In Kigali, Rwanda, digital entrepreneurs are beginning to scale their businesses, moving from struggling to access capital to closing deals and expanding their teams. This transformation is driven by the Rwanda Digital Acceleration Program (RDAP), a five-year government initiative supported with $200 million from the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). The program goes beyond startup funding, also expanding broadband access, strengthening digital public services, and laying the foundations for a thriving digital economy.
RDAP combines direct support for promising startups with efforts to strengthen entrepreneurship support organizations (ESOs). By late 2025, 22 startups had received funding, with 3 million euros allocated and over 1.53 million committed. The program prioritizes matching the right capital to the right opportunity, supporting companies across sectors such as healthtech, mobility, agtech, fintech, and artificial intelligence. Early successes have demonstrated that even early-stage companies can attract commercial financing alongside catalytic grant support.
Rwanda’s startups are solving real problems at scale. Healthtech company DoctorAI serves 19,000 active users with AI-powered diagnostic tools, improving accuracy and access to medical knowledge. Kayko, a fintech venture, helps 8,500 small businesses formalize operations and access loans, while SAWA Telematics provides fleet management solutions that track driver behavior, fuel consumption, and maintenance needs in real-time. These startups demonstrate how digital innovation can address local challenges while competing globally.
Startups thrive when supported by strong ecosystems. RDAP strengthens ESOs like Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropy Rwanda (AGGPR) and Norrsken, providing mentorship, networks, and business support. AGGPR’s JASIRI program has incubated over 100 ventures, offering continuous post-program support, while Norrsken combines grant capital and structured financing to unlock transactions that traditional banks and venture capital would avoid. Flexibility in tailoring support to each ESO has been critical to the program’s early success.
Looking ahead, RDAP is focusing on measuring impact and learning from experience. Success will be evaluated not just by funds disbursed but by sustainable businesses created, jobs generated, and tangible problems solved. Rwanda’s experience shows that building a thriving digital entrepreneurship ecosystem requires piloting, learning, and adapting support structures as programs scale.
