StartHub Africa recently hosted the demo day for the She Techs The Future project at their headquarters in Bukoto, in a fantastic exhibition of creativity and entrepreneurship. The occasion served as a great milestone to the recognition and advancement of Ugandan women in technology.
She Techs The Future initiative aims to empower and support female-led digital ventures in East Africa, from idea generation to investment. Entrepreneurs, investors, and representatives from prominent development organizations came together to witness the remarkable achievements of women in the Ugandan tech industry.
In his welcome remarks, James Macbeth Forbes, country director of GIZ Uganda emphasized the organization’s dedication to empowering the youth of Uganda to lead improved lives through robust support for their digital innovations.
Tech founders who took the stage to pitch at the demo day included Pearl Gakazi representing Kolaborate, Patricia Giramia from Cyanase Investors, Shadia Nassanga leading Emun App, Nambogo Nurait representing MobiCare, Tugume Brenda of Esoptron Salon, and Doreen Ninsiima from Instant Biomed.
This gathering was proof of the growing potential of female entrepreneurs in East Africa’s tech landscape.
One of the highlights of the event was a panel discussion moderated by Cathy Luyiga Ssenkungu from Women In Technology Uganda ( WITU) featuring tech entrepreneurs who have made significant strides in their respective fields including Sandra Awili the founder of ShareCard, Pearl Gakazi the co-founder of Kolaborate, Patricia Giramia the CTO of Cyanase Investors, and Vaola Amumpaire the founder of Wena Hardware led an engaging discussion on the role of mentorship and strategic networking to benefit female entrepreneurs.
During the panel discussion, Vaola Amumpaire passionately articulated her perspective, “As women, we often find ourselves conditioned to suppress our voices due to the fear of being labeled.” “We need to let go of this fear and confidently express ourselves. We must communicate openly and directly, ensuring that our intentions are clear, as this is essential to fostering meaningful collaboration without the risk of misinterpretation by others, particularly men.”
The demo day was graced by esteemed guests, including the country director of the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), James Macbeth Forbes, Laura Kübke of Business Scouts for Development, Koichiro Yamamoto from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and many others.
The She Techs The Future project commenced in April 2023 with ideathons held at four universities in Uganda and Tanzania. These ideathons served as incubators for creative ideas and paved the way for female innovators to embark on their entrepreneurial journeys. Following the ideathons, a week-long boot camp brought together over 15 female innovators from across Uganda.
During this intensive program, participants benefited from comprehensive training, workshops, and mentorship, equipping them with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in the tech industry.
She techs the future is implemented by StartHub Africa in partnership with the Business Scouts for Development (BSfD) by the Gesellschaft for Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the Federation of German Industries (BDI) and Sequa on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
