Muraho, welcome.
IZERE HIRWA Roger
Chief Technology Officer, GeoTesta Rwanda Ltd
I lead teams building software for real-world needs.
Offline schools, mobile money, SMS and voice networks, and a wide range of AI systems. Since 2018 I have gone from an Excel tool for my own school to Chief Technology Officer.
Current roles
- Chief Technology Officer, GeoTesta Rwanda Ltd
- Founder & CEO, HDEV TECH Ltd
- Infrastructure Manager, Trust SMS Uganda
- Senior Software Engineer, ITEC Ltd
01 / Selected work
What I have built, and what it changed
2019 to present / Education
RASMS: school management that works offline
RASMS, Roger's Advanced School Management System, replaced a school's hand-made reports and separate spreadsheets with one system for marks, discipline, permissions and fees, built to run offline on modest computers.
Outcome: In use at Musamvu TVET School since February 2020, registering about 500 students a year, and online since January 2023 so teachers can work remotely.
PHP / MySQL / JavaScript / Excel / Windows installer / SMS
2022 to 2023 / Cooperatives and finance
Uruziga: management for cooperatives, on any phone
A cooperative management system that members reach by web, USSD or app. It won first place and 3,000,000 Frw at the Youth Innovation Challenge in March 2023.
Outcome: In use privately by three cooperatives. Selected in the top 20 in March 2022, third at the TVET Youth Challenge in November 2022, and first in March 2023.
Web / USSD / Mobile app / Payments / SMS
2024 to present / Telecommunications
SMPP and VoIP messaging infrastructure
Built the SMPP server and later the two-way SMPP and VoIP software that carry messages and calls for an SMS gateway serving several international operators.
Outcome: Two-way SMPP and VoIP software has been in production for Trust SMS Uganda since January 2026.
SMPP / VoIP / Python / Node.js
2024 / Blockchain and fundraising
TransFund: crowdfunding on the Internet Computer
A crowdfunding platform that records contributions on a blockchain while letting people pay the way they normally do. It won the ICP Rwanda Hackathon in September 2024.
Outcome: TransFund won the ICP Rwanda Hackathon on 27 September 2024, three months after the same team's estate planning platform took third place in June.
Internet Computer (ICP) / Mobile money / Card payments
02 / In brief
How it started
How I found myself here
In 2018 I took an internship at a stationery shop because it had a computer with internet. Between customers I learned PHP and built my first system, a stock inventory, and when I was asked to type a year of the shop's records into Excel, I turned them into an income and expense tracker. The manager told me, "I am seeing something in you, keep it up." That is where it started.
03 / Education
Study and training
September 2025 to June 2026
BTech in Information Technology
Rwanda Polytechnic, Tumba College, Studies completed, capstone defended 12 June 2026; awaiting graduation
March 2022 to 29 May 2025
Advanced Diploma in Information Technology
Rwanda Polytechnic, Tumba College, First Class
2019 to 2021
Software Development, Levels 4–5
Musamvu TVET School, Ngoma
2018
Computer Applications, Level 3
APENA TVET School, Kirehe
Training
- Internet Computer blockchain training, ICP, 2024
- AI-NGET: AI-Powered Next Generation Entrepreneurship Training, University of Rwanda, 2023
- Business incubation programme, RP Tumba College, with support from Expertise France (AFD), 2022
Leadership
- Leader, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Club, IPRC Tumba, 2023
What I work on
Offline-first systems
Software that keeps working without reliable internet or powerful computers: one-file installers and encrypted backups.
Messaging and voice
SMPP gateways, two-way SMS and VoIP software, in production since January 2026.
Payments and basic phones
Mobile money and card payments, and USSD menus for people who do not use smartphones.
AI systems
A wide range of AI systems: chat and voice assistants, computer vision and AI customer support.
Blockchain records
Tamper-evident records on the Internet Computer, connected to the payments people already use.
- Building software since
- 2018
- Projects I worked on
- 47+
- Competition and hackathon placings
- 6
- Current leadership roles
- 3
Competitions and awards
| Year | Award | Organiser | Result | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Gender and Family Innovation Challenge Ndengera chatbot, 18 December 2024 Team: With TURIKUMWENIMANA Daniel, ISHIMWE Lea and UWINDATWA Marie Victoire | RISA | 2nd place | 1,500,000 Frw |
| 2024 | ICP Rwanda Hackathon TransFund, 27 September 2024 Team: Team lead, with UWAYEZU Jean Felix, TURIKUMWENIMANA Daniel and NSHUTI Emmanuel | Internet Computer (ICP) Rwanda | Winner | 500,000 Frw |
| 2023 | Youth Innovation Challenge (business incubation) Uruziga Management System, March 2023 Team: Team leader and presenter, with UWAYEZU Jean Felix Coverage: Kigali Today, KT Press | RP Tumba College | 1st place | 3,000,000 Frw |
How we could work together
Technical advisory
Architecture reviews, build-or-buy decisions, security posture and technology roadmaps for leadership teams.
Fractional CTO
Part-time technical leadership for organisations that need direction, hiring and delivery oversight.
Delivery through HDEV TECH
Custom systems with payments, SMS, USSD, voice and AI, built and maintained by the HDEV TECH team.
Advisory, fractional CTO and delivery through HDEV TECH.