PACIN, a Rwandan fintech startup founded Amen Divine Ikamba, has won $10,000 in seed funding at the AI Ventures Accelerator (AIVA) Demo Day in Gurugram, India. PACIN was among the winning ventures selected from the accelerator’s inaugural 2026 cohort, which brought together 22 founders to present their businesses after six months of development. The event, held from October 4 to 7, gave founders an opportunity to pitch their ventures and engage with investors, mentors and industry leaders. ALSO READ: Rwandan innovator selected for international AI ventures accelerator PACIN develops technology that enables lenders to assess borrowers using mobile money transactions and other financial data, helping people without conventional credit records demonstrate their ability to manage money. Standing on that stage for Rwanda, and winning, told me that what we are building matters beyond our borders, Ikamba told The New Times. It is the gap PACIN exists to close: good small businesses turned away because lenders cannot see their track record. Several lenders in Rwanda are already working to reach small businesses, and we want to support that work, not compete with it.: She said the seed funding moves the company from building to testing its product. What we need now is partners: lenders, banks, microfinance institutions and mobile money providers willing to work with us, with customers' consent, so that small businesses can be assessed fairly, she said.
