---
id: "action-build-lightweight-apps"
type: "action-item"
source_timestamps: ["§ Implications for businesses."]
tags: ["product-design", "emerging-markets", "mobile-first"]
related: ["concept-break-outs", "concept-digital-public-infrastructure"]
action: "Develop smartphone-optimized apps that integrate with local digital public infrastructure in emerging markets."
outcome: "Rapid scaling in Break Out markets without the capital expenditure of building proprietary foundational tech stacks."
sources: ["futures"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-futures"
originDay: 2
articleStem: "hbr-foci-75-fragmenting-digital-economy"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2026/06/what-a-fragmenting-digital-economy-means-for-global-competition"
sourceTitle: "What a Fragmenting Digital Economy Means for Global Competition"
---
# Build Lightweight Apps on Existing DPI

**Action:** When entering **[[concept-break-outs]]** markets, avoid building entirely new tech stacks. Instead, develop **smartphone-optimized applications that piggyback on existing interoperable [[concept-digital-public-infrastructure]]** (local payment or identity systems such as [[entity-upi]] or [[entity-promptpay]]).

**Key constraint:** ensure apps function well in **low/no-bandwidth areas** and **lightweight compute** environments.

**Outcome:** Rapid scaling without the capital expenditure of building proprietary foundational infrastructure.