About the boot camp
The Grid Innovation and Incubation Hub (GIIH), hosted at the African Centre of Excellence in Energy for Sustainable Development (ACE-ESD), runs intensive innovation boot camps for University of Rwanda students, alumni, and other innovators with promising business ideas.
Each boot camp is a focused, hands-on entry point: applicants submit concepts, go through pre-selection, and selected teams receive business coaching, mentorship, and expert guidance during a 7-day program at the ACE-ESD Incubation Center.
Who can apply
- University of Rwanda students and interested alumni
- Individual innovators or teams with a business concept
- Teams willing to develop concepts through the UR practice venture process
Selection criteria
Business concepts should:
- Be developed by a team or by individual students sharing their vision and passion
- Align with Rwanda’s National Strategy for Transformation (NST1) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Demonstrate profitability, financial viability, and local relevance
- Respond to community problems with a clear, sustainable business model
- Present a unique value proposition and defined market segment (B2B, B2C, or both)
- Identify the industry sector and explain why funding is needed
What to submit
Proposals should briefly cover:
- Title of the business concept and industry or sector
- Description of the concept (up to 500 words)
- Team members and their roles
- Problem statement and proposed solution (up to 250 words)
- Market segment or niche
- Background of founder(s) (up to 300 words)
- Why the concept is feasible, and gender dimension (up to 250 words)
Boot camp pathway
1. Pre-selection
Applications are reviewed at GIIH/ACE-ESD, Nyarugenge Campus. Applicants receive feedback on strengths and areas for improvement.
2. Startup boot camp (7 days)
Selected business concepts attend a 7-day boot camp at the ACE-ESD Incubation Center. Participants receive business coaching, mentorship, and guidance, with access to field experts and industry