Technology is a magical word that has transformed the world today. Not only has it made life easier, in fact much easier, it has also accelerated it. Most of the work is done simply in minutes without much ado. Technology is nothing but the usage and knowledge of tools, crafts, organizational methods and systems to solve certain problems or provide services.
Entrepreneurship, like technology has added another dimension to the human life. It is impossible to not notice that all forms of employment today have arisen from some or other form of entrepreneurial venture. Entrepreneurship and technology both are products of the human genius and equally marvellous is the compound that is formed by merging the two together for benefit of the society. There have been various forms of entrepreneurship that have developed over the ages. From entrepreneurship for profitable purposes to social entrepreneurship, the world is now welcoming technopreneuship.
Technopreneurship is a jargon that stands for the merging of technology with the entrepreneurial skills. Simply put, a Technopreneur is an entrepreneur who is tech savvy and is using technology for the purpose of entrepreneurship.
Microsoft, Facebook, Google, Yahoo and Apple are household brands today and perhaps the biggest and most well known examples of Technopreneurship. Steve Jobs, Bill Clinton, Larry Page, Michael Dell are Technopreneurs who have changed the face of entrepreneurship. From the clichéd definition, they have brought forth a form of entrepreneurship so remarkable. They have cleared in minds of everyday people the doubt of whether it was possible to earn from technology. Various websites that enable online education through student teacher interactions or other services that are provided online are other examples of Technopreneurship ventures. Naukri.com, ebay.com and other such sites also serve the same purpose.
Recently, renowned Indian singer, Shankar Mahadevan has expressed his interest in starting a Technopreneurship venture to provide coaching in the field of music to students from all corners of the world for a fixed amount decided upon the nature and duration of training.
Technopreneurship has assumed more importance today for the role it plays. It provides the much needed employment to thousands who despite of being a part of the “educated elite” do not have jobs to fulfil their needs. Secondly, this form of entrepreneurship has also enabled the centralization of resources. By allowing almost all forms of services to be available online and technically advanced, pooling in resources is not so much of an arduous task as it used to be. Moreover, with the internet and rapidly changing technology assuming utmost importance in everyday lives, Technopreneurship is bound to encourage and kindle the entrepreneurial spirit within many.
However, as gory as Technopreneurship and technology in particular might seem, it too has a dark side that most choose to ignore or rather overlook. The most obvious of these is the fact that technology and hence some forms of Technopreneurship is addictive. Take for example a simple device known as a mobile phone. Industry giants like Nokia, Samsung, Sony and Motorola innovate their exiting models or invent new ones rather frequently. These handsets having become as essential as food or water and so common that even a beggar on the streets possess one of these. However, has anyone considered the health hazard that one faces due to continuous and excessive usage of these devices? A lot of messages have been issued by authorities in about the same and yet we hold on to them with our dear lives and refuse to let go off them even for a moment. It causes great concern and a feeling of loneliness for many if one does not receive a message. It is then as if the whole world has resorted to ignoring the person. Such is the extent of addiction.
Facebook is another form of Technopreneurship which has become an addiction amongst most people today. Critics openly announce the “faceless” world we live in today. It is evident that we have become too dependent on technology and our world is far worse than incomplete without it.
Of course, all a Technopreneur is doing is to take advantage of this booby trap mankind laid for itself.