Organized by WIPO’s Division for Africa, in cooperation with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and supported by FIT/Japan IP Global, the Women in STEM Conference in Kigali, Rwanda (17–19 March 2026) strengthened IP skills and innovation capacity across the region.
Event Overview and Objectives
The Women in STEM “Pitch & Protect” Conference, held in Kigali, Rwanda from 17 to 19 March 2026, brought together 43 women innovators and entrepreneurs from Rwanda and 10 other African countries (Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and Tanzania), many of which are among the top performers in the Global Innovation Index (GII) in Africa. The conference provided a dynamic platform for participants to strengthen their capacity to leverage intellectual property (IP) as a strategic tool for innovation, business development, and market competitiveness. The conference was organized by WIPO’s Division for Africa, in cooperation with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and supported by the Funds-In-Trust Japan Industrial Property Global (FIT/Japan IP Global).
The participants included early-career researchers, PhD students, entrepreneurs, and founders of women-led start-ups working in sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI), green technology, health technology, agritech, and climate solutions.
The conference aimed to empower women in STEM by helping them transform their innovations into protected assets and strategic advantages. Through hands-on training linked to participants’ projects, the program strengthened practical IP management skills, enabling participants to secure and generate value from their creations. Mentorship sessions guided participants in integrating IP strategies into their research and business initiatives. The initiative also highlighted success stories that demonstrate the tangible impact of IP and cultivated a regional network of women innovators to encourage long-term collaboration.
Key Moments and Discussions
During the opening remarks, Ambassador Kazuya Nakajo, Ambassador of Japan to Rwanda, emphasized the importance of supporting women in STEM by leveraging IP as a tool to drive innovation and promote inclusive economic growth, ultimately contributing to the realization of “Agenda 2063.” Ms. Loretta Asiedu, Director of Division for Africa at WIPO noted that women have great potential and expressed her expectation that participants would gain valuable knowledge through the training and go on to thrive by leveraging IP. She further emphasized the transformative role of women in innovation, noting that: “Women in STEM are not only contributors to innovation ecosystems—they are catalysts for inclusive and sustainable development across the continent.” Mr. Richard Kayibanda, Chief Licensing Officer at the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), highlighted that women in STEM are a powerful driver of innovation in Africa, and that IP is a key enabler in bringing that innovation to life. H.E.
Event Overview and Objectives
The Women in STEM “Pitch & Protect” Conference, held in Kigali, Rwanda from 17 to 19 March 2026, brought together 43 women innovators and entrepreneurs from Rwanda and 10 other African countries (Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and Tanzania), many of which are among the top performers in the Global Innovation Index (GII) in Africa. The conference provided a dynamic platform for participants to strengthen their capacity to leverage intellectual property (IP) as a strategic tool for innovation, business development, and market competitiveness. The conference was organized by WIPO’s Division for Africa, in cooperation with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and supported by the Funds-In-Trust Japan Industrial Property Global (FIT/Japan IP Global).
The participants included early-career researchers, PhD students, entrepreneurs, and founders of women-led start-ups working in sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI), green technology, health technology, agritech, and climate solutions.
The conference aimed to empower women in STEM by helping them transform their innovations into protected assets and strategic advantages. Through hands-on training linked to participants’ projects, the program strengthened practical IP management skills, enabling participants to secure and generate value from their creations. Mentorship sessions guided participants in integrating IP strategies into their research and business initiatives. The initiative also highlighted success stories that demonstrate the tangible impact of IP and cultivated a regional network of women innovators to encourage long-term collaboration.
Key Moments and Discussions
During the opening remarks, Ambassador Kazuya Nakajo, Ambassador of Japan to Rwanda, emphasized the importance of supporting women in STEM by leveraging IP as a tool to drive innovation and promote inclusive economic growth, ultimately contributing to the realization of “Agenda 2063.” Ms. Loretta Asiedu, Director of Division for Africa at WIPO noted that women have great potential and expressed her expectation that participants would gain valuable knowledge through the training and go on to thrive by leveraging IP. She further emphasized the transformative role of women in innovation, noting that: “Women in STEM are not only contributors to innovation ecosystems—they are catalysts for inclusive and sustainable development across the continent.” Mr. Richard Kayibanda, Chief Licensing Officer at the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), highlighted that women in STEM are a powerful driver of innovation in Africa, and that IP is a key enabler in bringing that innovation to life.