Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund

What Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund does

The Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF) is a Pan-African science fund established in 2015 as the flagship program of the Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET), itself created in 2013 by African governments and the World Bank. RSIF's core function is to fund and coordinate 3–4 year doctoral training in applied sciences, engineering, and technology through competitively selected African Host Universities (15 across sub-Saharan Africa), supplemented by research internships at 23 International Partner Institutions across Asia, Europe, and North America. Its product portfolio comprises PhD Scholarships, Research Grants, Innovation Grants, Mobility Grants, the Rsif Junior Investigator Research Award (JIRA), RSIF Cooperability Grants, the Institutional Capacity Building Program Grants (ICBP), and the EU-funded AGriDI digital innovation grants, plus a Digital Repository for research outputs and Capacity Building Programs for university faculty.

Underlying operations are delivered through partnerships rather than internal platform technology: icipe in Nairobi serves as the Regional Coordination Unit, the PASET Executive Board provides governance, and an independent international panel selects host universities. The revenue model is not commercial — RSIF does not charge beneficiaries. Instead, it is funded by grants from African governments (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, and others), the World Bank, the Government of Korea, and the European Union through the ACP Innovation Fund, with cumulative inflows of USD 54 million raised to date. Go-to-market is via open online application calls, university-hosted programs, and bilateral partnership MoUs with international research institutions. Cumulative outputs include 300+ enrolled PhD scholars across four cohorts, eight graduates by 2022, 33 research and innovation grants issued (2022), and an active alumni association.

Name

Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund

Legal name

Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF)

Website

https://rsif-paset.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF) is a Pan-African science fund, managed by icipe under PASET, that provides PhD scholarships, research grants, and innovation grants to African students, universities, and researchers in applied sciences, engineering, and technology, financed by African governments, the World Bank, Korea, and the EU.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Funding and Research Grants

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Research Grants, Fellowships & Stipends (International) (EDAIAOAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Degree-Level Scholarships (Undergrad/Masters/PhD/Postdoc) (EDAIAOAE), Government-Sponsored Scholarships & Exchange Funding (EDAIAOAF), Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI), Mobility Grants & Short-Term Study/Travel Awards (EDAIAOAK)

Keywords

• Doctoral scholarships
• Research grants
• Innovation grants
• Capacity building
• African science fund

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

RSIF funds doctoral training, applied research, and innovation in applied sciences, engineering, and technology across sub-Saharan Africa. It provides 3-4 year PhD scholarships at competitively selected African Host Universities, research and innovation grants for faculty, mobility grants for scholars, post-doctoral awards (JIRA), capacity-building grants for universities, and specialized programs such as AGriDI funded by the EU. Distribution is managed through icipe as Regional Coordination Unit and a network of African Host Universities and International Partner Institutions.

Product overview

The Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (Rsif) is Africa's first Pan-African science fund operated by the Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET), an Africa-led initiative with World Bank affiliation, coordinated by icipe. The organization's product portfolio centers on doctoral talent development through PhD Scholarships, complemented by Research Grants and Innovation Grants for applied science projects. Additional offerings include Mobility Grants for doctoral scholars, the Junior Investigator Research Award (JIRA) for alumni, Cooperability Grants for technology commercialization, and Institutional Capacity Building Program Grants. A Digital Repository and Capacity Building Programs support knowledge sharing. The service model operates through partnerships with 15+ African Host Universities and 25+ International Partner Institutions across Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PhD Scholarships Doctoral training scholarships for African scientists in applied sciences, engineering, and technology fields, tenable at selected African Host Universities in partnership with International Partner Institutions. Supports 3-4 year PhD programs in PASET priority thematic areas.
• Research Grants Competitive research funding awarded to faculty at RSIF African Host Universities to establish research projects addressing key development challenges in sub-Saharan Africa, including thematic areas such as climate change, energy, food security, ICT, and minerals/mining.
• Innovation Grants Funding for innovative projects in applied sciences, engineering, and technology aimed at translating scientific knowledge into impactful innovations for Africa's socio-economic transformation.
• Mobility Grants for RSIF Doctoral Scholars Grants enabling RSIF PhD scholars to undertake mobility placements at International Partner Institutions to enhance their research experience and international collaboration.
• RSIF Junior Investigator Research Award (JIRA) Restricted award supporting RSIF-sponsored PhD graduates to advance their research careers after completing their PhD by allowing them to lead autonomous research projects in collaboration with international partners.
• RSIF Cooperability Grants Grants supporting innovative ideas that lead to the production of useful materials, devices, systems, and novel technologies at commercial scale, including innovative use and scale-up of ICT or digital manufacturing techniques.
• RSIF Institutional Capacity Building Program Grants (ICBP) Grants supporting RSIF African Host Universities in developing conducive environments for university-industry partnerships, including institutional frameworks to enhance innovation ecosystems.
• AGriDI Grants

