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What are the Steps to Support and Accelerate DPGs?

If you are convinced to this point of helping build digital solutions to become a Digital Public Good, here are the next steps to consider before fully supporting DPGs.

Various stages and ways to support startups looking to go open source and becoming a DPG:

  • Stage 1: Awareness of Open Source Business Models and Benefits of DPGs
  • Stage 2: Identification and Integration Within Your Accelerator
  • Stage 3: Implementing your own Open Source Accelerator

Stage 1: Awareness of DPGs and Open Source Benefits​

1. Understand if the startups you support or within your network want to design products as digital public goods.​​

If there is interest in this topic within your network, start by hosting an information sessions to gauge further interest. These audiences could include your accelerator cohort, alumni, and a network of community stakeholders such as startups, mentors, experts, academia, or those in your pipeline.

  • Do these startups or audiences have products or have interest that can be relevant to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). See some examples of DPGs here
  • Is the startup interested in building an open source product?
  • Does this startup solution align to the government’s strategic priorities?

2. Host an initial information session on the following:​

Open Source Awareness​

Familiarity with open source varies vastly. While many people may know what open source is already, they may not be well versed in the broad benefits of open source or the growing demand for open source solutions by governments. This is where you can potentially host a workshop or speaker series on open source and include topics such as challenges, benefits and misconceptions. You can leverage the section of "Open Source Business Models & Digital Public Goods" in this guide for help.

DPG Awareness​

This can be grouped with the open source awareness content. Additional content you can use include:

3. 3. Make your network & community aware of open source and DPGs​

Host a series of webinars on open source and DPGs (still in the awareness stage, to get enough leads and interest from startups).

  • Engage other friendly startup hubs, accelerators, and private sector companies interested in open source to collaborate on these webinars.

Stage 2: Identify the startups who are considering taking their businesses open source​ or are already open source​

Support startups directly through your cohort by using this guide to engage all the stakeholders previously mentioned in the section "Who is supporting DPGs and how do I engage with them?" and utilize the the technical resources to support. Prepare the startups through your existing accelerator program for open source success (navigate to "Designing & Structuring support for startups in guide).

  1. Make a list of contacts and engage with government stakeholders and associations who align with the startup solution you are supporting.
  2. Engage a network of community developers who could potentially contribute to the open source solution – if there are specific sector hackathons that align with the startup this could be a good start.
  3. Once the startup has enough traction and a working prototype in your program, they can be great candidates for UNICEF’s Venture Fund cohorts. UNICEF's Venture Fund continues to accept applications on a rolling basis and will review the submissions with the next call.
  4. If they are already obtaining an open source license and are building the community around their product:
  5. If they are already operating an open source project/product, but do not have an open source license, the “Which open source license should you get?” section to explore options and gain a better understanding.
  6. If they are not operating an open source project/product yet,
    • Here are some commonly asked questions about DPGs and what it means to go open source
    • If these questions are not yet answered, you can read the “Setting up for Open Source Success” section to see how you can start to support them and familiarize yourself with questions they may have throughout the process of going from open source to to becoming a digital public good.
    • As a first step, take a look at the DPG Registry to see if there are similar DPGs of nominations already.

Stage 3: Implementing your own Open Source Accelerator​

Implementation Stage​

Host an accelerator cohort program that has a focus on going open source. This can be in alignment with a corporate partner or national priorities of a government you are wanting to align with. You can source a corporate or larger entity funding partner for this program and there can be potential for UNICEF’s Country Office or UNICEF’s Office of Innovation to support if there is applicable funding.

Identify the scope of your DPG Accelerator​

If you are wanting to work with government partners, start by understanding their policy priorities and national digital transformation ambition. This can help inform how your accelerator can align with the government by playing a role in potential solutions for strengthening public services such as remote learning content, broadening financial inclusion, or strengthening digital health applications that are being sought. Relevant government agencies could then help guide the acceleration program’s scope and technical assistance strategy to ensure that graduating DPGs meet the local needs and global standards for scalability. Additionally, there may be one or more acceleration or funding opportunities for innovations in the same sectors that could be helpful to align with for synchronized investment and support. If you are looking to fund a DPG Accelerator program, it can be beneficial to engage with corporate stakeholders to find joint funding and alignment.

Resources

  1. Resource: If the accelerator is collaborating closely with a government counterpart on implementing a startup solution as a pilot, please refer to this DPGA Country Engagement guide..

  2. Resource: Concept Note of ING Fintech Cohort in the Philippines: For example, ING partnered with IdeaSpace (Incubator in the Philippines) and UNICEF on the Fintech cohort with the objective of taking these startups to become open source.

  3. Resource: Briefing note of WASH Innovation Grand Challenge

For more information on how accelerators supported Digital Public Goods, navigate to the section "Accelerator Case Studies".

Supporting at various open source stages of a startup - to be added with additional information​

As an accelerator may have specific focus areas on industries or selection criteria on the stage of the startup, this guide can help support on specific stages of where a startup is at building their open source product, such as:

  • Supporting existing businesses looking to go open source
  • Supporting existing open source businesses
  • Supporting new startups who want to create open source businesses from the start

Expectations​

Where most startups struggle or need support most?

  • Establishing an open source strategy and then acting on it
  • Legal & policy concerns
  • Practical advice on building a community of contributors for a product
  • Practical advice on protecting a product’s intellectual property