From Ideas to Impact: Tanzania Showcases Homegrown Innovation at FRS2025

Innovation took center stage in Tanzania as Innovation Week Tanzania 2025  (IWTz2025), anchored by the Future Ready Summit (FRS2025), wrapped up a powerful five-day journey of ideation, collaboration, and solution-driven dialogue. With the theme “Innovation for an Inclusive and Resilient Future,” the landmark platform brought together a diverse mix of policymakers, innovators, private sector leaders, development partners, academia, and youth to reimagine Tanzania’s development agenda through the lens of homegrown, inclusive, and tech-driven innovation.

The events, held from 12th to 16th May 2025, served as a national platform to drive forward-thinking dialogue around digital transformation, urban development, climate adaptation, AI adoption, and inclusive technologies. Satellite events and activations extended the impact across regions, reaching universities and communities in Arusha, Morogoro, Zanzibar, Mwanza, Dodoma, Iringa, Mbeya, and beyond, ensuring the innovation conversation was truly nationwide.

Vodacom Tanzania PLC, UNDP Tanzania through its FUNGUO Innovation program, and the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) jointly spearheaded the week’s activities, showcasing the strength of public-private partnerships in shaping Tanzania’s innovation ecosystem.

Speaking at the event, Philip Besiimire, Managing Director of Vodacom Tanzania, underscored the importance of designing human-centered innovation.

Any technology that is not human-centered and solving real human challenges is impractical. We must ask ourselves: is the technology we’re building truly usable by the average Tanzanian? Innovation must be inclusive, accessible, and transformational. That’s what we are building toward.

– Philip Besiimire, Managing Director, Vodacom Tanzania

The Future Ready Summit 2025 explored how Tanzania can accelerate its journey towards smart cities, 5G connectivity, e-governance and Artificial Intelligence, while also bridging the digital divide. It provided a space for policymakers, startups, and digital experts to engage in meaningful dialogue and unveil solutions that could propel Tanzania into a tech-enabled and inclusive future.

Simultaneously, Innovation Week Tanzania 2025 provided a broader picture for innovation in action. From community-led tech innovations to startup pitch sessions, climate solutions to digital skills initiatives, the week celebrated Tanzania’s innovation potential especially from youth and underrepresented communities. Tech exhibitions, roundtables, workshops, and policy forums created a dynamic environment for engagement, idea exchange, and cross-sector collaboration.

Highlighting the developmental angle of the week’s activities, John Rutere, Deputy Resident Representative at UNDP Tanzania said,

At UNDP, our FUNGUO Program is designed to spark innovation among young Tanzanians. The program gives them access not only to tools, but to the environment and support networks they need to tackle real societal challenges and scale impact.

– John Rutere, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP Tanzania

On the government’s role in driving research and innovation, Dr. Amos Nungu, Director General of COSTECH, noted,

Innovation must move beyond profit to serve people and the planet. Public-private partnerships are where innovation meets action and opportunity—and it’s up to all of us to mobilize around a shared purpose.

– Dr. Amos Nungu, Director General, COSTECH

As IWTz 2025 and FRS2025 close, the momentum generated, and partnerships formed have laid a strong foundation for future collaboration. Tanzania’s journey toward a resilient, inclusive digital economy is not only underway, but also being shaped by its own people, with the support of visionary partners and a shared commitment to impact.