Introduction

Hi, my name is Bill Kramer. I run The Global Challenge Network, a small consulting, education, and training company near Washington DC. GCN is a company I started after working with World Resources Institute in DC for six years (2001-2007). I was deputy director of a program there called Development Through Enterprise. We were instrumental in defining the "BOP space" with a conference in SF in December 2004, Eradicating Poverty through Profit: Making Business Work for the Poor. We also started the website nextbillion.net, did a bunch of case studies of use of ICTs in EMs, and wrote a book called The Next 4 Billion: Market Size and Business Strategy at the Base of the Pyramid. Right now, I and others are working with a global IT network company to help them develop appropriate and successful BOP strategies and activities. One real possibility is to add to the networking capability as it relates to agriculture. Accordingly, this virtual conference is of interest.