Developing nations can skip building tech from scratch using shared digital public infrastructure

Developing economies do not need to reinvent tech solutions because shared digital public infrastructure allows countries to reuse software instead of building identical systems repeatedly. CV Madhukar serves as the CEO of Co-Develop, which is a global nonprofit fund accelerating the adoption of safe and inclusive digital public infrastructure in developing nations.

Implementation

Co-Develop works with 45 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, with about 23 of those nations located in Africa. In Ethiopia, the government develops its national digital identity system using an open-source identity platform named MOSIP. Zambia applies digital identity verification capabilities to emergency assistance and health-related services. Tanzania, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago receive support for verifiable credentials that let users verify educational certificates and licenses digitally. The organization also supported OpenCRVS to provide open-source software for civil registration like births and deaths.

Financing Models

Madhukar has more than 30 years of experience in impact investing, policy, and scaling nonprofits, including previous roles as Managing Director at Omidyar Network and setting up PRS Legislative Research in India. He holds a master's degree from the Harvard Kennedy School, an MBA from the University of Houston, and a Bachelor of Engineering from Bangalore University. Co-Develop is currently pushing global development banks to change how they finance digital solutions. Rather than funding separate projects where multiple countries build the same software independently, the nonprofit advocates for product financing that supports continuous improvement, adaptation, and reuse.

Context

Digital public infrastructure forms the foundational layer for modern government services like payments, identity verification, and information exchange across departments. Reusing open-source software and shared digital assets helps lower costs for developing nations while speeding up service delivery for citizens. This approach mirrors how basic utilities like roads or electricity serve as shared foundations for diverse economic activities.