Rwanda's Entrepreneurship Development Landscape by Babson Rwanda Entrepreneurship Center

Entrepreneurship Development Landscape Mapping the Entrepreneurship Service Providers in Rwanda Prepared by: Babson-Rwanda Entrepreneurship Center PO Box 319 Kigali, Rwanda September 2011

Abstract This report maps the various support services available to entrepreneurs in Rwanda while providing basic information about the organizations that deliver these services and a general analysis of the entrepreneurship development field. It provides valuable information for all stakeholders, including entrepreneurs, government, and service providers, and it is our hope that this shared knowledge will pave the way for increased communication and collaboration throughout the sector. Ultimately, the aim of the report is to be a useful resource that provides a basic overview of the field so that all current and future actors can more easily understand where they can get involved and with whom, and how their activities fit into the larger picture of entrepreneurship development in Rwanda.

Entrepreneurship Development Landscape Mapping the Entrepreneurship Service Providers in Rwanda

Prepared by: Babson-Rwanda Entrepreneurship Center September 2011

ÂŠ2011 Babson-Rwanda Entrepreneurship Center

231 Forest St. Office of Undergraduate Dean Babson Park, MA 02457 Telephone: +1 781 239 5660 Email: brec@babson.edu

P.O. Box 319 Kigali, Rwanda Telephone: +250 78 283 5578/96

This report is a product of the Babson-Rwanda Entrepreneurship Center (BREC). The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the views of Babson College or the Rwandan Private Sector Federation. The Babson-Rwanda Entrepreneurship Center does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work.

Rights and Permissions The material in this report is copyrighted. The information herein can be freely copied, distributed, and used as is, as long as credit is given to the Babson-Rwanda Entrepreneurship Center. If you have any questions regarding the copyright of this report, please contact brec@babson.edu.

Rwanda Benjamin Cox Country Director, BREC bcox1@babson.edu +250 78 283 5596

Christopher Smith Country Director, BREC csmith9@babson.edu +250 78 283 5578

About the Babson-Rwanda Entrepreneurship Center The Babson-Rwanda Entrepreneurship Center (BREC) was formed in 2010 through a unique partnership between Babson College in Wellesley, Mass. (USA) and the Rwandan Private Sector Federation (PSF). Since its inception, BREC has engaged in a number of activities aimed at advancing entrepreneurship in Rwanda, including research, trainings, workshops, business plan development, coaching, and consulting services. BREC works intimately with experts from both Babson College and PSF to develop and deliver valuable services to a wide spectrum of stakeholders in Rwandaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entrepreneurship ecosystem, including students, business leaders, government agencies, universities, and other not-for-profit organizations. The Center is staffed by Babson employees and housed within the PSF headquarters in Kigali, Rwanda.

Contents Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................................... 6 I.

Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 8 Background ................................................................................................................... 8 Research Objectives ...................................................................................................... 8 Methodology................................................................................................................. 9 Definition of Entrepreneurship ..................................................................................... 9

II.

Research Findings ..................................................................................................................... 11 Trends ......................................................................................................................... 11 General ........................................................................................................ 11 Target markets............................................................................................. 11 Programming ............................................................................................... 11 Staffing ......................................................................................................... 12 Opportunities .............................................................................................................. 13 General ........................................................................................................ 13 Target Markets ............................................................................................ 13 Programming ............................................................................................... 13 Conclusion................................................................................................................... 15

III.

Entrepreneurship Service Provider Overviews ......................................................................... 16 African Innovation Prize (AIP) ..................................................................................... 17 Akilah Institute for Women ........................................................................................ 18 Babson-Rwanda Entrepreneurship Center (BREC) ..................................................... 19 Bridge2Rwanda (B2R) ................................................................................................. 21 Business Council for Peace (Bpeace) .......................................................................... 22 CEFE International....................................................................................................... 23 Center for Business Solutions (CBS) ............................................................................ 24 Digital Opportunity Trust Rwanda (DOT) .................................................................... 26 Educat ......................................................................................................................... 28 Education Development Center (EDC) ........................................................................ 30 Generation Rwanda .................................................................................................... 31 Global Relief and Development Partners (GRDP) ....................................................... 33 Goldman Sachs............................................................................................................ 34 Institute for the Economic Empowerment of Women (IEEW) ................................... 35

International Labour Organization (ILO) ..................................................................... 37 Junior Chamber International (JCI) ............................................................................. 38 Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) ....................................................... 40 Private Sector Federation (PSF) .................................................................................. 42 Rwanda Business Development Center ...................................................................... 44 Rwanda Development Board (RDB) ............................................................................ 46 Rwanda Entrepreneurship Week ................................................................................ 48 School of Finance and Banking (SFB) .......................................................................... 49 United Entrepreneurship Coalition ............................................................................. 51 Youth Employment Systems (YES) .............................................................................. 53 IV.

Appendices ................................................................................................................................ 55 Appendix I: Definitions of Support Services ............................................................... 56 Appendix II: Support Services for Entrepreneurs in Rwanda by Organization ........... 58 Appendix III: Levels of Support Services for Entrepreneurs in Rwanda ..................... 59 Appendix IV: Positioning Map of Service Providers by Target Markets ..................... 60 Appendix V: Definition of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises ................................. 61

Abbreviations AIP

African Innovation Prize

B2R

Bridge2Rwanda

BDC

Rwanda Business Development Center

BDS

Business Development Services

Bpeace

Business Council for Peace

BREC

Babson-Rwanda Entrepreneurship Center

CBS

Center for Business Solutions

CED

Centre for Entrepreneurship Development

CEFE

Competency based Economies through Formation of Enterprise

CITT

Centre for Innovation and Technology Transfer

DFID

United Kingdom Department for International Development

DOT

Digital Opportunity Trust

EDC

Education Development Center, Inc.

ESP

Entrepreneurship Service Provider

GRDP

Global Relief and Development Partners

GIZ

Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Technische Zusammenarbeit (German Corporation for Technical Cooperation)

IEEW

Institute for the Economic Empowerment of Women

ILO

International Labour Organization

Information Technology

JCI

Junior Chamber International

KIST

Kigali Institute of Science and Technology

MET

Micro-Enterprise Training

NGO

Non-Governmental Organization

NUR

National University of Rwanda

PSF

Private Sector Federation

RDB

Rwanda Development Board

REW

Rwanda Entrepreneurship Week

RwF

Rwandan Franc

SFB

School of Finance and Banking

SME

Small and Medium Enterprise (Note: the definition of SME varies widely, even among institutions in Rwanda. The Rwanda Development Board definition of SME is included in Appendix V.)

TBIF

Technology and Business Incubation Facility

UEC

United Entrepreneurship Coalition

USA

United States of America

USAID

United States Agency for International Development

YES

Youth Employment Systems

Introduction

Background In September 2010, Babson College in Wellesley, Mass. (USA) entered into a partnership with the Rwandan Private Sector Federation (PSF) with a mission to support Rwanda’s development by strengthening its entrepreneurial capacity. Within weeks, the Babson-Rwanda Entrepreneurship Center (BREC) launched its operations in Kigali and began working on a number of entrepreneurshiprelated initiatives. It soon became clear that many other individuals and organizations were operating in Rwanda with similar goals. BREC became interested in how these actors were engaging entrepreneurs, the levels of success they were achieving, and the challenges they were facing in their work to support aspiring and active business owners throughout the country. This process of trying to understand the activities and impact of these Entrepreneurship Service Providers (ESPs) revealed minimal amounts of communication and coordination between key stakeholders – the different actors were largely unaware of each other and rarely worked together despite having common objectives. Inspired by this realization, BREC envisioned the publication of a report which would highlight the activities of the various ESPs and provide a basic understanding of the field so that all current and future actors would have a well-informed sense of how they fit into the larger picture of entrepreneurship development in Rwanda. Throughout the first half of 2011, BREC conducted a series of interviews which asked each ESP detailed questions about their histories, objectives, activities, targets, and staff. The results of these interviews have been summarized and included within this report as ESP Overviews. The full spectrum of interviews allowed for an objective analysis of the field and key findings are included in the Trends and Opportunities sections. Various types of support services are referenced throughout the report and definitions have therefore been included in Appendix I. Ultimately, the report is meant to provide valuable information that can pave the way for increased communication and collaboration throughout the field. The aim is to be a useful resource that can help all stakeholders - including entrepreneurs, government, and ESPs – to navigate the entrepreneurship development ecosystem and understand where they can get involved, and with whom.

Research Objectives   

Identify all parties directly involved in supporting Rwandans in their entrepreneurial endeavors. Map the array of entrepreneurship support services being offered and their respective targets. Provide an informed analysis of support available to entrepreneurs and the gaps that remain in the field.

