Ashewa Technology and Debre Berhan University Forge Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Ethiopia’s Digital Future
On March 16, 2026, Debre Berhan University and Ashewa Technology Solutions S.C formalized a high-impact Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at driving innovation, strengthening industry-academia collaboration, and accelerating Ethiopia’s digital transformation journey.
This partnership goes beyond a traditional academic agreement—it is a strategic alignment designed to bridge the gap between education and real-world application, ensuring that Ethiopia’s next generation of talent is equipped with practical, market-relevant skills.
Dr. Asmare Melese emphasized the University’s commitment to becoming a leading applied institution, focused on practice-oriented teaching and learning. He highlighted that partnerships with forward-thinking technology companies like Ashewa are essential to translating academic knowledge into tangible impact. As part of this vision, the University is expanding its ICT-focused programs, particularly at the Mehal Meda Campus, with a strong emphasis on internships, externships, and hands-on learning experiences.
From the industry perspective, Daniel Bekele, Founder and CEO of Ashewa Technology Solutions, reinforced the company’s mission to solve real challenges across both public and private sectors through scalable digital solutions. He noted that Debre Berhan represents a strategic growth corridor for Ashewa, and that the University is a critical partner in building a sustainable innovation ecosystem.
“At Ashewa, we believe that meaningful innovation happens at the intersection of education, technology, and industry. This partnership is not just about collaboration—it’s about co-creating solutions, empowering youth, and building the digital foundation of Ethiopia,” he stated.
Strategic Focus Areas
The collaboration will focus on high-impact initiatives, including:
- Strengthening the linkage between academia and industry to ensure curriculum relevance
- Promoting technology transfer and applied innovation
- Supporting entrepreneurship and startup development within the university ecosystem
- Creating structured internship, externship, and practical training programs
- Converting academic research into scalable, real-world digital solutions
Building Ethiopia’s Innovation Ecosystem
This MoU represents a critical step toward building a robust and inclusive technological ecosystem in Ethiopia. By aligning academic excellence with industry execution, both institutions aim to produce not only skilled graduates, but also innovators, entrepreneurs, and problem-solvers who can drive national development.
For Ashewa Technology, this partnership reinforces its role as a key enabler of Ethiopia’s digital economy—actively investing in talent, infrastructure, and innovation hubs beyond Addis Ababa.
For Debre Berhan University, it marks a transition toward a more dynamic, impact-driven education model—one that directly contributes to the country’s socio-economic transformation.
Together, the two institutions are setting a new standard for how academia and industry can collaborate to unlock Ethiopia’s full digital potential.
