Supporting African start-ups to build the future of smart cities across the continent
Rwanda has positioned itself as a pioneer trialling digital technology and policy. Now, the country is embracing a smart future for its capital city, Kigali. In this dynamic city, pilot projects to evidence advantages of smart technology and their social and environmental impacts are springing up. They cover topics of waste management, e-mobility and affordable housing. To capitalise on the thought leadership born out of Kigali, start-ups from across the continent are flocking into town for a training and networking event.
The Smart Cities Innovation Programme (SCIP) welcomes 31 start-ups from across the African continent in Kigali, where they attend a five-day bootcamp on 22-26 November 2021. SCIP brings together private and public partners, including top industry experts from Siemens, Volkswagen, Angaza Capital, Jasiri, Viktoria Ventures and more. Together with subject matter experts from entrepreneurship support organisations, MEST and AfriLabs, these partners offer masterclasses, co-creation sessions and networking events that further connect the start-ups with Africa’s ecosystem on smart urban development.
Since SCIP’s launch in September 2021, start-ups commenced their six-months journey to scale innovative products which can boost the potential of urbanisation, ensuring smart cities achieve inclusive and sustainable economic growth. By scaling innovations for smart cities, the programme concretely contributes to Africa's urban transformation and the creation of new jobs in Rwanda and beyond. This is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Smart Cities Innovation Programme is part of the Special Initiative "Decent Work for a Just Transition" and Make-IT in Africa implemented by GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). SCIP’s implementation is supported by Luvent Consulting, AfriLabs and MEST.
To find out more about SCIP visit www.scipafrica.com.
To follow the happenings at the SCIP bootcamp, search for #SCIPAfrica on social media.