Methodology This research was exploratory in nature with the purpose of discovering the number of entrepreneurship service providers operating in Rwanda, the specific services they offer, and to whom those services are available. BREC was able to compile an initial list of ESPs based on their professional network and secondary research. Additional organizations were included in the study as interviewees introduced them to BREC. This study was limited to organizations that have an overt and explicit mission of developing entrepreneurs in Rwanda. As such, several organizations that indirectly support entrepreneurship such as cooperative development organizations, financial institutions, management consultants, and development partners were not included. Over approximately four months, the BREC Country Directors conducted initial in-person interviews with twenty-four ESPs. Interviews were conducted over the phone when organizations did not have representatives available in Rwanda. It is important to note that BREC was unable to reach some ESPs and therefore these organizations are not included in the report. Additional information was gained through follow-up meetings, phone calls and emails. The organization profiles in this report are based on the information collected by the BREC Country Directors and have been sent to the respective organizations for review. The findings were developed solely by the BREC Country Directors and are based on the same data set.

Definition of Entrepreneurship The definition of entrepreneurship varies widely across literature, institutions, and experts. Babson College, the world’s leading institute for entrepreneurship education, promotes a relatively inclusive definition – encompassing the traditional view of an individual that creates wealth through innovation, as well as intrapreneurs that work within corporate structures to catalyze innovation and create new sources of profit, and others that launch socially-motivated organizations. For the purpose of this study, BREC defines an entrepreneur as a self-employed individual that combines resources (labor and capital) to produce a good or service that creates value within a marketplace. BREC did make one important distinction within this definition; based upon the methodology used by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor – one of the longest-running and most-referenced reviews of entrepreneurship around the world – BREC divided the entrepreneurs in Rwanda into two categories: opportunity-driven and necessity-driven. The first distinction refers to individuals that make an affirmative decision to start a new business based upon a perceived business opportunity. The second refers to individuals that start a business because they have no other means of making a living. This distinction is critical because each type of entrepreneur requires a different set of support mechanisms. A necessity-driven entrepreneur will likely operate a micro-sized business in the informal sector and will benefit most from basic business skills training, access to microfinance, and help transitioning into the formal sector (see Appendix V for definition of ‘micro-enterprise’). Contrarily, an opportunity-driven entrepreneur will likely need more sophisticated business support and will have greater financing needs. The entrepreneurship service providers detailed in this report have

responded to these differences by tailoring their services and operations in order to meet the particular needs of their targeted markets.

II.

Research Findings

Trends General Entrepreneurs in Kigali have the most access to support services, with all of the surveyed ESPs operating within the capital city. A very small number attempt to have a true national presence â&#x20AC;&#x201C; instead, it is more common for ESPs to spread their impact geographically by attracting participants from other districts to their programs in Kigali. Almost across the board, these programs are in their infancy stages, as the average ESP is less than five years old. Although there are a handful of older ESPs, their specific entrepreneurship-related activities have only begun in recent years. The type of activities targeted to entrepreneurs varies widely, and each ESP generally offers an assortment of services, with training, coaching & mentoring, and business advising being the most common (see Appendix III for levels of support services). Most ESPs support these activities through donor funds, although there is an increasing interest in fee-for-service models, at least to help cover program costs. Due to this donor dependency, it is not uncommon for ESPs to have predetermined timeframes for their operations in Rwanda, or stipulations as to how they engage with entrepreneurs. Nevertheless, the majority of ESPs remain committed to staying in the country as long as their resources allow.

Target markets Most ESPs open their programs to all demographics, although a small number specifically focus on youth or women. The majority targets those with operating businesses rather than new ideas, and this tends to be the key determining factor in their application processes. These application processes vary widely depending on the program, from first-come, first-served registration to multiround interview processes, depending largely on the amount of resources allotted to each participant. Often personal character and entrepreneurial experience is gauged, while participation in specific sectors and education levels are typically not. In summary, it can be said that active, opportunity-driven entrepreneurs with some proficiency in English are granted more support opportunities than aspiring, non-English speaking and necessity-driven entrepreneurs.

Programming The total amount of time that ESPs are engaged with entrepreneurs differs significantly. Some offer short training courses that last one to three days and have specific foci, while others invite business owners to longer training programs lasting up to six months and covering a broad array of topics. A small number offer more holistic service packages that span the course of one to two years and work through the sustainable development of the participantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; businesses, from opportunity recognition to strategic planning. 11

When training is involved, the curricula generally cover the basic business principles and come from tested international sources, with local adaptations made to provide local context. When access to finance is a priority, ESPs do not usually fund entrepreneurs directly; instead, it is most common for them to act as intermediaries between financial institutions and entrepreneurs. In these situations, the ESPs vouch for entrepreneurs when they apply for loans and accompany them to lending institutions for moral support. In many cases, ESPs have established relations with specific banks and entrepreneurs from their programs are given more credibility as a result.

Staffing A large number of ESPs depend on small teams of paid staff members in Rwanda to develop and implement their programs, with international offices lending administrative and fundraising support. Volunteers are commonly recruited to add capacity and local staff members are almost always brought on to help with communication and general navigation of the Rwandan business environment. When training is a core service, individuals with extensive business backgrounds are sometimes contracted to lead sessions, though it is more common for trainers to be full- or parttime staff members that have been through a basic Training-of-Trainers program.

Opportunities General At the time of this research, it appears that there is very little communication and coordination between the ESPs in Rwanda, despite the similarities in their visions and goals. Their experiences are hindered by common challenges such as identifying partners, operating mentorship programs, and helping their entrepreneurs to access finance. This reality represents a significant opportunity to more regularly share information, discuss best practices, and address common challenges in their pursuit of an enhanced entrepreneurial environment. Such collaboration has the potential to reduce redundancy in services, to strengthen programs, and to create more influence with the government, financial institutions, and other key decision-makers. It was also discovered that ESPs have very few monitoring and evaluation systems in place to measure the impacts of their programs. When such impacts are measured, revenue growth and job creation in the entrepreneurs’ businesses are the most common indicators of successful programming. This lack of comprehensive impact analysis can be addressed in order to ensure that the strategies of ESPs are creating tangible benefits for the participants, their participants’ businesses, and for the sustainable development of Rwanda.

Target Markets Many of the existing support services for entrepreneurs in Rwanda are targeted at active, Englishspeaking, opportunity-driven entrepreneurs that operate small businesses from Kigali, despite the fact that the majority of the population lives outside of the capital city and the majority of private sector activity is made up of necessity-driven, micro-enterprises, often operating in the informal sector. These findings reveal a clear opportunity to extend the geographic reach of support services and to expand the range of entrepreneurs targeted so that aspiring and necessity-driven entrepreneurs around the country can also receive support as they start and grow their businesses, ultimately transitioning into the formal sector and contributing to the country’s development. Similarly, there are few resources available to help entrepreneurs with sustainable enterprises grow into larger companies. This is an important segment of the private sector and the entrepreneurs behind these businesses should also have access to support services that can help them to continue growing. Clearly, there remain significant opportunities for current and future service providers to fill these gaps in the field, so that entrepreneurial ventures of all sizes, sophistication levels, and locations are equally supported. Appendix IV identifies the markets targeted by the ESPs included in this report.

Programming Entrepreneurship is a multidimensional field that encompasses a wide array of businesses at various stages of development, plus a variety of entrepreneurs with differing expertise and support requirements. The stakeholders in Rwanda’s entrepreneurship development field can address this 13

reality by ensuring appropriate levels of support services are available, covering the full spectrum of an entrepreneurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs. In Rwanda, there is a noticeable lack of services such as business incubation, technical support, and access to market information (see Appendix III). Surely, the entrepreneurial environment would be strengthened if the availability of these services were increased. It is also worth noting that many of the ESPs do not offer post-program support to their entrepreneurs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a critical component that can help them put their learnings into action while maintaining a network that provides the accountability and contacts needed to make best use of the programâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s major takeaways. A few ESPs have successfully created alumni associations as a way to facilitate this sustained support, featuring peer mentoring, networking opportunities, and general exposure to new ideas and new markets. Such activities represent another important opportunity for current and future stakeholders to consider.

