【NEWSLETTER Vol.4】DIGITAL & INNOVATION PROMOTION PROJECT

On 31 July 2025, the project convened the 6th Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) at the Innovation Hub in Musanze, and on 12 February 2026, the 7th JCC was held at the boardroom of the Ministry of ICT and Innovation (MINICT) in Kigali. During the 6th JCC, the project presented and gathered feedback from key stakeholders on the sustainable business model for the Innovation Hubs under Output 1. At the 7th JCC, the top three startups from the 2^nd cohort of Startup Support Program delivered a showcase session for stakeholders. The committee also reviewed progress across all outputs and confirmed the actions, challenges, and mitigation measures required as the project moves toward its closing phase. The project will continue to work closely with the Government of Rwanda to ensure steady progress toward achieving its objectives.

From 8 September 2025 to 4 February 2026, the project implemented Pre‑incubation and Incubation programs at the Huye and Musanze Innovation Hubs, as part of the Government of Rwanda’s national entrepreneurship development initiative. The Pre‑incubation program engaged a total of 31 early‑stage startup teams, which received training on problem identification, business model canvas development, market analysis, business communication, and pitching techniques, of which 26 teams successfully completed the program. The subsequent Incubation program brought together 32 teams, including graduates of the Pre‑incubation program. Participants received training on MVP (Minimum Viable Product) development, finance, legal compliance, and market development strategies. 22 teams advanced to the final pitch and completed the program.

In this 2^nd cohort, tech‑driven startups leveraging AI began to emerge. Notably, some teams achieved national and international recognition—such as winning the regional qualifiers of Youth Connekt Africa, an initiative supporting youth entrepreneurship across eight African countries including Rwanda and being selected to exhibit at the BRICS Youth Summit, which promotes global innovation and development among young leaders from BRICS nations. These achievements represent an important milestone toward Rwanda’s ambition of becoming a leading ICT hub in Africa. The ecosystem for nurturing ICT entrepreneurs in Rwanda continues to strengthen, and further growth is anticipated in the years ahead.

As the 3^rd and 4^th rounds of the Proof of Concept (PoC) initiative for digitalizing public services—aimed at testing the feasibility of new government services—the project has initiated system development for two ministries: an early warning and forecasting system for climate change under the Ministry of Environment (MoE), and a product classification system for e‑government procurement under the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN). In both PoCs, the contracts were awarded through competitive bidding based on the Public Procurement for Innovation (PPI) framework, resulting in HYDRASOFT and Evolve being selected as the implementing companies. Both systems leverage AI technologies, with expected benefits including improved collection and analysis of real‑time meteorological data, enhanced dissemination of information to citizens and stakeholders, and reduced manual work in government procurement processes—leading to greater accuracy, speed, and efficiency.

On 13 February 2026, the ministerial order defining procurement procedures under the PPI framework was officially approved. With this legal foundation in place, the Government of Rwanda can now shift away from traditional commodity procurement dominated by large foreign firms and instead procure solutions from startups and local SMEs with ideas and technologies that genuinely address public-sector challenges. The new regulation introduces two procurement modalities:

These reforms align with Rwanda’s long‑term development agenda, Vision 2050, and the Second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2). As Rwanda advances toward its goal of digitizing all public services by 2029, the project will continue to support PoC activities and contribute to the country’s digital transformation journey.

From 22 August to 3 October 2025, the project implemented the 3^rd batch of Executive Leadership Development Program for 68 ICT and digital officers from various ministries and affiliated agencies of the Government of Rwanda. As in the previous year, six in‑person training sessions were held weekly at a venue in Kigali, focusing on strengthening participants’ soft skills and enhancing teamwork across institutions and hierarchical levels. On 10 October, as an initiative to promote organizational culture transformation within the ICT sector, the project also organized an online alumni session for all participants from 1^st to 3^rd cohorts. A total of 99 participants attended the session. Participants were divided into ten mixed‑cohort teams and tasked with designing policy proposals for the government. 8 teams submitted proposals, and 3 representative teams delivered presentations. This cross‑institutional and cross‑hierarchical approach is expected to contribute to strengthening Rwanda’s capacity to coordinate and manage the country’s diverse ICT initiatives.

In addition to this program, the project conducted Public Speaking Training for MINICT staff from 28 to 30 October 2025. A total of 33 staff members participated, of whom 21 completed the training. The program contributed to enhancing MINICT staff’s presentation skills and their ability to effectively engage stakeholders.

From 12 to 14 November 2025, the project showcased its achievements and ongoing activities at the Rwanda Pavilion during the Transform Africa Summit 2025 (TAS2025), held in Conakry, the capital of Guinea, in collaboration with the counterpart agency, the Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA). TAS is a major international event that brings together African heads of state, entrepreneurs, investors, and global leaders to discuss key issues related to AI and digital inclusion. The 2025 edition marked the 7th summit and the first time it was hosted in West Africa. Through the exhibition, many visitors expressed strong interest in Rwanda’s ICT talent development efforts, reaffirming the importance of JICA’s technical cooperation in this field. Two AI startups which had been participating in the 2^nd cohort of the Startup Support Program—YezaAfrica and DentalSightAI—also conducted live demonstrations of their solutions, attracting significant attention. YezaAfrica succeeded in exploring new drone‑related partnerships, while DentalSightAI confirmed strong demand in the oral‑care sector and secured promising business leads. Given the relatively small domestic market in Rwanda, expanding into international markets through opportunities like TAS is a highly valuable and strategic approach for these startups. Their achievements highlight the growing potential of Rwanda’s innovation ecosystem and the importance of continued support for global market access.

■Project Information
JICA Project Page
https://www.jica.go.jp/oda/project/202005081/index.html
JICA Rwanda Office X(Twitter) account
@JicainRwanda

■Contact Us
E-mail: jica_dxlab@jica.go.jp
Digital & Innovation Promotion Project Public Relations