With the start of construction works of Kigali Innovation City (KIC), experts assert that it is poised to accelerate technology innovations and harness the much-needed human capital development in Africa.
The $300 million innovation infrastructure located near the Special Economic Zone, will host world-class universities, office spaces, and start-up business incubators, technology companies, biotech firms, alongside supporting facilities for retail, hospitality and accommodation.
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Sitting on 61 hectares of land, KIC already has three institutions in place including the African Leadership University, Carnegie Mellon University-Africa campus, and the University of Rwanda Regional Centre of Excellence in Biomedical Engineering and eHealth (CEBE).
Paula Ingabire, Minister of ICT and Innovation, said that the idea was to create a space that brings together multinational companies and startups in the tech ecosystem, enabling them to co-create solutions and drive the technology agenda for Rwanda.
"Beyond the physical space, KIC's focus is also on streamlining the infrastructure, policy and regulatory environment, talent, and financing needed to create a thriving ecosystem and scale the innovations that will be born here."
According to her, the country made a deliberate effort to start with talent-developing institutions because only the right people can drive the desired innovations, and it wouldn't make sense to have state-of-the-art facilities without talent.
"We knew that the people were the right fuel for what this innovation ecosystem needs. You can have amazing buildings but if you don't have the people that are working on these ideas of growing this ecosystem then, it takes a long time to deliver on that kind of vision."
Over 24 years ago, Rwanda made the deliberate decision for technology to be front and centre of everything done and put in place policies designed to drive that, she added.
"These included public-private partnerships that attracted the right global partners to deliver on large-scale infrastructure projects, attracting top talent-building institutions, and setting Rwanda as a proof-of-concept innovation hub where solutions to regional and global solutions are developed. The KIC is a continuation of this journey."
Upon completion, KIC is expected to generate $150 million in ICT exports annually and attract more than $300 million in foreign direct investments, in addition to creating over 50,000 jobs.
It is expected to have more than 2,600 students graduating annually from its universities over 30 years, adding to Rwanda's and Africa's pool of tech-savvy entrepreneurs.
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Conrad Tucker, Director of Carnegie Mellon University-Africa (CMU), said that while there is a lot of talent building at the varsity, they need a supportive ecosystem to drive their different ideas and innovations at scale.
"As we think of Innovations at CMU Africa and in Rwanda we have to look at the environment that supports it and that is the entrepreneurial mindset that we are instilling in our students so that they can take risks, start their companies, and expand across the continent."
Lou Major, Senior Business Development Executive at Ansys, said the progressive policy of the country and being a proof of concept hub has allowed them to open their first Africa office in KIC.
"Being an innovator, I believe many technology-driven companies will want to come here because they will be supported in their efforts to make the future possible today."
He noted that there is a number of talent the company has hired from CMU-Africa, giving a unique opportunity to be part of the growing technological ecosystem in Rwanda.
Alain Ebobissé, the Chief Executive Officer of Africa50, a pan-African infrastructure investment firm that finances the KIC project, emphasised the role of catalysing private partnerships for impactful projects.
"We want to show to the African investors but also to the world how to do impactful investments, supporting conducive policies and visions that will catalyse private investment at scale."
The officials asserted that KIC will position Kigali as a regional hub for technology, innovation, and education.