Conclusion Entrepreneurship will continue to play a vital role in Rwanda’s transition from an agricultural-based, low-income country to a service-based economy and a middle-income nation. The impacts of entrepreneurship go far beyond simply building personal wealth; entrepreneurs have the potential to drive Rwanda forward by increasing levels of employment, expanding the tax base, fostering economic stability, improving human welfare, and creating innovative solutions to societal challenges. One of the key drivers to realizing these goals is strengthening the entrepreneurial propensity and capacity of the local population. The service providers included in this report are doing exactly that. During the research phase of BREC’s work in early 2011, it became clear that many other types of organizations are indirectly involved in supporting Rwanda’s entrepreneurial development. In particular, the efforts of financial institutions, development partners, independent trainers, management consultants, and cooperative-development organizations should also be documented and shared in order to give a more holistic view of the economic development initiatives taking place in Rwanda. It is important to note that this report stops short of critically analyzing the individual ESPs and their services. Generally, each operates independently and utilizes different benchmarks and measurements for their internal evaluations; this creates a challenge in objectively analyzing the relative effectiveness of their various services. Further research that would assess the ability of each ESP to foster entrepreneurial growth is also encouraged in order to objectively inform all stakeholders of the best strategies to help Rwanda achieve its entrepreneurship development goals. Although many of the ESPs included in this report are in their nascent stages, a wide range of services have already been developed and thousands of Rwandan entrepreneurs have been helped. Still, demand for these support services appears to be greater than the capacity of the ESPs now operating in Rwanda. While there are certainly opportunities for those service providers to improve and expand their offerings, there is even more room for new ESPs to enter Rwanda and to bring their own expertise and energy to the field. Our hope is that this landscape report will inform both of these groups as they consider how to best allocate their resources and how they can address the gaps and opportunities that have been identified. This report should therefore serve as a useful resource that will encourage collaboration, stimulate innovation, and ultimately increase the effectiveness of the different actors in Rwanda’s entrepreneurship development field.

III.

Entrepreneurship Service Provider Overviews

Entrepreneurship Service Providers (ESPs) in Rwanda take many different forms and engage with entrepreneurs in many different ways. The most common form for an ESP is that of an international non-governmental organization (‘International NGO’) that operates in multiple countries throughout the world. In some cases, they work exclusively in Rwanda (‘Local NGO’) with international headquarters based in Europe or the United States. Other forms of ESPs highlighted in this report include higher-education institutions, private enterprises, government agencies, and networks of independent consultants. While most ESPs work directly with entrepreneurs through services like training, consulting, and networking, a few others actually work to build the capacity of fellow ESPs. What follows is a brief description of the ESPs that BREC interviewed as well as the relevant services they offer to support entrepreneurs in Rwanda.

African Innovation Prize (AIP) Type of Initiative: International NGO Services Offered: Business Plan Competition Geographic Presence: Kigali Organization Overview* About AIP: African Innovation Prize (AIP) aims to help establish and run a first-rate student business plan competition for African university students. AIP is rooted in the belief that grassroots entrepreneurship is a key driver in knowledge creation and economic development. This iterative business plan competition will also help fuel long-term entrepreneurial thinking in the university ecosystem and enable prospect for new job creation. In 2009, AIP established a partnership to run the first AIP Business Plan Completion at KIST. Mission: To facilitate global entrepreneurship by encouraging university students from African countries to commercialize ideas and innovations; we will achieve this by creating a pan-African organization that provides inspiration, training, and seed funding through business plan competitions for university students across the continent.

Featured Programs African Innovation Prize: Launched in 2010, the African Innovation Prize is a free business plan competition for staff and students at the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology. At the beginning of March, applicants are invited to submit brief business proposals (250 words) to judges, who award three small cash prizes for the best proposals by the end of the month. A second phase of the competition is then opened and applicants are required to write more detailed plans (1500 words) in order to compete for a grand prize of 500,000RwF, awarded at the end of June. Winning submissions are selected based on their potential, originality, and presentation/clarity, with special attention given to ideas with social or environmental benefits. After being selected, the winning team must register the new business and open a bank account in order to receive the prize money.

For more information: Email: africaninnovationprize@gmail.com Web: www.africaninnovationprize.org

From organization website

Akilah Institute for Women Type of Initiative: Local NGO Services Offered: Behavioral Training, Skills Training Geographic Presence: Kigali Organization Overview* About Akilah: The Akilah Institute is an initiative of Project Akilah, a U.S.-based tax-exempt nonprofit organization, and a registered international nonprofit organization in Rwanda. The Akilah Institute is a college that is dedicated to empowering and producing the next generation of female leaders and entrepreneurs. Through our educational programs, we focus on career development, enabling these young women to successfully shape their personal and professional goals. Our first Diploma, Leadership & Hospitality Management, prepares students to find meaningful employment and launch ventures in the fastest growing sector of the economy, the tourism industry. Mission: Akilah transforms the lives of young women by empowering them with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to find meaningful employment and to serve as leaders in their communities.

Featured Programs Diploma in Leadership and Hospitality Management: This two-year program prepares young women to enter the hospitality and tourism industry in Rwanda. All female graduates of secondary school are invited to apply in June of each year. A minimal application fee (1000 RwF) is required, in addition to letters of recommendation and written essays. Applicants that are accepted but do not meet English-language requirements take part in a one-year foundation program before entering the two-year diploma program. In addition to the technical expertise that the program provides, students are also required to gain 240 hours of real work experience through local and international internships. In 2012, Akilah will move from Kigali to a new location in the Bugasera district, where students will put their entrepreneurial skills to work as they develop agricultural-based businesses that will help the new campus to be self-sufficient.

For more information: Lisa Martilotta, Executive Director Phone: +250 (0)78.410.8834 Email: lisa@akilahinstitute.org Web: www.akilahinstitute.org *

From organization website

Babson-Rwanda Entrepreneurship Center (BREC) Type of Initiative: Local NGO Services Offered: Advisory Services, Behavioral Training, Business Plan Development, Networking, Research & Policy Advocacy, Skills Training Geographic Presence: Kigali Organization Overview About BREC: The Babson-Rwanda Entrepreneurship Center (BREC) was formed in 2010 through a unique partnership between Babson College in Wellesley, Mass. (USA) and the Rwandan Private Sector Federation (PSF). Since its inception, BREC has engaged in a number of activities aimed at advancing entrepreneurship in Rwanda, including research, trainings, workshops, business plan development, coaching, and consulting services. BREC works intimately with experts from both Babson College and PSF to develop and deliver valuable services to a wide spectrum of stakeholders in Rwandaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entrepreneurship ecosystem, including students, business leaders, government agencies, universities, and other not-for-profit organizations. The Center is staffed by Babson employees and housed within the PSF headquarters in Kigali, Rwanda.

Featured Programs Global Entrepreneurship Week: BREC is the country host of Global Entrepreneurship Week 2011 - an international initiative taking place in over 100 countries each year. During this week in November, thousands of events around the world inspire millions of people to think innovatively and engage in entrepreneurial activity. BREC mobilizes and supports partners in Rwanda in the planning and implementation of many events which inspire, connect, and equip entrepreneurs with the tools and resources they need to launch a new business. Babson Entrepreneurial Leadership Academy (BELA): Babson faculty, staff, students and alumni make up the BELA team and travel to Rwanda each year to host a week-long residential program for up to one hundred of Rwandaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most promising secondary school students. Through a series of lectures and hands-on activities, the students explore how to behave as leaders in their communities and how to act more entrepreneurial in all parts of their lives. Students are identified by their headmasters as top performers and are invited by BREC to participate in this free workshop. By the end of the week, students have developed a draft business plan and learned to pitch their business ideas to potential partners, advisors, and investors. Business Plan Development: BREC can link high-growth-oriented entrepreneurs with student consultants from Babson College to collaboratively develop business plans. The entrepreneurs perform local research while the student consultants develop detailed business strategies and financial analysis. The engagements begin in January or September 19

of each year and generally last for four months. The entrepreneurs must speak English and have previous business experience. There is no formal application process, but interested entrepreneurs should contact BREC at least three months prior to the start dates to work out the details of the arrangement.

For more information: Benjamin Cox, Country Director Phone: +250 (0)78.283.5596 Email: bcox1@babson.edu

Christopher Smith, Country Director Phone: +250 (0)78.283.5578 Email: csmith9@babson.edu

Bridge2Rwanda (B2R) Type of Initiative: Local NGO Services Offered: Advisory Services, Networking, Research & Policy Advocacy Geographic Presence: Kigali Organization Overview* About B2R: Bridge2Rwanda (B2R) is a Kingdom enterprise dedicated to “building a bridge from our world to Rwanda and transforming lives at both ends.” Our mission is to help build successful businesses in Rwanda and to create opportunity for the next generation to become entrepreneurial servant leaders modeled after Jesus.

