The Centre for Internet of Things to partner with private sector to materialize research findings

17-10-2022

The African Centre of Excellence in Internet of Things (ACEIoT) has initiated discussions with the private sector to build collaboration mechanisms to materialize students’ research findings.

Participants during group discussion

In this line, on October 14, the Centre in partnership with the Rwanda ICT Chamber organized a meeting with different companies operating in the ICT and Internet of Things (IoT) field, including those in hardware manufacturers, engineering industries, education, industrial research, IoT professionals and software providers to discuss how to better collaborate to advance IoT field.

According to Dr Ignace Gatare, Principal of the College of Science and Technology, the centre put much effort in developing IoT tech and around 50 students from different African countries are undergoing studies and conducting research through the Masters and PhD programs that the Centre offers.

While tackling the power of collaboration, he said that researchers as well as lecturers of the Centre will benefit the country more once they are linked with investors from the private sector.

Dr Ignace Gatare during his remarks

Gatare also noted that the Center gears up to develop IoT by making research that solve different issues that Rwanda is facing, hence earning money through investment.

Pacifique Shema, the Managing Director of SanTech is one of the students who graduated in UR and has come up with e-visitors, an IoT-related project that is currently on the market.

He said that the discussion between entrepreneurs in the private sector and the universities will help youth realize that they can come up with innovations, especially for industries, given that currently, what is being imported in the country is more than what is being exported.

He added that the joint collaboration would propel the industry manufacturing of many products thus, contributing towards the country’s sustainable development.

A the end of the event, participants posed for a group photo

Story by
Jean Damascène NIYITEGEKA
Communication & Marketing Specialist
African Centers of Excellence Project (UR-ACEs)