The Annual Uganda Innovation Week (UIW 23) opens November 22 and this year’s edition will facilitate engagements between innovators and investors.
For the first time, UIW will feature an Investor Lounge in partnership with the East Africa Venture Capital Association (EAVCA), providing entrepreneurs with the opportunity for one-on-one engagements with potential investors and clients throughout the event.
Hosted by Startup Uganda, the events will run from November 22 to 24 at the National ICT Innovation Hub under the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance.
The primary focus of the event this year will be networking and partnerships, with the team at Startup Uganda making deliberate efforts to ensure entrepreneurs in attendance are connected to potential partners, investors, and clients.
Beyond the insightful panel discussions and exhibitions that have become a hallmark at UIW, this year’s event promises innovative additions.
In addition, there will be business-to-business deal rooms where corporations will highlight various collaboration opportunities for digital innovators. Masterclasses, organized in partnership with Design without Borders (DWB), will add an edutainment dimension to the sessions.
UIW 23 will also host business clinics focused on helping entrepreneurs seamlessly integrate digital elements into their ventures, covering topics such as online payments, digital marketplace integration, and access to online forms of credit.
Doris Odit Acheng, Country Coordinator of the Uganda Chapter of EAVCA, emphasizes the importance of venture capital funding, stating, “Venture capital funding in East Africa is the catalyst for innovation, economic growth, and empowering local entrepreneurs to realize their aspirations”.
“It is not merely an investment in businesses; it is an investment in the future prosperity of the entire region. Through our partnership with UIW 23, we aim to bridge the gap for early-stage startups in Uganda, connecting them with investors who align with their vision,” she added.
Under the theme Adapt or Be Left Behind: The Digital Economy & the Opportunities it Presents for the Ugandan Entrepreneur, entrepreneurs will be able to showcase and engage along three main tracks.
The first track focusing on the big opportunities for entrepreneurs in the digital economy. The first day of UIW 23 will explore the boundless opportunities that the digital economy affords entrepreneurs.
With corporate and development partners directing funding support to building the digital economy, participants will delve into the strategies and pathways for startups, MSMEs, and entrepreneurs to effectively tap into these prospects.
It will also spotlight sectors that are harnessing digital innovation to drive growth and can benefit from new innovation.
Day two will focus on the strategic development of new technologies and the integration of existing ones by MSMEs and start-ups.
Entrepreneurs will also have an opportunity to benefit from business clinics focused on addressing key drivers influencing the digital economy.
Discussion topics include; digital transformation, licensing & democratizing digital infrastructure, universal adoption of affordable digital services, and the development of digital skills and human capital.
The final day will center on how to foster the growth of the digital economy through public and private sector partnerships, promoting innovation, knowledge sharing, and resource allocation to drive ecosystem growth.
“The digital economy has transformed the way we do business. Entrepreneurs who embrace technology and innovation are the architects of our digital future, shaping new opportunities and redefining industries. It is these new opportunities that we want to zero in on at this year’s Uganda Innovation Week,” said Richard Zulu, Chairperson, Startup Uganda Startup
“While fin-tech and agri-tech have been at the forefront of digital business models especially here in Uganda, there is ample room to explore beyond these sectors.”
He says the digital economy has the potential to revolutionize various industries, including healthcare, education, transportation, manufacturing, energy, the creative industries and more.
It is this potential we want to begin to harness at this year’s event, Zulu adds.
Uganda is actively looking for more partners to bring UIW to life. Currently partners include Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), the Youth Startup Academy (YSAU), DWB, EAVCA and United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF).
This time round, partnerships are open to innovators as well, especially those able to deliver the business clinics as mentioned above.
