Embedded Podcast: The Harvard Lab Reshaping Global Entrepreneurship
And why your next AI business advisor could be on Whats App. How Prof. Rembrand Koning, who leads Harvard's Tech for All Lab, is leveling the playing field for entrepreneurs in emerging markets.
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Tech For All
As a Kenyan, I've heard countless times how emerging markets "can't compete" in AI because we lack infrastructure, compute or engineering talent. But what if that narrative is completely wrong? What if the next billion-dollar company comes not from Silicon Valley, but from Nairobi or Jakarta - run by a single person armed with the right AI tools?
Here’s my latest podcast on just that!
Embedded: A Conversation with Rembrand Koning, Professor , Co-Director and Co-Founder of the Tech for All Lab at Harvard’s Digital, Data, Design Institute
Rem heads up the Tech for All Lab at Harvard's Digital, Data and Design Institute (D^3), which looks at how entrepreneurs can use AI to scale business and benefit humanity. This is both about academic research as well as building real world solutions.
Tech for All Lab's mission focuses on democratizing AI access. It explores how AI can transform entrepreneurship across emerging markets, making advanced business capabilities accessible to everyone, not just a privileged few.
Listen to the full episode onThe Rundown Studio or Spotify
In this episode, Rem and I talk about how AI could transform lives and livelihoods in emerging markets. More info here: Tech for All Lab. I'm privileged to work alongside Rem, with this lab, as an Executive Fellow at Harvard Business School's D^3 Institute. Please contact Rem or myself if you’d like to engage with us email me at zain@therundown.studio
Listen to the full episode onThe Rundown Studio or Spotify
The WhatsApp Way
Instead of creating expensive and fancy apps that nobody will use, Rem talks about experiences around building AI advisors that work through WhatsApp. Why? Because that's where entrepreneurs in emerging markets actually are. The results have been stunning. They're seeing business owners form genuine relationships with these AI advisors.
The Gender Gap Challenge
Here's a sobering statistic Rem highlights: women are 25% less likely than men to use AI tools globally. But here's where AI could democratize that - AI could be exactly what women entrepreneurs in emerging markets need, providing the mentorship and advice they often can't access due to social barriers or norms.
The Grab Partnership
Rembrand’s work with Grab is showing how AI can help businesses scale, as they are now getting AI-powered advice on pricing, marketing, and operations. And they're seeing real results in revenue growth. Listen to the full episode onThe Rundown Studio or Spotify
The Real Innovation Opportunity
Rem shared something that really resonated with me: the key to competing in AI isn't necessarily having the biggest models or the most data - it's having deep local knowledge. A global ed-tech company might have massive AI models, but do they understand how children in your region learn? What motivates them? What stories resonate?
This is where I think African entrepreneurs have a massive advantage. We understand our communities, our contexts, our needs in ways that Silicon Valley never will. We have a ‘community moat’ for our own local products we can build.
Rem’s Practical Takeaways for Entrepreneurs
For Small Business Owners:
Start simple: Try free tools like ChatGPT or Gemini
Look for platforms that already integrate AI
Focus on tools that take work off your plate, not add to it
Don't try to become an AI expert - focus on running your business
For Tech Entrepreneurs:
Rethink your entire organization around AI
Consider how AI could make previously unsolvable problems economically viable
Focus on your local knowledge advantage
Build solutions that integrate with existing behaviors (like WhatsApp)
Check out more of Rem’s resources below.
Rem’s Resources
More About Prof. Rembrand Koning
AI, entrepreneurship and development
Global Evidence on Gender Gaps and Generative AI
The Uneven Impact of Generative AI on Entrepreneurial Performance
AI For A Billion Entrepreneurs
More About The Tech For All Lab
Looking Ahead
The Tech for All Lab's goal is ambitious: providing cutting-edge research and accessible insights on harnessing AI and digital technologies. But what excites me most is how this could transform African entrepreneurship. We don't need massive data centers or billion-dollar budgets. We need smart, focused solutions that understand our contexts and solve our specific challenges.
All you need is a smartphone, power, and connectivity - then the opportunities are endless." This isn't just about catching up - it's about leapfrogging ahead by building AI solutions that truly serve our communities - Rem
Meanwhile, I'm curious: how do you see AI transforming your work? Share your thoughts below.
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