Digital maturity of the territory
Connectivity
Digital ecosystem
The local innovation and technology scene is very strong in Kigali, and the national government has taken development of this ecosystem as one of it’s priorities. The Government of Rwanda is building Kigali Innovation City – intended as a technology cluster bringing together academia, investors, big tech and biotech companies. The Park is right next to Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Africa. CMU is a pan-african university, they have students from all across Africa, and have launched their own Innovation Lab (also sponsored by the Rwandan government). They support early stage innovators to articulate their ideas, and then try to match them with investors.
Tech hubs in the city include DigiCenter – funded by GIZ, which has a unique model in which GIZ receives priorities from the Government of Rwanda and then develops digital innovation projects to respond to these priorities; well established innovation hubs like Westerwelle Startup Haus (funded by the Swedish Gov and membership fees), Impact Hub and K-Lab. There are also Maker Spaces.
K-Lab
Kigali laboratory, or K-Lab, is a place where young start-up engineers can access highspeed internet for the creation of their own initiatives. Young entrepreneurs are encouraged to collaborate and learn from mentors who provide their technical and business expertise. The Lab also hosts a range of events, that range from hackathons to boot camps and workshops, that help to promote entrepreneurs and allow them to hone their skills.
