CMU-Africa Innovation Summit

Cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset

Participation in this event is by invitation only.

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About
Agenda
Attending universities
Speakers

About

The CMU-Africa Innovation Summit 2024, an initiative by CMU-Africa’s Center for Inclusive Digital Transformation of Africa, aims to catalyze an entrepreneurial mindset among students from diverse backgrounds in Africa. The center works in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.

Organized by the Industry Innovation Lab at CMU-Africa (IIL), the summit builds upon the success of the Entrepreneurship Forum 2022. The upcoming edition, scheduled for January 24-26, 2024, specifically focuses on harnessing an entrepreneurship spirit and mindset among students. It aims to equip students with the skills, tools, and connections necessary to create innovative solutions and address Africa’s pressing challenges. The summit serves as a crucial platform for collaboration between academia, industry, and government, fostering an ecosystem that empowers the next generation to drive positive change across the continent.

Objectives

Cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset: The summit aims to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset, encouraging students from diverse backgrounds and underserved communities to innovate and contribute to solving Africa’s most pressing challenges through entrepreneurship.
Promote diverse career pathways in entrepreneurship: The summit aims to expose participating students to the diverse career pathways and opportunities available in the entrepreneurship landscape.
Foster connections across Africa: The summit aims to empower students in establishing significant connections with their peers from various universities across Africa. The summit serves as a catalyst for students to cultivate meaningful relationships beyond the event.

Agenda

All times are listed in CAT

Day 1: January 24, 2024

8:30-9:00 a.m. Arrival at CMU-Africa II, KSEZ

9:00-9:15 a.m. Welcome and ice breaker

Maria Mayanja, Entrepreneurship Program Manager, CMU-Africa
Stanley Mukasa, Associate Director of Entrepreneurship, CMU-Africa

9:30-9:40 a.m. Opening remarks by Conrad Tucker, Director of CMU-Africa

9:40-11:00 a.m. Panel discussion: A Pan-African Exploration of Opportunities for Youth Entrepreneurs

This panel aims to discuss the opportunities available to young entrepreneurs across the African continent, delving into emerging trends, policies,success stories and diverse sectors.

Panelists:

Dr. Heba Labib - Assistant VP of Innovation at Nile University
Lenton Davies, leading Capital One Financial U.S. Card’s Supply Chain
Bintou Diallo - President of Afrika Tomorrow
Akpene Diata Hoggar - CMU-Africa MSIT 2024 Student & Entrepreneur

Moderator: Sunday Abayomi ADEBISI - Director, Entrepreneurship and Skills Development Centre, UNILAG

11:00-11:20 a.m. Coffee break

11:20 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Design Thinking: Empathy and Problem Definition: Unveiling the Global Challenge

Speaker: Nhi Le - Principal at Alpha Intelligence Capital (AIC)

1:00-2:00 p.m. Networking lunch and photos

2:00-4:00 p.m. Design Thinking: Prototyping and Business Models: Crafting Sustainable Solutions

Speaker: Nhi Le - Principal at Alpha Intelligence Capital (AIC)

4:00-4:20 p.m. Coffee break

4:20-5:20 p.m. Group work with coaches

5:20-6:00 p.m. Shuttles to hotel

6:30 p.m.-onwards Dinner and group work

Day 2: January 25, 2024

8:30-9:00 a.m. Arrival at CMU-Africa II, KSEZ

9:00-9:15 a.m.

Ice Breaker
Maria Mayanja, Entrepreneurship Program Manager, CMU-Africa
Keynote Speech
Esther Kunda, Director General, Innovation and Emerging Technologies - Ministry of ICT and Innovation, Government of Rwanda

9:30-9:40 a.m. Keynote speech by Dr. Heba Labib, Assistant VP of Innovation at Nile University

9:40-11:00 a.m. Panel discussion: Nurturing an Entrepreneurial mindset Among students in African Universities

The panel aims to discuss the importance of nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset among students in African universities. It will delve into the practical approaches and essential considerations to empower students for entrepreneurial success.

Panelists:

Prof. Yehea Ismail - Director of Center of Nanoelectronics, American University in Cairo
Dr. Samuel Njuguna Ruhiu - Lecturer Department of Computing and Informatics, University of Nairobi
Pascal Nyiringago - Head of GIIH and ACE-ESD, University of Rwanda
Dr. Jane Hanna - Head of Partnerships, Arab Academy for Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Center, Cairo

Moderator: Tshegofatso Mogaladi - Deputy Dean, Student Affairs - University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg

11:00-11:20 a.m. Coffee break

11:20 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Workshop: Collaborating for Impact - 45 Mins
Speaker: Prof. Sunday Abayomi ADEBISI - Director, Entrepreneurship and Skills Development Centre, UNILAG
Workshop: Communicating for Impact - 45 Min
Speaker: Saccoh Sidi, Founder InvestMe SL and Chief Operations Officer of Fleri

1:00-2:00 p.m. Networking lunch and photos

2:00-4:00 p.m. Group work-pitch preparations, led by coaches

4:00-4:20 p.m. Coffee break

4:20-5:20 p.m. Preliminary pitches (selecting the top four teams)

5:20-6:00 p.m. Shuttles to hotel

6:30 p.m.-onwards Dinner and final teams pitch preparation

Day 3: January 26, 2024

9:20 a.m. Arrival at CMU-Africa II, KSEZ

9:30-9:40 a.m. Welcome and remarks by Conrad Tucker, CMU-Africa Director

9:40-9:45 a.m. Remarks by Hon. Gaspard Twagirayezu, Minister of Education

9:45-11:00 a.m. Panel 3: Pathways to Career Opportunities in Entrepreneurship

Panelists:

Pauline Gangla, Head, Higher Education, Mastercard Foundation
Sizwe Nxasana, CEO & Founder, Sifiso Learning Group
Yves Iradukunda, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of ICT & Innovations
Muhammed Aliyu, CMU-Africa MSIT student & member of Student Entrepreneurship Club

Moderator: Bintou Diallo - President of Afrika Tomorrow

11:00-11:30 a.m. Pitch session, global challenge top four teams

11:30-11:40 a.m. Break

11:40-11:50 a.m. Awards ceremony

11:50 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Closing remarks by William H. Sanders, Dean, College of Engineering

12:00-12:10 p.m. Group photos

12:10-1:15 p.m. Lunch

1:15-3:30 p.m. Kigali City tour

6:30 p.m.-onwards Dinner at the Hut Restaurant (African wear)