Featured Programs Advisory Services: B2R’s Business Development initiatives provide research, financial analysis, investment advice, capital raising and facilitation services for new and developing businesses on an ad-hoc basis. B2R also actively markets Rwanda to potential foreign investors and high-capacity visitors with special focus on global corporations, private entrepreneurial businesspeople and investment funds targeting Africa. Networking: The Isoko Institute for Entrepreneurship invites and hosts universities and researchers from around the world to visit, conduct research and offer study abroad programs and internships in Rwanda. Isoko College Prep Center prepares and creates opportunity for Rwanda’s top students to study at colleges and universities in the U.S. and other English-speaking countries.

For more information: Blayne Sharpe, Rwanda Operations Director Phone: +250 (0)78.566.2316 Email: bsharpe@bridge2rwanda.org Web: www.bridge2rwanda.org

From organization website

Business Council for Peace (Bpeace) Type of Initiative: International NGO Services Offered: Advisory Services, Coaching & Mentoring, Skills Training Geographic Presence: Global (3 Countries) Organization Overview* About Bpeace: Business Council for Peace (Bpeace) is a non-profit network of business professionals. We volunteer skills to entrepreneurs in conflict-affected countries to help them create significant employment for all, and expand the economic power of women. Put simply: More jobs means less violence. Our goal is to create one million jobs across 1,000 communities. Every one of those jobs, entrepreneurs, and communities becomes a beacon of hope. In each community these business people become role models and strong voices for peace.

Featured Programs Fast Runners: The Fast Runners program selects high-potential, active entrepreneurs running small- and medium-sized businesses from a variety of industries who share the belief that increased employment ultimately leads to less violence within their communities. After a competitive selection process, Bpeace helps Fast Runners participants grow their businesses through its customized package of business development services including financial improvement, marketing, human resources and customer service. Throughout the three years of the program, business owners are supported by an entrepreneurial advisor in Rwanda as well as industry experts from the USA who conduct various business trainings and consultation sessions both virtually and in Rwanda. Entrepreneurs are also given the opportunity to apprentice at related companies in the USA.

For more information: Marla Gitterman, Chief Program Officer Phone: +1 212.696.9696 (US) Email: mgitterman@bpeace.org Web: www.bpeace.org

From organization website

CEFE International Type of Initiative: Independent Consultants Services Offered: Behavioral Training, Skills Training Geographic Presence: Global (140 Countries) Organization Overview* About CEFE: CEFE was initiated and disseminated mainly by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and GTZ and has been introduced in more than 140 countries since 1983. Its further development is now based on the competence of over 20,000 people working independently as CEFE trainers around the world. In 2008, CEFE was outsourced and the global CEFE Network is now coordinated by CEFE International, as a non-profit private sector organization, which coordinates members of the network to provide competent CEFE services.

Featured Programs Training: CEFE independent trainers use an internationally-tested curriculum to train entrepreneurs and business managers in a range of skills from business plan development and general venture start-up advice to organizational capacity building. The action-oriented sessions are tailored to a range of target groups, but generally focus on income generation and increasing employment in the context of sustainable economic development. CEFE trainings are demand driven as training sessions are only planned upon the request of an organization.

For more information: Dieudonne Kabanda, Head Trainer Phone: +250 (0)78 851 9110 Email: dkabanda2002@yahoo.fr, info@cefe.net Web: www.cefe.net

From organization website

Center for Business Solutions (CBS) Type of Initiative: Private Enterprise Services Offered: Access to Finance, Access to Market Information, Advisory Services, Coaching & Mentoring, Incubation, Skills Training Geographic Presence: Kigali Organization Overview* About CBS: Center for Business Solutions (CBS), an affiliate company to Maxinet Group Limited offers services to Rwandan Businesses to help them prosper and overcome obstacles inherent to business. At CBS, we offer high quality information that is tailored to Rwandan businesses to help them stay ahead of the pack. Mission: CBS exists to provide business development support services to small and medium enterprises through its SMS platform while leveraging on strong partnerships with stakeholders in order to achieve greater impact. Vision: To be a leading centre for Business Development Services that offers integrated business solutions which include access to finance, market information and skills.

Featured Programs IFC Business Edge: CBS offers a wide array of fee-based training courses on a rolling basis, all based on IFCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Business Edge curriculum. These trainings are open to owners of active businesses and generally last three to six days. CBS utilizes their professional network and relationships with financial institutions, the Rwanda Development Board, and the Rwandan Private Sector Federation to invite entrepreneurs and their employees to participate in trainings. CBS may work closely with the most promising graduates to help them attain growth financing though partner financial institutions. Incubation: CBS offers residential and non-residential business incubation to established, formalized SMEs across all sectors. For up to two years, entrepreneurs with proven initiative and a hardworking character can pay a small monthly fee to receive office space at a subsidized rate. Residential companies qualify for administrative support in addition to the weekly business trainings and individual mentoring sessions that are open to all participants. The most common training topics for incubated businesses include taxation, business planning, marketing, and customer service. CBS may link successful graduates to its network of financial institutions for growth financing.

From organization website

For more information: Rebson Dzala, General Manager Phone: +250 (0)78.342.1126 Email: rebson.dzala@cbs-rwanda.com Web: www.cbs-rwanda.com

Digital Opportunity Trust Rwanda (DOT) Type of Initiative: International NGO Services Offered: Access to Finance, Coaching & Mentoring, Skills Training, Technical Support Geographic Presence: Global (11 Countries) Organization Overview* About DOT: Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) is a leading international organization, headquartered in Ottawa, Canada. DOT focuses on creating educational, economic, and entrepreneurial opportunity through the effective use of ICT for communities and people in countries that are developing, are in transition, or are under stress. DOT launched a Rwandan office under local management in March 2010 to run its Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Development in Rwanda Project, in partnership with the Canadian International Development Agency and the MasterCard Foundation. Mission: Creating global networks of talented, energetic young leaders who make real change by educating local communities to apply technology effectively to real life. Vision: To eradicate poverty, vulnerability and gender inequality by giving all people the skills and knowledge to use technology to achieve educational, social and economic opportunities.

Featured Programs ReachUp!: DOT recruits young Rwandans as interns and trains them to become technology ambassadors. DOT interns then provide training in essential business and ICT skills to vulnerable community members, mainly youth and women, and to micro-enterprise owners. DOT works closely with local community leaders and community-based organizations to identify program participants. The courses are free of charge and run for three hours per day for a period of one month. In addition to the courses, interns also coach the participants to help them achieve short-term objectives and connect participant to microfinance institutions and business development opportunities. In a period of three years, 180 interns will be hired to impact 35,000 people. StartUp!: This program provides new entrepreneurs with the information and tools to start their business. DOT interns work with the entrepreneurs to validate their business ideas and to develop business plans. The entrepreneurs are linked to microfinance institutions for funding when applicable.

From organization website

For more information: Violette Uwamutara, Country Director Phone: +250 (0)78.838.1431/2, +250 (0)78.838.1270 Email: vuwamutara@dotrust.org, rwanda@dotrust.org Web: www.rwanda.dotrust.org

Educat Type of Initiative: Local NGO Services Offered: Behavioral Training, Organizational Capacity Building, Networking, Skills Training Geographic presence: Kigali Organization Overview: * About Educat: Educat is a social enterprise with roots in Denmark but working in Kigali since 2009. Educat believes positive change starts at the level of the individual. We believe that change-makers exist at all levels of society. And we believe that with the right support we can unleash the full development potential of Rwanda’s entrepreneurs and leaders. That’s why we are in Rwanda. Educat runs a supportive platform for Rwandan Entrepreneurs And Leaders. This platform we call REAL. REAL fosters entrepreneurial skills, attitudes and opportunities. REAL is a training provider and a place of knowledge and experience transfer. REAL supports the goals of Rwanda’s Vision 2020 and contributes to make the private sector the principle growth engine in Rwanda. Mission: To create successful entrepreneurs and leaders who dare to be curious and provocative, who question the established with new and innovative approaches and who are ambitious on their own and society’s behalf. Vision: The purpose of REAL is to strengthen the business environment in Rwanda by providing training, education and support services to all levels in both the public and private sector. Healthy businesses mean economic growth, new employment opportunities and reduction of poverty.

Featured Programs Rwandan Entrepreneurs and Leaders (REAL) Platform: REAL delivers short-term training programs on a regular basis which focus on promoting entrepreneurial culture, strengthening business management skills, and empowering trainers within Rwanda. Aspiring and active entrepreneurs from micro-, small-, and medium-sized businesses are invited to participate in various free or fee-based courses lasting from three days to three months. Business leaders and managers are also targeted for a number of the trainings and can also benefit from Educat’s tailor-made consultancy services. The micro-enterprise training is offered in Kinyarwanda while all others are taught in English.

