Tech Non-Profit A2SV Leaving Addis for Kigali Amid Fallout with Abrehot Library

Africa to Silicon Valley (A2SV), a nonprofit tech academy that upskills university students and connects them with global opportunities at top tech companies, plans to close its offices in the Ethiopian capital and relocate to Kigali, Rwanda. The decision to terminate the six-year-long stay follows a protracted financial dispute with Abrehot Library over unpaid rent and a reported lack of “support”, according to founder Emre Varol. The nonprofit, which focuses on nurturing tech talent, expanded to Ghana after receiving funding from Google in 2023.

Established in 2019 by a former Google engineer, A2SV has been providing a mix of software engineering courses, boot camps, hackathons, and project incubations for African youth aspiring to have careers in tech. In partnership with institutions such as Addis Ababa University (AAU), the Addis Ababa Science and Technology Institute, and Adama Science and Technology University, A2SV has trained over 600 students, with approximately 60 securing positions at major tech companies, including Google, Bloomberg, Databricks, LinkedIn, and Amazon. 

Initially launched at AAU’s compounds, A2SV relocated its training center to Abrehot Library in September 2022. 

Located in the Arat Kilo (4 Kilo) area, the library, one of the largest public libraries in Africa, was officially launched on January 2022, and can accommodate up to 2,000 users at a time. The expansive 19,000 sqm facility, built for close to a billion birr and inaugurated by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD), was designed to be a state-of-the-art center for academic pursuits. A2SV moved into the four-story library administered by the Addis Ababa City Mayor’s office and continued to train students, reportedly paying $5,000 a month in rent.

By September 2024, the non-profit had paid a total of $120,000 in rent and invested $4 million in other operational expenses, according to its founder.

However, the past seven months have been financially challenging, with A2SV struggling to keep up with rent, which has become a key factor in the decision to relocate. 

In January 2025, a few months after A2SV began facing financial troubles, Muluken Tariku became the Abrehot Library’s new director, replacing Wubayehu Mamo. Emre says he communicated the Non-profit’s financial difficulties to the new appointee, attributing the issues to delayed funding. The conversations fell on deaf ears, according to the founder, as A2SV staff were denied access to the office without “prior notice.”

“They have cut our office access, no prior notice, no nothing,” Emre told Shega. 

The new Director, however, contends the claim, arguing that they have given A2SV repeated notices and sent the founder multiple emails. The final straw, which led to the “closure until payment”, happened when they couldn’t locate Emre around mid-March, according to Muluken. He says they moved the equipment found in A2SV's office into a single room in the presence of police and witnesses. This is standard procedure taken by landlords in Ethiopia during instances of delayed rent payments for non-residential lease agreements.

The Director insisted that repeated notices were forwarded to A2SV before the office items were relocated.

“He owes a total of $32,000,” Muluken told Shega.

However, Emre, who concedes to the existence of accrued rent expenses, disputes the library’s account of repeated notices and letters. Shega could not independently verify the existence of such a letter or prior notices. 

A2SV’s founder also dismissed claims predicated on him not residing in-country as the library’s management knew he stayed in Ethiopia on a tourist visa, entailing frequent travel.

“I informed them that I would be returning soon,” says Emre.

However, Abrehot’s director suggests that it was more than a single instance of malfeasance that prompted intervention by the library’s management.

Muluken says A2SV's office access was not technically denied but rather “restricted” due to the Founder’s absence, accrued obligations, and the apparent lack of someone who was managing it.

“If he returns and settles the outstanding obligations, they can resume operations,” he noted.

Muluken further claims that the library’s management unsuccessfully attempted to negotiate with Emre, recognizing that he was doing something good for the youth.

Meanwhile, A2SV’s operations, which currently impacts over 100 people, including trainees, staff, and interns, have transitioned to a remote work format. Emre says he will return to Ethiopia to settle his financial obligations but has no plans of resuming operations.

 “We will pay them as soon as we secure the funds and move,” he stated emphatically. 

A2SV’s founder says his appeals for support from several government offices have gone unanswered since September. He claims to have found a more accommodating environment in Rwanda, relaying plans to start operations with Kigali as A2SV’s African base of operations likely in May.

Consequently, A2SV’s ongoing departure has resurfaced concerns within the tech industry about Ethiopia’s ability to nurture and retain technology initiatives. The free training and boot camps, which would have cost hundreds of dollars monthly, helped many locals bridge the gap between academia and industry. 

“Losing A2SV is a blow to our tech aspirations,” said a former trainee. 

Calls to provide some sort of support to help avoid A2SV’s departure from Ethiopia have grown louder on social media over the past week.