Based on challenges actually encountered in Rwanda, the team will develop a business plan.
Overview
In this workshop, we will focus on questions and challenges observed firsthand in both urban and rural areas of Rwanda. Working in teams, participants will select a specific issue to address—drawing on insights from local residents and photographs taken on-site—and develop a business proposal using the "Lean Canvas" framework.
Prior to the workshop, we will provide you with materials, including photographs and notes gathered in Rwanda. The proposals developed during the session will also be shared with the local communities in Rwanda.
| 📂 Category | Innovation |
| 📌 Keywords | Entrepreneurship, Lean Canvas, infrastructure in developing countries |
| 🎯 Objectives | ・Develop the ability to discern what is truly needed from complex, raw information. ・Experience the process of structuring a business in a short amount of time using the Lean Canvas framework. ・Deepen your thinking through collaboration with peers from different areas of expertise. |
| 🌐 Language | Japanese |
| 👥 Target Participants | Undergraduate & Graduate Students |
| 🗓 Format | Single session（3-hours, in-person） |
| ✅ Past & Upcoming Sessions | Wednesday, November 11, 2026, 17:00-20:00 (Scheduled) |
| 📍 Venue | I1-254, Ishikawadai 1 Building, 2nd Floor, Ookayama Campus |
| 🌟 Recommended for | ・Those who want to put their expertise and critical thinking skills to the test by addressing global social issues ・Those who want to experience the entire process of conceiving a business idea in just three hours ・Those who have an interest in life in Rwanda, Africa ・Those who enjoy engaging in open, free-flowing discussions based on ideas generated by a team |
| 📊 Points | 3 points (Points to be awarded to students enrolled in the courses for credits. Please refer to the syllabus for details.) |
| 🎟️ Capacity | 20 participants |
Main Content
- Introduction (Purpose of the workshop)
- Presentation of challenges encountered in Rwanda (Perspectives from local people)
- Selecting a challenge for the team to address
- Explanation of the Lean Canvas
- Developing a business proposal (Creating a Lean Canvas on a whiteboard)
- Final presentation
- Wrap-up
Facilitator
Yukino Shimbo
School of Science, First-year undergraduate student
A member of Rwanda Student Conference
Representative, AFRIJWI, Africa’s Problem Solving Project (Operating as a sole proprietor)
Spent one month in Rwanda in Summer 2026
Organizer
Seiya Moro
2nd year doctoral student
Graduate Major in Engineering Sciences and Design, Department of Transdisciplinary Science and Engineering, School of Environment and Society, Institute of Science Tokyo
・First year master’s course student, Department of Technology and Innovation Management (Dual Degree)
・Research Fellow, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
Research Topic:
"Developing a self-care independence support system for children with severe intellectual disabilities and their families through co-design."
Contact Faculty
Yuri Matsuzaki
📩 matsuzaki.y.77a9 [at] m.isct.ac.jp