The Youth Startup Academy Uganda (YSAU) has made a significant impact on Uganda’s entrepreneurial landscape since its inception in March 2022. As the first African country to pilot this initiative, originally conceived in South Korea, Uganda has demonstrated the transformative power of collaboration, knowledge exchange, and strategic partnerships in fostering a thriving startup ecosystem.
The program, brought to Africa by the International Trade Center (ITC) in partnership with the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (KOSME), has been locally supported by Hive Colab and the National Information Technology Authority-Uganda (NITA-U).
The impact of YSAU on Uganda’s startup ecosystem has been remarkable. The Accelerator has brought together over 1,032 young entrepreneurs from across Uganda, each equipped with the skills and mindset to launch impactful ventures.
The program’s success is evident in the numbers: in the past year alone, startups have received USD$200,000 in donations, created 273 jobs, and collectively generated over 3,700 jobs. Furthermore, these startups have brought in USD$4.4M in revenue and secured investments totaling USD$1.5M1.
The program’s impact extends beyond mere numbers, as evidenced by the testimonials of participating entrepreneurs.
Akello Cleopatra from Organics Natura shared, “Thanks to YSAU’s consultancy on rebranding & what market fit in, we’ve refined our business focus and target market. As a result our sales have grown, with customers easily connecting to and understanding our products”.
David Brian Matsiko from BringoFresh also highlighted the program’s role in helping startups navigate market realities: “I launched BringoFresh with a clear vision after my university research. Though I had to pivot from B2C to B2B due to market realities, it’s now thriving. Exploring new B2C opportunities with contacts from Dubai”.
The program’s guidance has been particularly valuable for startups in their early stages.
Arthur Abaliwano from Anchor Machines noted, “After joining YSAU, the co-founder of Anchor Machines refined our idea, assembling a team in 2021. By late 2023, progress felt slow, but YSAU’s guidance boosted our focus, helping us clarify our offering, set pricing and capture attention in the market”.
YSAU’s impact extends beyond individual startups, fostering a collaborative ecosystem. Agatha Nambuya from Autofore emphasized the importance of “collaborative sourcing, potential partnerships, & resource sharing among participants to strengthen the ecosystem & drive growth, while fostering global market access & mindset shifts for African entrepreneurs”.
The program’s success has not gone unnoticed by the government. Moses Watasa – the commissioner for communication and dissemination in the ICT Ministry, in his keynote address, highlighted that “programs such as YSAU illustrate the tremendous potential within Uganda’s youth and the government’s commitment to fostering an innovation-driven economy”.
He emphasized the importance of ministerial partnerships, particularly with South Korea, in sustaining this momentum and mitigating resource constraints; expressing gratitude to the Korean government for its support towards Uganda’s National ICT and digital transformation journey and the role young people have in it.
As YSAU concludes its first phase, the launch of the YSAU Alumni Association marks a significant step towards connecting and empowering startups throughout their entrepreneurial journeys.
The association, consisting of representatives from all four cohorts, will serve as a voice for entrepreneurs in the program across the country, helping secure investments, collaborations, partnerships, and networking opportunities.
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