David Teece’s Theory of Business Model for a Deepfake, Disinformation and Cultural Sovereignty Startup in Cameroon: The Case of CamShield AI

This paper applies David Teece’s 2010 framework—linking business models, business strategy, and innovation—to a mission-driven Cameroonian startup, CamShield AI, which develops AI-based detection and resilience tools for deepfakes and disinformation while pursuing cultural sovereignty objectives. Using a single-case exploratory design framed by Teece’s three-part business model elements (value proposition, market segments, and value capture) and the dynamic capabilities lens (sensing, seizing, transforming), the paper diagnoses CamShield AI’s current model, identifies gaps, proposes alternative configurations, and recommends an implementation roadmap. Findings address customer pain points, value-creation mechanisms, appropriability and data strategy, complementary assets, pricing and revenue models, governance and ethics, partnerships, and scaling trade-offs in the African context. The discussion grounds each finding in Teece’s theory and in relevant literature on deepfakes, disinformation, and cultural sovereignty. The paper concludes with prioritized recommendations for business-model experimentation, capability development, and future research avenues, including empirical validation, impact evaluation, and comparative studies across African markets. Keywords: Dynamic Capabilities; Deepfakes; Cameroon; disinformation; cultural sovereignty; CamShield AI; business model; David Teece; value capture; AI governance