Rwanda Build Program

Startup Founders Talk Returns to our tech lab and open cafe, Rooftop Ikawa Cafe in Kiyovu, Kigali - Live Podcast Recordings.
Join us for a special live recording featuring multiple podcast episodes, as we bring together experienced entrepreneurs, product leaders, and ecosystem builders to discuss the ideas shaping the next generation of African technology
This isn't a conference.
It isn't a pitch competition.
It's an open conversation about what founders, developers, investors, and policymakers need to hear - from people building products every day.
Topics include:
• Where have all the software developers gone?
• How AI is changing the future of African talent
• Why building products is no longer enough—we need to build valuable solutions
• Digital sovereignty, public-private partnerships, and Africa's technology future
• What founders should be building over the next decade
Whether you're:
A startup founder
A software developer or product manager
A government policymaker
An investor or ecosystem supporter
A student preparing for a career in technology..this is your opportunity to hear real experiences, ask questions, and be part of the conversation.
Speakers:
- Thibaut Murengerantwari: Event Host and Moderator - RWBuild Community Leader and Operations
- Rob Rickard: Director, RWBuild & U.S. ‘Techpreneur'
Interm CEO of Guhemba
- Fumnanya Okeleke-Kooper: Senior Product Manager, Ampersand Energy
- Deexon Muhizi: CEO and Founder of iGiTree
RWBuild has always believed that Africa's greatest technology advantage isn't lower costs—it's a deeper understanding of African problems. For more than a decade we've worked alongside founders to help turn ideas into companies, products, and impact. Our mission remains the same: build world-class African solutions that can compete globally.
📍 Rooftop Ikawa Café, Kiyovu, Kigali (ikawa.rw)
📅 Friday, July 10
🕕 6:00 PM (kicking off first episode)
Hosted by: Rwanda Build Program (RWBuild)
Sponsored by: EventsBash.rw
Supported by: The Voices Podcast
Come listen. Join the discussion. Meet the builders helping shape Rwanda's technology ecosystem.
The future of African innovation won't be written somewhere else—it will be built by the people in the room.— at Rooftop Ikawa Cafe.

Our staff at RWBuild in partnership with Ahawe Women's Hub is hosting a supportive night for the women of Kigali! Check it out!

Women Give to Gain: Her Era Women Give to Gain: Her Era

At our Feb 2026 'Founders Talk' event, our director and CEO of
Guhemba, Rob Rickard took the stage for an off-the-cuff conversation with Thibaut Mntwari on future predictions in our tech industry.

The hot topic: how AI is impacting roles - jobs will decline massively (thread)

Rwanda Won’t Need MTN? The Shocking 2026–2030 Tech Predictions You Must Hear Is Rwanda ready for what’s coming?In this explosive rooftop conversation at Ikawa Café in Kigali, I sit down with Rob Rickard, founder of RwandaBuild Program...

It was an honor to have a second visit from the U.S. Embassy Kigali, Rwanda, at our RWBuild offices.
We showcased solutions in HealthTech (912Rwanda.rw) and FinTech (Guhemba.rw)
We also talked about the future of RWBuild and deeper partnerships with the US and US organizations.