GDP and 0.25% of Tanzania’s GDP [5].  Increasing a significant percentage of each country’s GDP is testament to the powerful impact that Kickstart’s technologies have had on these sub-Saharan countries. 

Among Kickstart’s many achievements, foremost is their wide scope of influence; theirs is truly a continental endeavor.  Over the past fifteen years, Kickstart has expanded their reach to other developing countries including Senegal, Mali, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique, and Zambia.  This geographic expansion is directly indexed to economic improvement. Kickstart’s pervasive work has led to an increase in new jobs and employment levels, thus helping to lift larger populations out of poverty.  The Economist Magazine attests that “Africa is growing fast.  After lagging behind the rest of the globe in the 1990s, African output growth has averaged 5% a year since 2001, while the world has averaged just 4.2%” [6].  While this statistic is encouraging, Africa still has great economic hurdles to overcome.  Kickstart’s work is an important example of how the implementation of innovative technology at the grass-roots level can significantly empower the local people into being productive members of society.

It is with strong conviction that the International Institute for Justice and Development supports Kickstart’s initiative to create profitable new businesses in Africa.  By providing viable technologies, and involving individuals at all stages of the business process, it ensures the sustainability of its initiatives.  As stated by Ken Weimar, Kickstart’s Director of Development, “the organization aims to leave in place a profitable business where everyone along the supply chain has an interest in its continuation, therefore, demand will always increase even after the organization exits the region” [7].  The IIJD strongly believes that it is essential to empower African communities to surpass the subsistence level, thereby strengthening civil society and increasing citizen participation.  Through creating systems of sustainability while establishing participatory methods within their projects, Kickstart allows for maximum project ownership by the African people.