Officials from Rwanda Visit India aimed at strengthening ICT Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

National, 22 May 2025: A delegation from Rwanda, comprising officials from Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA), Huye and Musanze Youth Centres, Huye and Musanze Innovation Hubs, and the Digital and Innovation Promotion Project (DIPP), a Technical Cooperation Project funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), visited several cities across India from May 13^th -20^th May 2025 to learn from India’s startup ecosystem how public sector leads the initiatives and innovation hubs function.

At the first visit to Vigyan Ashram, located in Pune, the delegation spent a whole day observing their unique business model highlighting residential training courses in the village and learning about the well-defined philosophy and know-how.

In Hyderabad, the delegation visited various key players in the Indian startup ecosystem; 1) Biotechnology Incubation Centre (BTIC), a vibrant community of early-stage life science startups, located in the heart of Genome Valley, to witness cutting-edge R&D and clean manufacturing facilities and explore the potential of agricultural science and biotechnology in Rwanda, 2) Neovantage Innovation Parks, the largest private owner and operator of life sciences infrastructure in South Asia, to see how they attract companies, promote interaction among the people who work there and accelerate innovation, 3) T-Hub, supported by the Telangana Startup and Innovation Ecosystem Strengthening Project, to learn about their collaborative government initiatives, and 4) Maker Global, one of the leading 3D printing companies in India, to learn example of industrial application using 3D printers.

The delegation also visited Super FabLab Kerala in Kochi, the leading hub for FabLab network in India, especially in Kerala state, to seek future expansion of facilities and methods of managing the hubs.

And last, the delegation had a very thought-provoking session with Startup India, a flagship initiative of the Government of India, in New Delhi, to learn how the central government support entrepreneurs and build a robust startup ecosystem across the country.

These interactions provided the team with a comprehensive understanding of key factors and efforts to build and sustain the robust startup ecosystem in India through public sector initiatives and engagement with various stakeholders. This great opportunity also helped identify best practices that can be adapted to the Rwandan context, update the hubs’ business model, and strengthen its operational and management capacity for future sustainability.

Commenting on the visit, Mr. TAKEUCHI Takuro, Chief Representative of JICA India, stated, “India’s experience in developing a thriving startup ecosystem offers valuable lessons for Rwanda and other emerging economies. We believe that this visit will provide Rwandan officials with practical knowledge and partnerships that help advance Rwanda’s innovation landscape. Through sustained cooperation among Rwanda, Japan, and India, we are fostering inclusive growth driven by technology and entrepreneurship.”

This visit also marks another step in strengthening triangular cooperation between India and Japan, and in strengthening international partnerships to accelerate innovation-led development in Africa, reinforcing JICA’s commitment to inclusive, sustainable, and digital-driven progress in partner countries.