Henri Nyakarundi is a dynamic inventor, author, and social tech entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience launching and scaling innovative ventures. As Founder & CEO of ARED Group, he pioneered the solar-powered kiosk concept before evolving it into advanced edge-computing infrastructure—empowering SMEs across Africa with affordable, AI-enabled connectivity. His debut book, My African Dream, chronicles his journey from Rwanda and Burundi to a career in the U.S., and back—highlighting resilience, purpose, and a vision for Africa’s future. Henri’s work blends creativity and impact, with a focus on technology that bridges the digital divide, especially for those with low literacy through voice‑enabled AI and offline access. He is widely recognized for leading practical, socially-driven innovation that combines renewable energy, localized infrastructure, and inclusive design.
Below, is the interview.
1. After founding ARED and developing your solar-powered smart kiosks across four African countries, what expansion strategies are you considering for other regions with similar energy connectivity challenges?
We actually sold the solar kiosk business in 2021, just around the time COVID started. Today, we’re focused on building localized edge infrastructure that can help deliver applications and AI services more efficiently—offline and at a much lower cost than traditional cloud-based models. We’re currently operating in Rwanda and running a POC in Nigeria.
Our expansion strategy is to enter 4 or 5 markets using a partnership model. Given how fragmented the African market is—and how tough it can be to raise capital—we believe partnering is the smartest way to scale while minimizing risk and capital needs. Of course, choosing the right markets is key. You want places with the right ecosystem and clear demand for your tech. For us, East Africa is a major focus right now because digitization in that region is accelerating fast.
2. As someone who left the US to pursue business opportunities in Rwanda, what advice would you give to entrepreneurs considering similar moves to capitalize on Africa’s growing markets?
I’ve been back on the continent for 12 years now, and the number one thing I’ll tell anyone from the diaspora is this: you have to reprogram yourself. One of the biggest mistakes I made was assuming business works the same everywhere. I came in with my U.S. mindset, and it took me almost two years to see real results. What works in the U.S. just doesn’t fly here.
In Africa, it’s not about what you’re offering—it’s about who you know. Relationships come first. A lot of diaspora entrepreneurs show up with big expectations, hit a wall, and go back thinking they’ve failed. But the truth is, many just didn’t adapt to how business actually gets done here.
“So my advice is simple: reprogram your mindset, get a solid mentor, and invest in building your local network. That’s how you move faster and avoid the common traps.”
pic with our edge gateway
3. Your work with ARED focuses on creating multiple revenue streams to serve low-income populations. How do you balance profitability with social impact in the African market context?
One thing that we need to understand is that when you work in Africa—especially in low-income communities—you’re dealing with low purchasing power. That was one of the biggest lessons I learned early on. Digitization is still new. Smartphone access is still new. So if your business model is built around charging the end user directly, you’re already set up to struggle.
That’s why Edge infrastructure works so well. It brings compute power and storage locally, allowing applications and AI to be delivered more efficiently, even offline. So instead of trying to monetize the end user, we generate revenue from the infrastructure layer—businesses that want to better deliver their apps, or governments trying to reach citizens more effectively. Then we can provide free or subsidized services to the end user, funded by the revenue we make from the business side.
Now, the reason multiple revenue streams are key is because margins are low—both at the end user level and even at the SME level. So the only way to be sustainable is to make sure your infrastructure can do different things for different types of clients. And the good thing about Edge is, compared to a full data center, it’s not that expensive. You can usually recover your investment in 6 to 12 months.
That’s what I always say: you need an innovative business model if you want to have impact and still be around five years from now. Most impact startups in Africa are not sustainable, and that’s one of the biggest challenges I see when I coach others in this space.
4. Given your experience in digital infrastructure for emerging markets, what potential do you see for collaborations between African edge tech startups and Gulf investors looking to diversify beyond oil?
I’ve seen from my network and from traveling that Gulf investors are increasingly looking beyond their own markets. And honestly, I think Africa offers some of the biggest opportunities and return on investment—because of how much work still needs to be done. Everything needs to be reimagined or rebuilt, and with the population growth and all the challenges in sectors like healthcare, renewable energy, digital infrastructure, and connectivity—there’s massive investment potential here.
But I think the key for Gulf investors is not just looking for the next big thing—it’s identifying the right talent and giving those entrepreneurs the funding and support to take their solutions to the next level. What we really need is a stronger bridge between Gulf investors and the African ecosystem. I’m starting to see it more—on the news, on LinkedIn, people in the Gulf and UAE showing interest in Africa.
“But Africa is complex. It’s fragmented. So anyone investing here has to really take time to understand the ecosystem, build relationships, and commit to the long game. That’s how you succeed here.”
Interestingly, we’re currently raising capital, and so far most of our investors are from the U.S. Personally, I’d love to meet and network with Gulf investors who are interested in edge infrastructure, AI, and inclusive digital systems. Not just to pitch, but to understand their thesis, what they’re looking for, and how we can align to build something long term. There’s a lot of potential—we just need to build the right channels for connection.
profile pic
5. With the recent economic partnership developments between Gulf States and Africa (with $53 billion in investments announced in 2023), how do you think the African Continental Free Trade Area will shape these relationships, and what opportunities does this present for entrepreneurs like yourself?
Access to capital is definitely one of the biggest needs on the continent, so it’s great to see larger investments coming from the Gulf States into Africa. But from what I’ve seen, most of those investments are still focused on large-scale projects—energy, infrastructure, things like that. What would really make a difference is seeing more of that funding flow into the startup ecosystem—into innovation, R&D, and real partnerships between Gulf players and African entrepreneurs and innovators. That’s where a lot of work still needs to be done.
As for the African Continental Free Trade Area, I think it’s a very necessary and important step. We need to eliminate all these barriers that make it hard for startups to grow across Africa. It’s not just about trade—it’s also about visas, regulations, and all the friction that slows business down. If we can move toward a true single African marketplace, where you can operate across borders more easily, that’s when we’ll see ecosystems scale faster.
So I’m hopeful. The next 5 to 10 years will be critical. But it’s going to take intentional effort to make sure those investments actually reach early-stage companies and not just the big players. That’s how we really build something sustainable and impactful.
In closing, Henri Nyakarundi is proof that bold vision, adaptability, and local insight can drive not just the creation of new tech, but meaningful, lasting impact across Africa. His commitment to practical solutions—and his collaborative spirit—offer powerful inspiration for entrepreneurs and investors from the continent and beyond.
(C) africangulf.ae
