On November 6th, 2024, a project kick-off meeting was held at UR HQ to discuss and brainstorm the development of a national technology transfer and research commercialization strategy.
This initiative is part of a broader project titled “Strengthening the National Innovation Ecosystem through the Development of a Research and Innovation Commercialization Strategy and Facilitation of Scaling of Selected Projects.” The project is spearheaded by the University of Rwanda (UR) in collaboration with the National Council for Science and Technology (NCST) and its stakeholders with funding provided by Chemonics Ltd. through the RISA Fund program.

In her opening remarks, UR’s Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance, Ms. Kayitare Tengera, Francoise commended the management teams of both UR and NCST for development of the project proposal and organizing the meeting. She emphasized that “this initiative is about fostering an ecosystem of innovation where research can be transformed into real solutions that have a lasting and positive impact on our society,” she said.

The primary goal of the project is to develop a national technology transfer and commercialization strategy and to support the scaling up of research projects that have demonstrated potential for commercialization.

This initiative is also linked to another project titled “AI and IoT Applied Research Commercialization through the Incubation Hub,” which is being implemented at the African Centre of Excellence in Internet of Things (ACEIoT) and also funded by Chemonics Ltd.
The main objective of the kick-off meeting was to orient the project team, clarify roles, and align everyone on common goals and a shared understanding of the project.

During the meeting, participants assessed the current commercialization and technology transfer ecosystem in Rwanda, identifying key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. They also agreed on a clear roadmap for the strategy development process, outlining key deliverables and timelines.

Participants included a diverse range of stakeholders from academia, public institutions, ministries, and private institutions that contribute to Rwanda’s national innovation ecosystem.