Digital Public Goods Accelerator Guide
Funding the Commons Tokyo 2024 / FtCTokyo Day2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfuFXraqphk&list=PL3C6eF-zu5AYohNL1ZgOBqlwwJ29x-lTO&index=23
- the problem of digital colonization
- Historical Background and "Exploitation" Structure
- The "exploitation" of data and resources by large corporations is occurring in technology as well, using the colonization of Africa as an example.
- Case Studies in Japan
- The "digital deficit" is growing due to the use of only foreign platforms instead of domestically produced services.
- Failure to establish digital sovereignty will further affect technological capabilities and the economy in the future.
3.DPG and Open Source
- Difference between DPG and Open Source
- Unlike mere open source, it incorporates a "direct approach to social issues.
- Diverse stakeholders (government, parties, development partners, etc.) are involved in development and maintenance.
- Advantages
- It will lead to local human resource development, job creation, and self-sustaining maintenance operations.
- The code is open for easy customization and transparency.
- investment and case studies of UNICEF
- Venture Fund Achievements
- Invested in 81 startups; 68% obtained additional funding.
- Developing technologies to solve children's and community issues with local businesses and youth.
- concrete example
- Rumson (Nepal)
- Blockchain management of emergency cash transfers using tokens or QR codes on mobile devices.
- Ensure transparency and reduce operational costs.
- Statwig (supply chain management)
- Using blockchain, the distribution process of vaccines, food, and other products is visualized.
- Open source, but a business with specialized implementation services.
- Rumson (Nepal)
- sustainability and business models
- Key to DPG Development
- Start by setting issues that are public.
- How to utilize open licenses and create a revenue model is important.
- Dependence on large companies leads to "lock-in" and the risk that maintenance costs will grow in the future.
- Investment in youth and local human resources
- Essentially and long term, it is essential to create a system where the local community and youth can learn and maintain the technology.
- future issues and prospects
- Open source procurement at the national and municipal level
- Is there a mechanism by which Japan or other countries can procure and develop open source or DPG as public infrastructure?
- The focus is on whether the country can avoid domination by large corporations (digital colonization) and establish digital sovereignty.
- Education and Awareness
- Spread the significance of DPG and open source, and accelerate the development of engineers and young people.
- The concept of "building and maintaining infrastructure as a public good together" is necessary.
summary
- Digital Public Goods (DPG) is an important concept to truly solve social issues by utilizing open technologies that contribute to achieving SDGs. The key is not a digital infrastructure that relies on large corporations, but rather an initiative that aims for self-sustaining maintenance and operation while involving communities and local youth. A multifaceted approach is needed, including technology, business models, and education, and UNICEF is supporting the establishment of digital sovereignty through investment and human resource development.
The year 2019 is also a time when the so-called "Digital Public Goods (DPG)" concept was formalized in the UN Secretary General's roadmap and many organizations have increased their investment in and support for open source technologies. The key here is the movement to nurture "early-stage OSS (open source software)."
- what is Early Stage OSS?
- Early-stage open source projects
- Refers to projects that are not yet fully mature in terms of funding, technology, and community, but have great potential and social impact.
- Advantages of OSS
- The code is publicly available and can be modified and used by anyone.
- Communities are likely to form and new features may be developed and bugs fixed quickly.
- Highly public (character as "public goods") and easy to use for solving social issues.
- background on the focus in 2019
- Digital Public Goods Framework (DPG) Emerging
- In 2019, the concept of Digital Public Goods (Digital Public Goods) was launched in the UN Secretary General's Roadmap, creating a trend for governments and international organizations to encourage "public open technologies".
- Multi-stakeholder collaboration
- UNICEF, governments, and private companies (e.g., GitHub) have joined the DPG Alliance (launched in 2019), increasing attention to OSS projects that can solve social issues.
- Stimulation of investment by UNICEF and others
- In particular, UNICEF's Venture Fund has begun investing in "early stage" OSS projects, mainly in developing and emerging countries. Technologies that can solve real-world problems in healthcare, education, disaster response, etc. are in demand, and an environment that facilitates support even in the early stages is being created.
Aim of Early Stage OSS Support
- Early contributions to solving social issues
- Support OSS projects from the outset to enable rapid implementation in education, healthcare, etc.
- Community Formation and Sustainability
- Involve developers and local communities widely from the early stage to establish a system that can be independently maintained and operated in the future.
- Innovation Promotion
- Local innovation is more likely to emerge when startups in emerging countries and regions discover issues and nurture technologies on their own, in addition to technology provided by large corporations and developed countries.
- future prospects
- OSS as Public Infrastructure
- In 2019 and beyond, there is a growing focus on the use of OSS projects as public goods, with governments and international organizations actively considering their use and procurement.
- Collaboration model with companies
- Profitability is an issue with open source, but models are emerging that make business viable by providing services such as implementation support and additional development.
- Sustainable Community Ecosystems
- For early-stage OSS to grow, it is essential to form an ecosystem in which developers, users, and investors are committed over the long term, which will also lead to technical education and job creation through OSS.
summary
- 2019 is an important year for the international expansion of the concept of "Digital Public Goods" and the acceleration of investment in and support for early-stage OSS. By nurturing early-stage OSS projects, it has become possible to efficiently and sustainably develop technologies that can solve social issues. Cooperation among international organizations, governments, and the private sector is expected to yield significant results in the future.
https://chatgpt.com/c/677a47ad-0d4c-8011-96ca-7b456a170db7
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