Cambridge Digital Innovation

A case study on mobile money transfer developed at Cambridge Judge Business School is among The Case Centre's top 15 best-selling cases for the sixth year in a row. The Case Centre is a membership organisation that advances the case-study method worldwide. The case study focuses on M-Pesa, the mobile money transfer service developed by Cambridge-based Sagentia in collaboration with Vodafone. M-Pesa is an excellent example of "bottom of the pyramid" innovation that proved to be successful in several emerging markets (Kenya, Tanzania, Afghanistan and South Africa). The case study traces its development, from initial funds set up by Vodafone and the UK Department for International Development (DFID) to deliver banking services through mobile technologies to the rural poor, to its successful launch in several countries. Through this case study, masters and MBA students have the possibility to explore the innovation process that Sagentia and Vodafone conducted to create and refine M-Pesa before and after its launch, and to reflect on the benefits and challenges of collaborative innovation in emerging economies with different cultures, regulations and infrastructure. The case study was authored by Professor Michael Barrett of Cambridge Judge and by Dr Karl Prince, with the help of Dr Anna…