Rwanda’s Tech Students Urged to Turn Ideas into Job-Creating Innovations

Students studying technology in Rwanda have been urged to prioritize innovation and entrepreneurship by transforming their academic ideas into practical solutions capable of creating jobs and boosting the country’s economy.

The call was made during “Tech Forward Live,” an innovation event organized by SAN TECH Ltd on March 6, 2026, under the theme “Empowering Minds to Transform Economies through Industry-Driven Innovation.” The event brought together government officials, technology experts, innovators, and students to discuss how youth-driven innovation can accelerate Rwanda’s economic transformation.

Speaking at the event, Amos Mfitundinda, Head of Strategic Capacity Development at the Ministry of Public Service and Labour (MIFOTRA), said Rwanda has set ambitious job creation targets that require innovative thinking from young people.

According to him, the country’s National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) aims to create 1.25 million jobs between 2024 and 2029, a goal he said can only be achieved if people transform their ideas into real projects and businesses.

“This target is achievable if those with ideas stop keeping them to themselves and instead find ways to implement them, just like SAN TECH has done,” Mfitundinda said.

He noted that the Government of Rwanda is investing in improving education quality through workplace learning programs that give students practical experience alongside academic studies.

“These programs ensure that students not only study theory but also gain opportunities to practice in real working environments,” he said.

He added research shows that about 60 percent of students who participate in workplace learning programs, especially internships, either secure employment or create their own jobs.

Mfitundinda also stressed that final-year student projects should not end as academic requirements, but should instead be developed into business ventures capable of generating income and employment.

Turning ideas into market-ready products

Thelesphore Mugwiza, Divisional Manager at the National Industrial Research and Development Agency (NIRDA), highlighted the agency’s role in supporting innovators to convert ideas into products and businesses.

“At NIRDA, we support people with ideas and innovations to turn them into products and eventually into businesses,” Mugwiza said.

He pointed out that SAN TECH itself emerged from a NIRDA incubation program in 2019, describing it as one of the agency’s successful innovation beneficiaries.

Mugwiza encouraged young people to take advantage of opportunities created by the country’s innovation ecosystem.

“Young people today have many opportunities. The country has created systems that support innovation and entrepreneurship. What remains is for you to put in the effort and transform your ideas into businesses that can contribute to national development,” he said.

He added that innovation is essential to strengthening the Made in Rwanda initiative, noting that local industries can only grow if Rwandans develop their own technologies and products.

Universities encouraged to implement student ideas

Prof. Richard Musabe, Dean of the School of ICT at the University of Rwanda College of Science and Technology, said many valuable ideas remain unused because they are never implemented.

“Ideas should not remain in our heads, books, or libraries. We must find every possible way to turn them into real solutions,” he said.

Musabe noted that some graduates spend long periods looking for employment despite having developed promising projects during their studies.

“Sometimes a graduate can spend a year waiting for a job while the project they developed at university could have been implemented and even created jobs,” he said.

He added that implementing such projects can inspire other students to pursue entrepreneurship rather than relying solely on employment opportunities.

Bridging the gap between education and industry

For Claudine Niyonzima, Co-founder of SAN TECH Ltd, the event was designed to connect students with industry and help them transform academic projects into practical solutions.

She explained that SAN TECH supports students through technology internships and mentorship programs that help them discover their potential and transform ideas into impactful projects.

“Many excellent projects remain in university books while their creators remain unemployed. Yet some of those projects could have created jobs,” Niyonzima said.

She cited their E-Visit project, a digital visitor management system that began as a university project and is now used by institutions including National Bank of Rwanda, CIMERWA, and Kigeme Hospital.

“This proves that student projects can become powerful solutions if they are properly developed,” She said.

SAN TECH has trained more than 1,500 young people, and 56 of them have gone on to establish companies whose innovations are already available on the market.

Student innovations recognized

During the event, several students were awarded for outstanding technology projects developed to solve real-world challenges.

Among them was Shania Keza, whose project focuses on developing an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system for hospital triage, enabling medical staff to quickly identify patients who need urgent care.

Keza explained that delays in receiving medical attention are a major cause of hospital deaths.

“This technology will help reduce deaths caused by delayed medical intervention,” she said.

According to her findings, about 44.7 percent of patient deaths occur due to delays in receiving timely medical assistance.

The AI-powered system can evaluate a patient’s condition within six seconds, allowing nurses to quickly determine the level of urgency for treatment. The technology also uses extensive medical data, including information from international hospitals, to reduce the risk of human error during triage.

Another award-winning project, E-Lima, developed by Rossa Belyse Musemakweli, which connects farmers and livestock keepers with agronomists within their communities.

Through the system, farmers can send images, voice notes, or videos showing problems affecting their crops and receive guidance from nearby agricultural experts.

“This technology allows farmers to quickly access advice or assistance without waiting for an agronomist to physically visit their farms,” Musemakweli said.

As Rwanda continues to position itself as a technology-driven economy, speakers at Tech Forward Live emphasized that youth innovation and entrepreneurship will play a crucial role in achieving the country’s development ambitions.