Gilbert Shyaka’s research is shedding light on how international innovation hubs can meaningfully shape Africa’s innovation ecosystem. His paper, “The Role of International Innovation Hub in the African Innovation Ecosystem – Evidence from Norrsken Hub East Africa,” earned the Best Paper Award at the 2026 Africa Academy of Management Conference held in Casablanca, Morocco, marking a significant milestone for both the researcher and other actors behind the work.
Shyaka is pursuing his PhD in Management jointly at UR and Jönköping International Business School through the UR–Sweden Program, a bilateral research partnership between Rwanda and Sweden. His award-winning study addresses a growing yet underexplored question: as innovation hubs rapidly proliferate across Africa, what role do internationally owned hubs play in strengthening innovation, entrepreneurship, and development?
Innovation hubs are widely recognized as vital components of innovation ecosystems. They provide co-working spaces, attract capital, support incubation, foster knowledge exchange, and build entrepreneurial communities. However, while Africa counted more than 1,000 innovation hubs by 2021, existing research offers limited insight into how these hubs contribute to broader ecosystem development, particularly when ownership is outside the continent.
Using a qualitative research design, Shyaka conducted an in-depth case study of Norrsken Hub East Africa (NHEA) in Kigali. His study drew on interviews with key stakeholders and analyses of reports, media content, and academic literature, enabling triangulation and a holistic understanding of the hub’s influence. Norrsken, a non-profit foundation founded in Sweden with an initial investment of USD 82 million, operates global hubs in Stockholm, Kigali, Barcelona, and Brussels. Its Kigali hub has grown into Africa’s largest tech and impact entrepreneurship hub, hosting over 1,300 members.
The findings show that Norrsken integrates global expertise with local realities, enabling startups to scale beyond national borders. It strengthens entrepreneurial capacity through mentorship, builds dense networks among founders and investors, and mobilizes substantial venture capital to support growth.
This contribution aligns with Rwanda’s broader policy vision, as emphasized by Paula Ingabire, Rwanda’s Minister of ICT and Innovation.
“Africa’s innovation ecosystem has witnessed a remarkable surge in investment, with a record-breaking USD 3.3 billion in venture capital poured into the continent in 2021,” Ingabire noted.
The study offers critical lessons for policymakers, including the need to strengthen international–local collaboration, invest in innovation infrastructure, improve access to financing, and promote inclusive innovation policies. The Best Paper Award affirms the study’s contribution to advancing evidence-based innovation policy in Rwanda and across Africa.