Rwanda Innovation Endowment Fund

Supporting innovators, protecting their knowledge, commercializing their innovation

The Government of Rwanda officially launched the Rwanda Innovation Endowment Fund (RIEF) to fund research and development in innovative market oriented processes and products in partnership with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and One UN Rwanda. At a launching ceremony attended by representatives of government, (...) (...)

Supporting agriculture innovation

Agriculture Productivity -Research and Extension Geothermal Energy / Geosciences Food Processing and Food Technology Biofuels Crops / commodities developed or under development include: Coffee, Silk Horticulture (flowers, vegetables, fruits) Aquaculture, Herbs and Essential Oils Banana (...)

Funding priority areas

Building on the belief of the Government of Rwanda for economic development, as embodied in two documents namely, the Vision 2020 and the National Science Technology and Innovation (NSTI) Policy, RIEF will initially focus on the following priority areas: • Agriculture and • Manufacturing • (...)

Background

Rwanda Research Innovation Endowment Fund (RIEF) was established and is managed by the Government of Rwanda, through the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) in partnership with UNECA (SRO-EA & ISTD) under One UN Rwanda. The objective of this Fund is to stimulate economic transformation through R&D in innovative market-oriented products (...)

The Rwanda Innovation Endowment Fund (RIEF) was established by the Government of Rwanda to finance innovative entrepreneurs and to stimulate socio-economic transformation.

Mr. Axel Bichara, is a Mechanical Engineer, ICT leader, entrepreneur and International Venture Capitalist from the US with more than 25 years investing in companies. He visited Rwanda in July 2012 and spoke to Rwandan innovators and entrepreneurs at various venues in Rwanda. He says: “Promoting entrepreneurship is one of the best things any of (...)

Announcement : Announcement

Online application

Rwanda Innovation Endowment Fund

RIEF Funding Application Process

Eligibility Criteria

Timeline of Application process

Information Session Schedule

Application Pack

RIEF Accessing Guidelines

Concept Submission Form

Useful Links

1. Innovation Prize for Africa
http://www.innovationprizeforafrica.org/

Welcome Note

Road Show and Press / Media advertising October 2012
Concept Submissions October 15th to November 15th

The Rwanda Innovation Endowment Fund (RIEF) is based on the African Innovation framework.
Activities will include grants, exchanges and others funding projects that foster innovations to apply knowledge and technology
Initial Funding Criteria will be for Innovations in the areas of:

Agriculture
Manufacturing
ICT

Interested in Applying: Application Pack

This initiative focuses on the application of knowledge to the innovation being proposed. The application can be made by an individual or a group of individuals whose skills include entrepreneurship / innovation, R&D, and business / marketing. Although the fund is open to applications from all Rwandans preference will be made to the following:

Applications led by a young graduate (as a guide someone who graduated in the past five years) possibly leading a team whose member skills will include entrepreneurship / innovation, R&D, and business / marketing.
The application can be made by an academic researcher possibly from a Higher Learning Institution (HLI) or a Research and Development Institution (R&DI) possibly leading a team whose member skills include entrepreneurship / innovation, R&D, and business / marketing.
Regardless of the specific background of the applicant he/she/they must demonstrate the entrepreneurial inspiration to start the innovative business.

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Partners

Rwanda Innovation Endowment Fund is a partnership between the Government of Rwanda, through the Ministry of Education and the United Nations ONE UN Fund with the lead Implementing Partner the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa