President Paul Kagame held a meeting with Anders Holch Povlsen, owner and CEO of Bestseller, and Flemming Besenbacher, Unleash chairman, at Village Urugwiro on Thursday, December 7.

Bestseller, an international retail clothing chain, through its foundation, is actively supporting the Circular Economy Track and had a role in assisting Unleash to organise the first-ever innovation lab in Africa.

ALSO READ: Unleash Global Innovation Lab for SDGs kicks off in Kigali

Unleash, recognised as a global innovation platform, has brought together 1,000 youth from various parts of the world to participate in a week-long innovation lab hosted in Kigali. The primary goal is to address global challenges and contribute to sustainable solutions aligned with the United Nation’s sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Rwanda takes the lead as the first country in Africa to host such an innovation lab. Previous Unleash innovation labs have taken place in Denmark, Singapore, China, Greenland, and India.

ALSO READ: Hanga Pitchfest 2023: 25 startups in boot camp set to showcase solutions

The finale of the innovation lab will be marked by the Solutions Festival and Hanga Pitchfest 2023, which stands as Rwanda's largest in-person technology event. Scheduled for Friday, December 8, this event will witness top finalists pitching their prototypes, offering them an opportunity to present their ideas to funders, judges, and investors.