RightsCon Session: So, you want to build a community network?

June 6, 2022; 2:30pm ET / 7:30pm BST / 9:30pm EAT

So, you want to build a community network? Financing mechanisms for community-owned internet infrastructure

Connecting the next 3.6 billion requires changing old network deployment models, and policy/regulatory and financing frameworks. How will we help your community create change and digital equity? We'll bring you a panel of community network experts and experienced impact investors who are working on a new study that aims to catalyze communities to change local circumstances and increase digital equity and inclusion through adaptable and sustainable community network deployment and creative financing models. We'll include data from existing community networks deployments, data on creative ways to finance these non-traditional networks, and hands-on financial modeling to help you and your communities through a financial modeling workshop focused on non-traditional ownership- operator models, highlighting opportunities and risks for those interested in investing at the community level.

This new study deliberately brings in community network data at the micro and macro levels, and examines innovations in financing community-owned network infrastructure, including identification of financing and sustainability strategies from other sectors for cross-sectoral and holistic community infrastructure development. We will aim to maximize participant interaction through Q&A during the panel, paired with the hands-on financial modeling workshop. During the session we will have colleagues capture unanswered questions and we will plan to answer those questions on a landing-page that we will stand up after RightsCon. We also will plan to hold "after RightsCon Follow-on listening sessions" to help augment the study and include learnings from the community. Come join us!

Speakers

Jane Coffin, Chief Community Officer, Connect Humanity

Anoop Nagendra, Principal, Connectivity Capital

Juan Peirano, Senior Policy Advisor, Internet Society (ISOC)

Josefine Miliza, African Regional Coordinator, Association for Progressive Communications