Quantifiable outcome

• 15 PhD scholars enrolled in first cohort (2018); 67 new scholars in cohort II; 102 in cohort III from 2,500 applicants; 107 awarded in cohort IV
• +3 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe)coreStrategic or Co-development Partnericipe in Nairobi, Kenya was competitively selected in 2018 as RSIF's Regional Coordination Unit with mandate to manage the implementation and achieve benchmarks set by the PASET Governing Council. icipe works closely with the PASET Secretariat and reports to the PASET Executive Board.
• Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPASET signed MoUs with KIST as one of the first RSIF international partner institutions in 2016. KIST offers sandwich PhD programs hosting RSIF scholars for up to two years and co-supervising their research. Also undertakes collaborative R&D projects covering all PASET thematic areas.
• Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBGU is an International Partner Institution providing research internship opportunities for RSIF PhD scholars. BGU ranks among the top 100 global universities for US utility patents.
• Ghent UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGhent University is an International Partner Institution providing research internship opportunities for RSIF PhD scholars. It is acknowledged as an international top player in research.
• Hanyang University (Seoul & Erica Campuses)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHanyang University serves as International Partner Institution for RSIF. The university is renowned for emphasis on engineering, technology, and innovation with strong industry partnerships.
• French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRD is an International Partner Institution supporting an original model of equitable scientific partnership and interdisciplinary, citizen, sustainability science committed to achievement of SDGs.
• University of Michigan (U-M)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerU-M is an International Partner Institution with research strength in all PASET focus areas. Its African Studies Center serves as conduit for Africa's focused research, teaching, partnerships and programming.
• Iowa State UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerIowa State University is an International Partner Institution providing research internship opportunities for RSIF scholars. It is renowned for programs in science, technology, engineering, and agriculture.
• University of Pretoria (UP)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerUP is one of South Africa's top five research universities and an International Partner Institution. Through the Future Africa initiative, UP develops leadership in transdisciplinary research in Africa.
• Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerUM6P is an International Partner Institution committed to economic and human development, placing research and innovation at the service of development on the African continent.
• African Host Universities (12+ countries)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfrican Host Universities (AHUs) are competitively selected universities in sub-Saharan Africa offering PhD programs in PASET priority thematic areas. Includes institutions in Nigeria, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Ghana.
• Association of African Universities (AAU)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAU was selected in 2016 to host the RSIF Implementation Unit before icipe was selected as Regional Coordination Unit in 2018.
• Maastricht UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the first RSIF international partner institutions along with KIST, selected in 2016.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Fulbright Program: Fulbright is a flagship international scholarship and exchange program funded largely by the U.S. government. Comparable as a globally administered doctoral/research scholarship scheme with multi-country partner university networks and donor-driven funding.
• DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service): DAAD is one of the world's largest government-funded scholarship organizations, administering international PhD and research scholarships with similar grantmaking structures. Comparable as a government-backed international scholarship and research-grant administrator with multi-country institutional partnerships.
• Mastercard Foundation: Mastercard Foundation runs the Scholars Program and other large-scale African education and scholarship initiatives. Directly comparable to RSIF as a large, multi-country African scholarship and capacity-building funder with similar target beneficiary segments.
• Institute of International Education (IIE): IIE administers major international scholarship and fellowship programs (e.g., Fulbright, Boren) and manages cross-border academic mobility. Comparable as an intermediary that operationalizes large-scale international scholarship funds across a global partner university network.
• African Development Bank (AfDB): AfDB finances skills development, higher education, and STEM capacity across African countries through grants and concessional loans. Comparable as a continental development financier backing African university capacity building and human-capital initiatives.

Direct peers

• African Leadership University (ALU): ALU is a pan-African institution offering undergraduate and graduate programs focused on developing African leaders. Comparable as a mission-aligned African tertiary scholarship and capacity-building platform with multi-country delivery.
• African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS): AIMS operates a pan-African network of centers of excellence delivering postgraduate training in mathematical sciences across multiple African countries. Directly comparable as a pan-African STEM talent-development platform with similar continental footprint and donor-supported model.

Emerging players

• Wellcome Trust: Wellcome Trust funds international research training, fellowships, and capacity building in low- and middle-income countries. Comparable as a research-focused grantmaking foundation with international PhD/fellowship programs targeting emerging scientific capacity.
• Next Einstein Forum: Next Einstein Forum is a pan-African initiative promoting STEM talent and scientific leadership across the continent. Comparable as a continentally scoped platform advancing African STEM capacity, talent visibility, and pan-African research collaboration.

Others

• Carnegie Corporation of New York: Carnegie Corporation is a major philanthropic foundation supporting international education and capacity-building initiatives, including RSIF itself. Comparable as a grantmaking institution in the same philanthropic/education space that funds similar scholarship and research programs in Africa.

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PasetRsif
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCbPxZ0Vs5ct9mI19tLst3Cg
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheRSIF
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/paset-rsif
• Instagraminstagram.com/pasetrsif

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund