Google has announced a project called Project 10100 (pronounced “Project 10 to the 100th”), which is a call for ideas to change the world by helping as many people as possible. There will be ten winners competing for 10 million dollars in funding to launch their social entrepreneurial idea.
This is perhaps a special competition to celebrate Google’s 10-year anniversary?
Why this project?
Google answers…
Today, I was looking through my Google Reader for news when I found this inspiring article from Joe Budde, a social media blogger at joebuddejr.com
He relates his experiences from his recent visit to Nigeria where he was able to teach two Nigerians, named Victor and Daniel how to utilize the resources on the web to educate themselves on the web marketplace, programing trends, standards, and how to find the best and brightest on the web to assist them.
The most awesome thing for these two Nigerians was Google Gears attached to Google Reader. They could run into a internet cafe with their PC, download 200 articles, and then head back to their non-wired homes to read and learn how to do everything from use photoshop, learn about taking pictures, or even how to code better.
He believes that “the ability to take the online offline with you may not seem like a big deal in the USA - where wireless access seems to be almost as easy as clean water, but for developing nations, Gears is the technology that will drive internet adoption for the next 30 years.”
He then asks: How and where do you see google gears-esque technology making an impact in the developing world?
proCareersNigeria.com is a professional networking site for colleagues and contacts interested in careers in Nigeria. The site was launched in March 2008 and now has over 1000 members making connections with friends and colleagues. With this service, users can invite their workmates, classmates and business associates and build their network and thus progress with their careers and relationships.
Update: Site doesn’t exist anymore
The site has a similar idea like LinkedIn (as a professional network of business contacts), but also has a Facebook approach as it leans towards social networking in Nigeria with the usual features of blogs, events, photos, etc As part of it’s marketing strategy, proCareersNigeria.com is offering a FREE Nokia E65 mobile phone for any of it’s members that has 300 friends or connections by August 31st, 2008. Sounds cool, huh?