From organization

For more information: Mikkel Harder, Country Director Phone: +250 (0)78.411.7919 Email: mharder@educat.dk Web: www.real.rw / www.educat.dk

Dennis Dybdal, Program Director Phone: +250 (0)78.274.1804 Email: ddybdal@educat.dk Web: www.real.rw / www.educat.dk

Education Development Center (EDC) Type of Initiative: International NGO Services Offered: Access to Finance, Behavioral Training, Organizational Capacity Building, Skills Training Geographic Presence: Global (35 Countries) Organization Overview* About EDC: EDC is a global nonprofit organization that designs, delivers and evaluates innovative programs to address some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most urgent challenges in education, health, and economic opportunity. Working with public-sector and private partners, we harness the power of people and systems to improve education, health promotion and care, workforce preparation, communications technologies, and civic engagement. EDC conducts 350 projects in 35 countries around the world. Our services include research, training, educational materials and strategy, with activities ranging from seed projects to large-scale national and international initiatives.

Featured Programs Akazi Kanoze Youth Livelihoods Project: Launched in 2009, this four-year USAID-funded program provides youth-based organizations with a tested training curriculum that teaches participants the personal and professional skills necessary to get a job or start a business. Local partners, which can include NGOs, civil society organizations, government agencies, education and training providers, and businesses, implement EDCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Core Training curriculum, and in doing so, are invited into EDCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s organizational capacity building efforts. Other specialized trainings and support services are made available to students and graduates on an ad hoc basis, such as connections to microfinance and savings institutions. EDC plans to reach 12,000 youth in Rwanda throughout the course of this project.

For more information: Jean Claude Nshimiyimana, Deputy Director Phone: +250 (0)25.258.0796 Email: jnshimiyimana@edc.org Web: www.edc.org

From organization website

Generation Rwanda Type of Initiative: Local NGO Services Offered: Behavioral Training, Coaching & Mentoring, Skills Training Geographic Presence: National Organization Overview* About Generation Rwanda: Our scholarship and leadership education program provides comprehensive support that empowers our students to become Rwanda’s next dynamic professionals and leaders in their fields. Every Generation Rwanda student has demonstrated academic talent and personal drive – and comes from a vulnerable background. Our mission is premised on the belief that promoting access to higher education for motivated yet vulnerable young people supports Rwanda’s efforts to harness its population’s intellectual and entrepreneurial talent. These efforts will succeed only when all students who excel – including orphans and vulnerable youth – have the opportunity to obtain a university degree and become the people they aspire to be. Mission: Generation Rwanda is dedicated to helping orphans and other socially vulnerable young people in Rwanda pursue a university education and ultimately become leaders in fostering economic development and social reconciliation.

Featured Programs Scholarship and Leadership Program: Generation Rwanda’s core scholarship provides comprehensive support to highly-motivated and socially-vulnerable university students, covering the costs of tuition, housing, and healthcare, while providing additional living stipends, coaching, and various personal and professional training programs throughout their entire time at university. Secondary school graduates with high national exam scores are invited to participate in a highly-competitive, multi-round application process each year, where motivations, skills, and vulnerability are all measured. Eventually, up to thirty of the most qualified candidates are accepted into the program. There are currently 180 Generation Rwanda students studying in ten universities throughout Rwanda. In 2010, Generation Rwanda began offering optional entrepreneurship trainings for its students, two to four times per year. The five-day program provides an introduction to basic business principals and often invites guest speakers and local entrepreneurs to share their experiences with students. In 2011, staff members plan to develop a more complete entrepreneurship curriculum for interested students.

From organization website

For more information: Michelle Hamilton, Director of Programs Phone: +250 (0)78.538.9862 Email: michelle@generationrwanda.org Web: www.generationrwanda.org

Global Relief and Development Partners (GRDP) Type of Initiative: Local NGO Services Offered: Advisory Services, Business Plan Development, Coaching & Mentoring, Networking, Skills Training Geographic Presence: Kigali Organization Overview* About GRDP: GRDP offers a comprehensive set of services tailored to the unique needs of our U.S. and international entrepreneurs, including leadership development workshops, mentorship facilitation, and business development, enabling the transfer of important professional and leadership skills to the next generation of Rwandan business leaders. Mission: To inspire and strengthen promising entrepreneurs in emerging countries.

Featured Programs Creating a BiggerFUTURE: Each year, GRDP selects 35-40 high-potential, active entrepreneurs to participate in its year-long training and mentorship program. The application process begins each November and each cohort begins its training in January. Four times throughout the year, qualified North American entrepreneurs and business executives visit Rwanda to offer two days of training, coaching, consulting, and networking. At each of these quarterly workshops, participants are measured against the three-year strategic plan they create at the beginning of the program. A strong command of English is required to participate as well as an annual program fee of 60,000 RwF. Graduates of the program are invited into a second year called the BiggerFUTURE Masters Program, where the relationships established throughout the first year are built upon, occasionally leading to professional partnerships and investment.

For more information: Cyusa Leandre, Country Representative Phone: +250 (0)72.830.9810 Email: cyusa@grdpartners.org Web: www.grdpartners.org

From organization website

Goldman Sachs Type of Initiative: Private Enterprise Services Offered: Access to Finance, Advisory Services, Business Plan Competition, Business Plan Development, Coaching & Mentoring, Networking, Skills Training Geographic Presence: Global (20 Countries) Organization Overview About Goldman Sachs: Goldman Sachs is an international investment banking and asset management company headquartered in New York City, USA.

Featured Programs 10,000 Women Initiative: Since 2009, Goldman Sachs has partnered with the William Davidson Institute (WDI) at the University of Michigan and the School of Finance and Banking (SFB) to administer Goldman Sachsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 10,000 Women Initiative in Rwanda - a five-year program that provides underserved women around the world with a business and management education. Twice per year, in January and July, SFB and WDI accept active women entrepreneurs with at least one year of secondary school experience and a clear financial need to participate in their six-month training program. Participants are asked to contribute 10,000RwF and those from rural areas are lodged during their time in Kigali. In the last month of the program, participants have access to business advisors, mentors, and representatives from financial institutions as they work to create actionable business plans. Each cohort of thirty students graduate after completing the nine training modules and participating in a business plan competition, though their support continues for two more years through regular consultations and trainings offered at class reunions.

For more information: Agnes Uzarerwa, Program Manager Phone: +250 (0)78.520.9112 Email: uzagnes@hotmail.com Web: www.wdi.umich.edu/ee/rwanda

Institute for the Economic Empowerment of Women (IEEW) Type of Initiative: International NGO Services Offered: Behavioral Training, Business Plan Development, Coaching & Mentoring, Skills Training Geographic Presence: Global (3 Countries) Organization Overview* About IEEW: The Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women (IEEW) is a 501(c)3 non profit empowering women to grow their businesses, pursue greater entrepreneurial ventures, and become more active public policy advocates. The Institute accomplishes this mission by focusing on education, mentorship, and coaching women in the United States and abroad who are seeking to acquire entrepreneurial skills to help start and grow a business.

Featured Programs Peace Through Business Program: Each year, IEEW chooses up to sixty active women entrepreneurs to participate in a two-month training on basic business principals. The application process opens in October and the trainings take place throughout February and March. Participants must have been operating a business for at least one year, must have a strong command of the English language, and must be willing to pay their mentorship experience forward â&#x20AC;&#x201C; mentoring a future student after graduating from the program. Incountry staff facilitate the trainings (curriculum provided by Northwood University) and offer guidance as the participants work to create sound business plans by the end of the two months. At that time, the fifteen most promising business plans are chosen and the entrepreneurs behind them are invited to travel to the US, where they participate in a leadership development program. This includes further training at Northwood University, attendance at the International Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Economic Summit, and a week-long mentorship experience with an American business owner working within the same industry. This mentorship lasts for a year after the women return to Rwanda and often results in new partnerships, investment, or other types of support. While the initial training is free, participants must cover their visa expenses and pay a program fee of $250 if they are chosen to travel to the US.

From organization website

For more information: Lin Stuart, Director of Programs Phone: +1 405.943.4474 (US) Email: lstuart@ieew.org Web: www.ieew.org

International Labour Organization (ILO) Type of Initiative: Independent Consultants Services Offered: Organizational Capacity Building, Skills Training Geographic Presence: Global (183 Countries) Organization Overview* About ILO: The International Labour Organization (ILO) is devoted to promoting social justice and internationally recognized human and labour rights, pursuing its founding mission that labour peace is essential to prosperity. Today, the ILO helps advance the creation of decent work and the economic and working conditions that give working people and business people a stake in lasting peace, prosperity and progress. Its tripartite structure provides a unique platform for promoting decent work for all women and men. Its main aims are to promote rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection and strengthen dialogue on work-related issues.

