Top employers in ICT4D: A primer

Technology is predicted to completely transform the development sector in the coming years. Innovations such as artificial intelligence, drones, and digital currency are increasingly being incorporated into development programs, and continuously broadening the ICT4D sector. The recent Next Generation Professional Report, conducted by Devex in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development and DAI, found that the technology sector will achieve the most development progress in the future. Many organizations are leading the charge in embracing technology to solve development challenges, using geographic information systems, big data, or artificial intelligence, among other new technology. If you are seeking to work in one of these cutting-edge institutions, here is a roundup of the top employers in the ICT4D sector. Accion International Headquarters: Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States Type: Nonprofit Accion is a microfinance and fintech nonprofit dedicated to connecting the 3 billion people worldwide who are either poorly connected or not connected to the global financial system. Accion’s three main strategies are: investing in startups that are driving financial inclusion; partnering with financial service providers to help them maximize their impact; and providing financial education and business skills training to microentrepreneurs. Accion has offices in the U.S., Colombia, and India, and have worked on projects in more than 40 countries. You can view current job openings here. BankQu Headquarters: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States Type: Service provider BankQu is a blockchain software company tackling extreme poverty by connecting those who do not have access to financial credit or services through formal financial institutions to the global economy. The majority of those “unbanked” are refugees and migrants, internally displaced people, and the world’s poorest. Beneficiaries are set up with a digital identification profile to connect them to their banked network, such as family, friends, businesses, and NGOs. This enables them to start building an economic identity and become part of the global economy. Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation Headquarters: London, United Kingdom Type: Government The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation is an intergovernmental organization made up of member countries, affiliate member countries, ICT sector members, and academics in the field of ICT for economic and social development. Its work is centered around six strategic goals, including the promotion of affordable, universal, and high-quality broadband connectivity; a culture of cybersecurity; and use of ICT applications for socioeconomic development. Along with job openings that arise as and when they are required, CTO runs paid internships for U.K. residents and fellowships for mid-career professionals from developing Commonwealth countries. Data2x Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States Type: Advocacy NGO Data2x is a technical and advocacy platform campaigning for the use of big data to benefit women and girls in global development initiatives worldwide by improving the quality, availability, and use of gender data. It works with United Nations agencies, governments, civil society, academics, and the private sector to enforce equal and unbiased data collection, as well as using data to diminish the gender gap and influence policies, strategies, and decision making. Digital Divide Data Headquarters: New York, United States Type: Implementing NGO and service provider Digital Divide Data provides digital and data services to a variety of clients — including governments, consumer brands, and NGOs — by employing staff from underserved populations, such as youth from low-income countries. Its model also allows employees to complete higher education while working. Digital Divide Data has offices in Kenya, Cambodia, Laos, and the U.S., and it has increased the lifetime earnings for youth in Cambodia, Laos, and Kenya by a projected total of more than $300 million since 2001. View Digital Divide Data’s current job openings here. DigitalGlobe Headquarters: Westminster, Colorado, United States Type: Service provider DigitalGlobe provides high-resolution Earth satellite images, data, and analysis. Its global development work ranges from food security to global health, environmental sustainability to crisis response, and more. Having collected satellite data for the past 25 years, it has a data library documenting the transformation of the planet. It has over 1,300 employees across six offices globally from the U.S. to Indonesia, with roles such as engineers, analysts, and product managers. DigitalGlobe currently has a number of open positions, which you can view here. Digital Empowerment Foundation Headquarters: New Delhi, India Type: Foundation The Digital Empowerment Foundation aims to empower marginalized communities by enabling them to gain access to knowledge and information through online tools and digital devices. It uses a number of methods, including the provision of infrastructure to connect them to the internet; educating people on their digital rights to demand better delivery of government services; educating people to access better health, education, skill and livelihood opportunities through digital literacy and tools; digitally empowering microenterprises and communities to access markets; and advocating access to internet for all as a basic human right. The Digital Empowerment Foundation currently has a number of job openings, which you can view here. Digital Impact Alliance Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States Type: Advocacy NGO Digital Impact Alliance advocates a digitally inclusive society, with the goal of minimizing the growing digital divide. It works to bring the private and public sectors together to increase the number of people with access to digital services and the quality of those services; improve the use of data for development; and encourage evidence-based good practices for digital services. Its staff comprises of an array of technology researchers, developers, investors, negotiators, and policymakers. Global Pulse Headquarters: New York, United States Type: Government A U.N. initiative, Global Pulse pioneers the use of big data to support the Sustainable Development Goals. It has a network of three innovation labs across the globe, comprising Pulse Labs Kampala, Jakarta, and New York. It brings together government experts, U.N. agencies, academia, and the private sector to innovate and trial new uses of big data and subsequently support the roll out of proven initiatives. Some successful Global Pulse projects include the use of big data to track access to clean water or mapping the movement of people to help predict the outbreak of diseases. Global Pulse currently has open positions, which you can view here. NetHope Headquarters: Fairfax, Virginia, United States Type: NGO NetHope acts as the facilitator between some of the largest nonprofits and innovators to form partnerships that tackle development issues with the use of technology. It uses public and private partnerships to deliver ICT solutions to development programs and scale up initiatives. It has assisted with a vast array of projects, including the provision of communications equipment, connectivity solutions, and crisis data mapping during the Ebola outbreak emergency response and bridging the digital divide in rural Kenya. Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural Cooperation Headquarters: Wageningen, Netherlands Type: Institution A joint international institution between the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States and the European Union, CTA seeks to advance food security, resilience, and inclusive economic growth through sustainable farming innovations. It is a leader in the use of ICT for agriculture and focus on growing profits and productivity by leveraging digital innovations and strengthening business aspects, as well as assisting with farmers’ access to finance and insurance services. It has a range of departments, including research, monitoring and evaluation, policies, and communications. Check out CTA’s current openings here. U.S. Global Development Lab Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States Type: Government As a relatively new branch of USAID, the Global Development Lab tests and trials new technologies and innovations to tackle issues of poverty. It leverages science, technology, innovation, and partnerships to deepen the scope and reach of programs and scale up initiatives to reach more people. Its staff is made up of a diverse and specialized mix of scientists, engineers, technology and partnership experts, former venture capitalists, and program and administrative specialists.