“The workshop focused on creating solutions for challenges presented by businesses in Rwanda focusing on defining the problem right through stakeholder engagement,” Grace explained. “Problem defining tools were introduced and solution development tools for use during the workshop that I hope to adopt in my work as an innovator but also as an ecosystem actor.”
Grace particularly valued the collaborative environment the workshop provided, highlighting the diverse skills of her fellow innovators. “My group had very skilled IT innovators with extensive understanding and use of AI. I was amazed at how they put their skills in action in design of the solution and preparation of the presentation.” She added “One key quote that stood out for me that I am reflecting on is, ‘ If I were given an hour to save the planet, I would spend 59minutes defining the problem and one minute resolving it….’ This reminded me about the importance of spending time getting the problem right as a key to getting the solution right.”
For Grace, the workshop wasn’t just about gaining new knowledge, it was about the immediate application. She plans to integrate the problem defining tools into her innovations and collaborate with the response Innovation Lab team in Uganda to explore their adoption in humanity response.
Stanley Mukasa, Associate Director of Entrepreneurship at CMU-Africa echoed this sentiment, highlighting the synergy of the partnership:
Our partnership with CMU-Africa is just one example of how ADN strives to continue to provide meaningful support and access to resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities for ADN entrepreneurs.
As Grace advises to aspiring entrepreneurs, “This is an opportunity to have a robust experience of an innovation journey with real problems to solve an opportunity for the solution to be adopted. Imagine an opportunity to go through part of all your innovation journey in just 4days!”
We remain dedicated to fostering an environment where innovation thrives and African, African diaspora and descendants of African entrepreneurs can turn their bold ideas into impactful solutions.