Featured Programs Start and Improve Your Business: ILOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Start and Improve Your Business programs train entrepreneurs in a variety of skill sets to help them start new ventures and grow existing businesses. The internationally-recognized program, which has been translated into over thirty languages and adapted to the local conditions of more than fifty countries, targets aspiring and established entrepreneurs across all industries and backgrounds. Independent trainers teach the sessions on an ad hoc basis at the request of the participants. GET Ahead for Women in Enterprise: The GET Ahead program targets low-income women who either operate or wish to operate small businesses. The training provides participants with basic business and management skills and helps them to develop personal networks that can provide support for their new businesses.

For more information: Lamech Nambajimana, National Program Officer Phone: +250 (0)78.830.4167 Email: lamech.nambajimana@undp.org Web: www.ilo.org

From organization website

Junior Chamber International (JCI) Type of Initiative: International NGO Services Offered: Business Plan Competition, Coaching & Mentoring, Networking, Skills Training Geographic Presence: National Organization Overview* About JCI: JCI-Rwanda is part of the largest personal and leadership development organization for young people in the world - Junior Chamber International. It provides a range of activities and projects in 4 opportunity areas: Individual, Community, International and Business. Junior Chamber provides an excellent way to meet new people, develop yourself as an individual and at the same time give something back to the Rwandan community through the worthwhile projects the organization engages in. Mission: To provide development opportunities that empower young people to create positive change. Vision: To be the leading global network of young active citizens.

Featured Programs Coaching & Mentoring: JCI leadership is currently investigating how to best incorporate Rwanda’s business and community leaders into their vision of a mentorship program. In the past, JCI’s leaders took on mentees in their full-time businesses as a way to introduce the members to entrepreneurship in action. Networking: JCI hosts a networking breakfast or cocktail reception each month for its members. Business and community leaders are invited as guest speakers, providing inspiration and connections for the attendees. Ample time is granted for questions and answers with the guests as members develop their skills in business networking. Skills Training: JCI’s training courses are offered to local members four times per year. These short courses, lasting three to five days, are led by certified trainers from around Africa and utilize a standard curriculum developed by JCI. Participants are exposed to basic business principles in order to decide if entrepreneurship is a potential career path. JCI’s leadership also delivers entrepreneurship trainings to various groups throughout Rwanda, namely university-level student clubs.

From organization website

Terimbere Challenge: The Terimbere Challenge is a business plan competition hosted by JCI in partnership with the National University of Rwanda, with support from SPARK and BiD Network. The competition is free and open to all Rwandans between 18 and 45 years old. Applicants must submit a business plan summary by August 10, 2011 and are eligible to win commercial loans, free advisory services, and connections to possible investors. The winning business plans must show self-sustainability in the long term and must have financing needs between US$5,000-$1,000,000.

For more information: Lydie Hakizimana, National President Phone: +250 (0)78.831.2839 Email: jcirwanda@gmail.com Web: www.jci.cc/rwanda

Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) Type of Initiative: University Services Offered: Access to Finance, Advisory Services, Business Plan Competition, Business Plan Development, Coaching & Mentoring, Incubation, Skills Training, Technical Support Geographic Presence: Kigali Organization Overview* About KIST: The Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) is the first public technological institute of higher learning in Rwanda. It came into existence as a UNDP project on November 1st, 1997 with a clear mandate to produce technical, scientific students of high calibers. The Institute was officially inaugurated in April 1998. About CITT: KIST established the Centre for Innovation and Technology Transfer (CITT) in 2002. An invaluable dimension of the centre is the prominence of applied research leading to environmentally friendly appropriate technology innovations and subsequent transfer to the market place, particularly among the peri-urban and rural communities. The establishment of CITT was made possible by the funding from DFID and the GoR. The centre is located at KIST Remera campus, opposite the National Examination Centre. CITT Mission: To develop appropriate technological innovations, ensuring their sustainable adaptation, and enhance the capacity of the private sector to multiply the technologies. CITT Vision: To be a centre of excellence for innovation, research, development and transfer of appropriate technologies, focusing on rural and peri-urban communities and equality of opportunities in Rwanda.

Featured Programs Technology and Business Incubation Facility: KISTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Technology and Business Incubation Facility (TBIF) provides office space and support services to young technology-based businesses in Rwanda. TBIF targets all graduates from Rwandan institutions of higher education and offers a three-month pre-incubation period where participants develop business plans and feasibility studies for a cost of 75,000 RwF per month. The actual incubation period lasts up to two years and costs 150,000 RwF per month. Participants are selected based on their levels of motivation, innovation, and willingness to pay. In addition to office space, participants have access to production facilities and receive consulting and training on a weekly basis.

From organization website

Skills Training: Every three months, KIST hosts a business development training for the general public. It also offers a number of other short business courses on a demand-driven basis. Costs for each vary depending on the topic and length of the training.

For more information: Rajeev Aggarwal, Director (CITT) Phone: +250 (0)78.858.6815 Email: dcitt@kist.ac.rw Web: www.kist.ac.rw

Private Sector Federation (PSF) Type of Initiative: Local NGO Services Offered: Advisory Services, Business Plan Competition, Business Plan Development, Research & Policy Advocacy, Skills Training Geographic Presence: National Organization Overview* About PSF: The Private Sector Federation - Rwanda (PSF) is a professional organization, dedicated to promote and represent the interests of the Rwandan business community. It is an umbrella organization that groups 10 professional chambers. It was established in December 1999, replacing the former Rwanda Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Mission: To represent and serve the interests of the entire private sector through lobbying and advocacy, while at the same time providing timely and relevant business development services that lead to sustainable private sector led economic growth and development. Vision: To create a credible and effective institution supporting the emergency of a strong private sector for Rwanda's economic transformation

Featured Programs Business Development Services Centers: In 2007, PSF launched a network of Business Development Services (BDS) Centers around the country that were established to provide fundamental services to the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s SMEs. Currently, there are twenty-two centers operating in twenty-two different districts, offering a range of services including business plan development, skills training, business advising and others as mandated by PSF. The centers are open to all SMEs owners as well as aspiring entrepreneurs and offer a combination of free and fee-based services. Business Plan Competition: PSFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s national Business Plan Competition was launched in 2004 and hundreds of winners have since been chosen to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in awards and loans. Each year, PSF makes the opportunity available to all Rwandan citizens and collects over one thousand applications across all sectors. The top two hundred applicants are chosen based on the profit-making ability and sustainability of the business, as well as the levels of innovation and market demand for the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s products and services. Those chosen are invited to take part in a 10-day business plan-writing workshop and can remain in the competition by submitting a full-length business plan at the end of the training period. Roughly half of these plans are selected as winners and are recommended to partnering financial institutions for reduced-interest loans up to 10,000,000RwF and technical assistance grants up to US$2000. *

From organization website

Skills Training: PSF provides basic skills training for its members, who are typically identified and attracted through the PSFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s BDS centers in their districts. The free, five-day workshops are offered at different times throughout the year and will be taking place in nineteen different districts in 2011. Topics include common business principals such as bookkeeping, marketing, and customer care. Private companies can also request for PSF to organize skills training courses for their employees.

For more information: General Inquiries Phone: +250 (0)58.35.41/38 Email: info@psf.org.rw Web: www.psf.org.rw

Business Plan Competition Inquiries Betty Abatoni Phone: +250 (0)78.830.2884 Email: bettyb@psf.org.rw

BDS Center Inquiries Francis Rugero Phone: +250 (0)78.875.7069 Email: francisr@psf.org.rw

Skills Training Inquiries Martin Ngirabatware Email: martinn@psf.org.rw

Rwanda Business Development Center Type of Initiative: Local NGO Services Offered: Advisory Services, Behavioral Training, Business Plan Competition, Business Plan Development, Incubation, Skills Training Geographic Presence: Kigali Organization Overview* About BDC: The Rwanda Business Development Center (BDC) is a joint project of Regent University and the International Christian Chamber of Commerce. The Center prepares and nurtures entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses with ethical values. It combines worldclass entrepreneurial training with a comprehensive package of services to support and advise you in your business. Local experts on legal, financial, and accounting issues will visit the class to introduce those topics and provide you with contacts for your business. International business experts will also visit the class to mentor you and advise you on your business ideas. When you complete the program, you will remain connected to a global network of business experts who will provide consulting, encouragement and contacts. Mission: Prepare and nurture entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses with ethical values. Vision: To build a self-sustaining Center staffed and run by Rwandans in order to help entrepreneurs start and grow hundreds of businesses that employ thousands of people.

