African Stock Markets and Economic Development: ASIC Launches an Innovation Challenge
PRETORIA, South Africa, April 28, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The African Stock Investment Competition and the Global Innovation Game team up to search for the best innovation for improving how African stock markets catalyze economic growth on the continent.
The African Stock Investment Competition (ASIC) announces the launch of an innovation challenge to answer the question, “What stock market innovations can be developed to help build African economies?” ASIC has teamed up with the Global Innovation Game to run the challenge through May 15, 2011.
Stock markets contribute to national economies by helping to increase investment rates and foreign direct investment. “These benefits, and others, are not lost on Africa in which over 20 of the 54 countries have stock exchanges,” says Lauri Elliott, Director of Afribiz Media. “For us, catalyzing economic development in Africa is not just a business opportunity, but a core component of our mission. We look at all angles to do so, and the development of capital markets is an excellent mechanism when the markets are dominated by value investors.”
With the African Stock Markets Innovation Challenge, ASIC wants to get the best input for new innovations to accelerate the growth of the capital markets in Africa. “Instead of limiting input for innovations to a few, we thought opening the discussion to everyone would give us diverse ideas and input,” says Elliott. With this input, ASIC will be able to further discussions, projects, and initiatives.
It so happens that the Global Innovation Game (GiG) simulates the concept of stock markets, but for the idea market. This is a natural fit for ASIC.
To participate and make a difference, go to http://apps.facebook.com/globalinnovationgame/?episode=206.
ABOUT GLOBAL INNOVATION GAME
Global Innovation Game (GiG) challenges an international community of players to buy, sell, and create solutions to problems facing our world. GiG creates an economy from a market of ideas. In the idea market, solutions to problems are traded and find value as stocks do in the commercial stock market.
The developer of GiG is Global Mind Games (http://globalmindgames.com/), which creates social games that provoke debate and inspire real-world change.
ABOUT ASIC AND PARTNERS
ASIC
The African Stock Investment Competition (ASIC) exposes and educates U.S. university and college students, as well as students around the globe, about emerging markets in a different way and at a different level. Students learn about different African capital markets, providing exposure to developing regions’ dynamics. Students get an inside look at emerging market stock exchanges in Africa while competing to win cash and prizes by participating in online activities and building the best performing stock investment portfolio.
Afribiz
Afribiz™ (www.afribiz.info), a brand of Conceptualee, Inc., focuses on catalyzing and growing trade, information, business, technology and innovation, and capital flows between Africa and other global markets, both developed and emerging. Afribiz products and services are divided into six areas – media and broadcasting, publications, projects, promotion and public relations, platform development, and professional services.
The Afribiz Media division includes several major platforms. First, Afribiz.info serves as the online portal for our activities, including information, intelligence, research, media and broadcasting, services, and the gateway to our business ecosystem situated in Africa and around the globe. Second, Afribiz.fm and Afribiz.tv focus on producing radio and TV shows, both online and for syndicated broadcast. And, Afribiz.net focuses on producing premium paid content for those serious about doing business and investment in Africa. Afribiz Media is starting production on the AfriStock interview series, which highlights and educates about the capital markets in Africa and launches as part of the 2011 African Stock Investment Competition (ASIC).
Africa investor
Africa investor (www.africa-investor.com) supplies a broad range of investment data, research, broadcast, and published content to a growing number of investors with interests in Africa.
Africa investor Group provides strategic research, indices, communications, and investment publishing services to support its clients’ investment and communication programs. Through its sister organization, African Investment Advisory, the Group also provides project advisory services.
Operating at the intersect of business, government, international organizations, and the media, Africa investor Group has a growing network of clients across Africa serviced from regional hub offices in Nairobi, Lagos, and Johannesburg, affiliate offices across the continent, and a coordinating office in London. The Group offers clients consistent quality of service across each of these territories and additional representation in Cairo, Brussels, and Washington.
South African Chamber of Commerce in America
The South African Chamber of Commerce in America (SACCA – www.sacca.biz) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the encouragement, facilitation, and expansion of business, trade, tourism, and investment opportunities between South Africa and the Americas, and to promote sustainable economic growth and job creation across the two continents. To implement its mission, SACCA has developed the Africa Platform, which is the foundation for SACCA´s key initiatives including the Africa Business Leader Platform, the Africa Entrepreneurship Platform, the MBA Africa Alliance, and the Missing Middle Initiative. These core pillars of the Africa Platform create the links between the U.S. and Africa´s top business executives, academic thought leaders, and innovative entrepreneurs.
Universal Creativ Solutions
Universal Creativ Solutions (www.universalcreativsolutions.com) is an international branding, marketing, and special event firm focused on social innovations in sub-Saharan Africa and Brazil.
Supporting Organizations
Supporting organizations include the African Press Organization (APO – www.apo-opa.org), Afrique Expansion (http://www.afriqueexpansion.com/), Global Mind Games (www.globalmindgames.com), Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE – www.jse.co.za), VC4Africa (www.vc4africa.com and www.vc4africa.biz), and Wilson Global Communications (www.wilsonglobalcomm.com).
For further information contact:
Carol Crabbe
Wilson Global Communications
+1.202.461.2215 (Phone)
ccrabbe@wilsonglobalcomm.com (Email)
Lauri Elliott
Afribiz Media, a division of Conceptualee, Inc.
+1.202.379.2922 (Phone)
lauri.elliott@afribiz.net (Email)
SOURCE
African Stock Investment Competition
