PSD Project 1: Establish a Technopole Purpose: To consolidate and accelerate the development of Rwanda’s ICT industry Description: ICT can diversify jobs beyond agriculture, provide new middle-income jobs, drive the development of SMEs and increase product and service innovation. Key enablers for the ICT industry are 1) ICT infrastructure 2) a steady energy supply and 3) skilled human capital. Whilst Rwanda’s ICT infrastructure is well developed, significant challenges continue to be the dearth of ICT skills, language (English and French) and business/entrepreneurship skills, and continued infrastructural deficiencies in energy. The technopole will be a large scale ICT Park designed around the above-mentioned challenges by providing much needed infrastructural improvements including guaranteed electricity and infrastructure for companies within the park. It will be the basis of an ICT eco-system that provides ICT firms with ready-access to world-class infrastructure hence facilitating Rwanda’s entry into developing new and emerging ICT products and services. Activities: 1. Conduct feasibility studies 2. Develop the technopole master plan 3. Establish S&T incubation facilities and R&D incentives to foster innovation 4. Improve R&D capabilities in higher learning institutions and link S&T Research in institutions of higher learning to the technopole 5. Target top global ICT firms to be anchor investors as well as other investors 6. Mobilize existing ICT sector 7. Develop and implement annual regional ICT awards Expected Outcome: 1. SME development 2. R&D capabilities of institutions of higher learning improved 3. Increased investments in the ICT and job creation 4. One stop centre for ICT start ups and increased innovation in ICT 5. Position Rwanda as a regional ICT hub 6. Development of highly-skilled ICT professionals 7. Increased innovation in Rwanda and the region 8. Increased regional collaboration 9. Increased ICT exports Outcome Indicators 1. Feasibility studies and Master plan complete by end of FY 2011 2. Incubation and R&D facilities and incentives established by 2012 3. 1st Regional ICT Awards held by 2013 4. 50 ICT companies operating in the Technopole by 2015 5. 50 ICT intellectual property registered annually by 2015 6. ICT sector contributing to 15% of the economy by 2015 Page 34 of 85   © No part of this document can be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise - without the permission of Rwanda Ministry in charge of ICT in the Office of the President.