Featured Program Training: Twice per year, BDC offers a sixteen-week training to both aspiring and active entrepreneurs for a cost of 150,000 RwF. Participants are selected based on the level of their English skills, their demonstrated entrepreneurial initiative, their perceived motivation, and their overall potential. The program combines basic business training with a growing number of support services, including business advising. Students are expected to commit 20-30 hours per week to coursework for the length of the program, ultimately resulting in a written business plan that participants then enter into a competition for access to loans sponsored by BDC. Visiting professors from Regent University encourage action-oriented learning by requiring field work in between weekly, three-hour lessons. As the center grows, BDC plans to add a number of additional services, including a resource center and business incubator.

From organization website

For more information: Phone: +1 757.352.4502(US) Email: info@bdcrwanda.com Web: www.bdcrwanda.com

Rwanda Development Board (RDB) Type of Initiative: Government Agency Services Offered: Technical Support

Advisory Services, Incubation, Research & Policy Advocacy, Skills Training,

Geographic Presence: National Organization Overview* About RDB: The Rwanda Development Board was set up by bringing together all the government agencies responsible for the entire investor experience under one roof. This includes key agencies responsible for business registration, investment promotion, environmental clearances, privatization and specialist agencies which support the priority sectors of ICT and tourism as well as SMEs and human capacity development in the private sector. The RDB is independent and influential. It reports directly to the President. Mission: Fast tracking economic development in Rwanda by enabling private sector growth. The scope of our work includes all aspects related to the development of the private sector. This involves working with and addressing the needs of companies of all sizes (large, SMEs) and both local and foreign investors. Vision: To transform Rwanda into a dynamic global hub for business, investment, and innovation.

Featured Programs Business Development Centers: RDB currently operates three Business Development Centers in each province. Originally established as telecommunication centers, each employs a manager, business advisor, and an IT technician and offers free internet access, computer skills training, accounting support, and business planning advice. The services are targeted at micro- and small-sized enterprises and are free of charge, although entrepreneurs requiring more specialized support are referred to the fee-based BDS Centers operated by the Private Sector Federation. Incubation: RDB, in cooperation with UNIDO, plans to open its first business incubator by the end of 2011. Located in the Masaka district, the incubator will target businesses operating within the leather goods, fruit, dairy, and bamboo sectors and will provide office space, access to specialized equipment, equipment training, and support in business planning, accessing finance, and establishing a business network. Qualified entrepreneurs will be accepted into the incubators for a maximum of two years. RDB plans to grow the total amount of incubators to twelve, each focusing on a different sector according to its location. *

From organization website

Skills Training: RDB currently offers free training courses for young employees of local cooperatives. The training lasts five full days and is split into two lecture-style modules, Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Business Plan Development. Classes are taught by trainers selected through an open tender and have been offered in six of Rwandaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thirty districts as of June 2011. In each cycle of the training, thirty participants are accepted per district, half of which are female. RDB plans to expand the program to all of Rwandaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s districts. RDB also plan to launch a training program for tertiary school graduates. The curriculum is being developed in conjunction with the School of Finance and Banking and will cover both the theoretical and practical sides of entrepreneurship. The twelve-day program will accept 120-150 participants each cycle and will be offered three times per year.

For more information: General Inquiries Email: info@rdb.rw Web: www.rdb.gov.rw Skills Training Inquiries Apollo Munanura, Ag. Head of Department Human Capital and Institutional Development Phone: +250 (0)78.835.1318 Email: apollo.munanura@rdb.rw Advisory Services and Incubation Inquiries Eusebe Muhikira, Ag. Head of Department Trade and Manufacturing Phone: +250 (0)78.851.3764 Email: eusebe.muhikira@rdb.rw

Rwanda Entrepreneurship Week Type of Initiative: Local NGO Services Offered: Behavioral Training, Coaching & Mentoring, Skills Training Geographic Presence: Kigali Organization Overview About REW: Rwanda Entrepreneurship Week (REW), launched in July 2011, is led by student volunteers from the University of Cambridge in partnership with local university from Rwanda.

Featured Programs Rwanda Entrepreneurship Week: Each summer, a team of students from the University of Cambridge travel to Rwanda to host a week-long workshop on entrepreneurship and product development. The free workshop is open to university students at KIST, NUR, SFB, and Generation Rwanda and features a number of prominent Rwandan entrepreneurs who lead sessions on various business topics while sharing their own success stories. Participants also have the opportunity to partake in individual coaching sessions with the team from Cambridge and learn to write business plans and pitch their business ideas at the end of the week.

For more information: Jackie Stenson, Student Coordinator Email: jackie.stenson@gmail.com Web: www.beyondprofit.org.ok/rew.php www.africaninnovationprize.org/rwanda-entrepreneurship-week

School of Finance and Banking (SFB) Type of Initiative: University Services Offered: Research & Policy Advocacy, Skills Training Geographic Presence: Kigali Organization Overview* About SFB: The School of Finance and Banking (SFB) is a leading business university in Rwanda, offering undergraduate and postgraduate programs and executive development training programs in various business and management disciplines. The School offers a BBA program with options in Accounting, Finance, Marketing and Human Resource Management and a Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA) with specializations in Project Management and Finance. SFB also offers Executive Education and Consulting services to employees from public, private, local, and international organizations with the view of building the capacity of employees for better services delivery. About CED: The Centre for Entrepreneurship Development (CED) is an initiative of the School of Finance and Banking (SFB) intended to serve the prospective entrepreneurial community within a wider institutional framework of making SFB contribute to the government vision. The Centre has been designed having in mind needs of managers/owners of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) who are willing to improve their managerial and entrepreneurial abilities. The Centre is intended to enrich Rwandaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s potential entrepreneurs with business knowledge that will assist them to run their entities more effectively and thus contribute to economic and social development. CED serves as the focal point in linking the SFB to the real business world in order to make a significant contribution to enterprise development in Rwanda. CED Mission: The CED will promote business development through providing high quality and affordable entrepreneurship training, value added services and research. CED Vision: The vision of the CED is to be a Centre of Excellence which fosters entrepreneurial skills development and creates a vibrant and competitive SME sector in Rwanda. The CEDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision is suitably aligned with the vision and mission of SFB as well as the vision of Rwanda for a private sector-led economy.

Featured Programs Skills Training: In addition to administering the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Initiative in Rwanda, SFB plans to offer various skills training courses related to entrepreneurship in the finance and banking industries.

From organization website

Research & Policy Advocacy: SFB plans to conduct research on the most relevant topics for entrepreneurs in the finance and banking industries, and to then disseminate the findings through various discussion forums. CEDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first study, to begin in 2011, will focus on improving the financial sector in Rwanda and will encourage a review of the impacts that certain policies have on the ground.

For more information: Olive Murinda, Director (CED) Phone: +250 (0)78.895.2580 Email: omurinda@sfb.ac.rw Web: www.sfb.ac.rw

United Entrepreneurship Coalition Type of Initiative: International NGO Services Offered: Organizational Capacity Building, Research & Policy Advocacy Additional Services: Research & Policy Advocacy Geographic Presence: Global (5 Countries) Organization Overview* About UEC: The United Entrepreneurship Coalition (UEC) consists of consortium leader SPARK and co-applicant BiD-Network, two organizations with extensive experience in the field of entrepreneurship in emerging countries and post-war zones. The UEC programme is driven by the understanding that economic growth is an important element in the stabilization of post-war environments, lifting communities from idleness and poverty. Local partner organizations were selected because they offer experience in entrepreneurial development, a background of past projects, visions for future development, and a variety of support they can offer to entrepreneurs directly. The types of partner organizations in each region vary from business support centers, chambers of commerce, universities, higher vocational schools and micro-finance institutions. About SPARK: SPARK supports people in post-conflict regions to provide for their own means of subsistence by building the capacity of local economic and educational institutions. SPARK actively mobilises support for this within the Dutch Society, especially among economic and educational institutions. SPARK is an independent non-profit institution and was founded in 1994. About BiD Network: BiD Network contributes to sustainable economic growth by stimulating entrepreneurship in emerging markets. BiD Network focuses on small and medium sized enterprises and supports these entrepreneurs in writing their business plans by offering them coaching and providing valuable feedback to improve their plans. The best entrepreneurs gain access to investors in our network. Since 2005 BiD Network has helped start over 300 businesses and has matched them with over 9 million Euros from investors.

