MINICT and JICA launch “The Project for Digital and Innovation Promotion”

On 21st September 2022, Ministry of Information Communication Technology and Innovation (MINICT) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will officially launch the Digital and Innovation Promotion Project at Marriot Hotel Kigali from 9:00AM to 12:00 noon.

At this kick off meeting called “Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC)”, major stakeholders and the project managers will confirm the core project concept, project outputs and working plan for the 4 year project period.

This Project aims at market creation with innovative startups through four major outputs below:

1) Strengthening an entrepreneur supply system by improving a nationwide ICT entrepreneur support environment for startups,

E.g. Innovation hubs in MUSANZE, HUYE, AGOHOZO Shalom and nationwide initiatives such as HangaPitchFest.

2) Strengthening the innovation ecosystem of Rwanda through market creation by Public Private

Partnership with collaboration with innovative startups,

3) Capacity development for government organization/ institution to orchestrate various ICT related

initiatives in Rwanda

4) Model establishment of market expansion for innovation.

For more than a decade, JICA has engaged in ICT Sector in Rwanda. Prior to this Project, the agency implemented “The ICT Innovation Ecosystem Strengthening Project” to support the establishement of the Innovation Hubs in MUSANZE, HUYE and AGAHOZO Shalom and to run the 250StartUps program. This project is coming in at a very critical time where the Government of Rwanda is nearing completion of the NST1 and has identified some gaps in achieving sector priorities. (End)