Featured Programs Organizational Capacity Building: Beginning in 2011, UEC will work with local partners to develop and strengthen activities that promote economic growth in Rwanda. The specific programs will be implemented by the following institutions which specialize in entrepreneurial development: Junior Chamber International, Private Sector Federation, Youth Employment Systems, National University of Rwanda, and Umutara Polytechnic University. UEC will focus on strengthening the capacity of these local organizations to enable them to directly support entrepreneurs, and on cutting red tape for entrepreneurs, *

From organization website

therefore creating more jobs and enabling economic growth. Special attention will be devoted to assist youth and marginalized communities.

For more information: SPARK Inquiries Nebojsa Simic, Country Manager Phone: +250 (0)78.419.3931 Email: n.simic@spark-online.org Web: www.spark-online.org

BiD Network Inquiries Anneke Evers, Senior Advisor Phone: +250 (0)78.404.8404 Email: anneke.evers@bidnetwork.org Web: www.bidnetwork.org

Youth Employment Systems (YES) Type of Initiative: International NGO Services Offered: Access to Finance, Advisory Services, Behavioral Training, Incubation, Networking, Research & Policy Advocacy, Skills Training Geographic Presence: Global (55 Countries) Organization Overview* About YES: Youth Employment Systems (YES) is an international campaign striving to build the individual capacity of youth in order to create sustainable livelihoods and to establish an entrepreneurial culture where young people move toward formal employment. Since 2002, YES has developed a network in 83 countries and touched the lives over 1 million youth worldwide. YES Rwanda, registered in 2004, has engaged in a number of activities to economically empower Rwandaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s youth. Specifically, YES Rwanda has engaged in outreach, policy and advocacy in addition to establishing programs that teach youth valuable business skills and promote business creation. Mission: To support the development of youth employment policy and programs that gives the youth of Rwanda opportunities for decent and productive employment through active participation, research, advocacy and livelihood generation. Vision: To realize employment of youth in Rwanda through partnerships which create and enabling environment for job creation.

Featured Programs Micro-Enterprise Training: Four times per year, YES, in partnership with Educat, offers a free three-month training program for micro-entrepreneurs operating in the informal sector. The participants must be between the ages of 18 and 35 with a clear motivation to improve their business and to contribute to the program. Reading and writing skills in Kinyarwanda are also mandatory. The class meets twice per week for three hours each day, introducing participants to basic business principals such as bookkeeping, financial management, and customer care. The most advanced graduates have the opportunity to access loans through partnered microfinance institutions. There is also a strong focus on innovation and relationship-building with the ultimate goal being increased revenues and transition into the formal sector. The trainers follow-up with participants for one month following the end of the training sessions.

From organization website

Business Incubation: The business incubator at YES aims to nurture start-up business ventures into mature and thriving businesses. Fully furnished office space is offered at subsidized rates along with business advising and networking to aspiring and active young entrepreneurs. The duration of the incubation is limited to three years and entrepreneurs are accepted on a walk-in basis.

For more information: Jean de Dieu Kabengera, Programs Manager Phone: +250 (0)78.830.9430 Email: jado@yesrwandjobs.org Web: www.yesrwanda.org

IV.

Appendices

Appendix I: Definitions of Support Services Access to Finance: Access to finance refers to support services that help entrepreneurs obtain financial products needed to launch and/or grow their businesses. These financial products may include microfinance or commercial loans, equity investments, insurance products, and trade financing, among others. Prize money and financial awards to entrepreneurs are not included in this definition and organizations that offer such grants are not considered to offer access to finance services for the purpose of this report. Access to Market Information: Market information refers to prices, levels of supply and demand, consumer trends, and any other economic information that enables entrepreneurs to make rational business decisions. The information is most commonly used to determine the feasibility and profit potential of business ventures. Advisory Services: Advisory services refer to the support provided by experts that employ their business acumen to address issues critical to the growth of entrepreneurial ventures. The benefits of these engagements depend upon an in-depth understanding of the entrepreneurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business and industry and tend to last for a few months to a few years. Behavioral Training: Behavioral training aims to develop the soft skills required to succeed as an entrepreneur. Topics include, but are not limited to, leadership, creativity, and public speaking. Business Plan Competition: Business plan competitions offer a range of prizes to entrepreneurs after their plans are judged against one another by a panel of financiers and other experts. The specific judging criteria for each competition differ, but they often include an analysis of business feasibility, innovativeness, and profit potential. The entrepreneurs behind the winning business plans may receive cash prizes, loan guarantees, in-kind professional services, etc. Business Plan Development: Business plan development services guide an entrepreneur through the process of creating a business plan that can be used to help launch a new venture, attract new partners or advisors, and/or obtain financing. Coaching & Mentoring: Coaching and mentoring refers to a purposeful relationship in which an experienced and knowledgeable businessperson agrees to support an entrepreneur with less experience, skills, and knowledge. The best relationships provide mutual benefits to both participants and are often initiated through professional networking opportunities. Incubation: Business incubators are physical facilities that offer office space, administrative support, and an array of other services to start-up and early-stage businesses. Incubators are often fee-based and require entrepreneurs to pass through an application process, after which they are supported for up to two or three years. Networking: Networking refers to explicit activities undertaken by service providers with the intention of establishing mutually-beneficial relationships between entrepreneurs, business professionals, financiers, customers, suppliers, and/or other stakeholders. Business information, advice, and other types of support are often exchanged.

Research & Policy Advocacy: Research and policy advocacy refers to any type of research that is meant to advance entrepreneurship in the country, supplemented by discussion forums or presentations that are meant to inform policy makers of important changes that would boost the levels and impacts of entrepreneurial ventures. Skills Training: Skills training courses range from one-day, one-topic engagements to multidimensional experiences lasting months or years. The most common skills trainings focus on the basic business skills necessary to start and manage a business, such as bookkeeping, customer care, and marketing. Technical Support: Technical support refers to a range of activities that provide entrepreneurs with specific expertise and assistance relative to their business and industry. Examples of technical support include demonstrations of new technologies and access to mechanical equipment.

58 African Innovation Prize Akilah Institute for Women Babson-Rwanda Entrepreneurship Center Bridge2Rwanda Business Council for Peace CEFE International Center for Business Solutions Digital Opportunity Trust Educat Education Development Center Generation Rwanda Global Relief and Development Partners Goldman Sachs IEEW International Labour Organization Junior Chamber International Kigali Institute of Science & Technology Private Sector Federation Rwanda Business Development Center Rwanda Development Board Rwanda Entrepreneurship Week School of Finance and Banking United Entrepreneurship Coalition Youth Employment Systems Rwanda

Technical Support

Skills Training

Research & Policy Advocacy

Networking

Organizational Capacity Building

Incubation

Coaching & Mentoring

Business Plan Development

Business Plan Competition

Behavioral Training

Advisory Services

Access to Market Information

Access to Finance

Appendix II: Support Services for Entrepreneurs in Rwanda by Organization

X X X

X X

O X

X X

X = Current Service O = Future Service

X X X

X X

O X

X X

Appendix III: Levels of Support Services for Entrepreneurs in Rwanda

Levels of Support Services for Entrepreneurs in Rwanda

Number of ESPs Offering Services

Appendix IV: Positioning Map of Service Providers by Target Markets

Aspiring

Opportunity – Driven

   

EDC Educat PSF RDB

       

Active

Necessity – Driven

     

DOT Educat Goldman Sachs PSF RDB YES

      

AIP Akilah Institute BDC BREC CBS CEFE Educat Generation Rwanda

       

ILO JCI KIST PSF RDB REW SFB YES

B2R BDC BPeace BREC CBS CEFE DOT

      

Educat GRDP IEEW ILO KIST PSF RDB

 Denotes services for youth  Denotes services for women  Denotes services for general population * Note: Organizations often offer different programs for different types of entrepreneurs. See their organization profile for more information.

Appendix V: Definition of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises

Net Capital Investments (Million RwF)

Annual Turnover (Million RwF)

Number of Employees

Micro Enterprises

Less than 0.5

Less than 0.3

1 to 3

Small Enterprises

0.5 to 15

0.3 to 12

4 to 30

Medium Enterprises

15 to 75

12 to 50

31 to 100

More than 75

More than 50

More than 100

Size of the Enterprise

Large Enterprises

Notes on definition from RDB: *Two of the three conditions should be met *Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) has a different definition of SMEs for tax purposes

To access this information online, please visit www.hanga.biz.

ÂŠ2011 Babson-Rwanda Entrepreneurship Center PO Box 319 Kigali, Rwanda brec@babson.edu