About Us

We leverage entrepreneurship as a tool to enable young people to build the futures they want to see.

StartHub Africa and SHA Consulting Group

StartHub Africa (NGO) and SHA Consulting Group Limited form together StartHub Africa, a hybrid-social venture with the vision to unlock the potential of changemakers to create innovative and scalable businesses across Africa.

We are a self-financed hybrid social venture that builds on a successful consulting business.

We use our profits to build innovation infrastructure in East Africa.

Our Vision

To unlock the potential of changemakers to create innovative and scalable businesses across Africa.

Our purpose

Why StartHub supports African innovation
and entrepreneurship

Societies have challenges to solve. Entrepreneurs solve problems, generate impact, and create jobs. The SDG`s and national development plans require a generation of changemakers to achieve positive and inclusive development in Africa. Aid has proven to be ineffective – and StartHub stands for a different approach: To build systems and structures so a movement of African changemakers can build the futures they want to see.

starthub-africa-entrepreneurship-in-uganda (5)

But how to build a movement? Take some ingredients: You start with a talent – for instance a young university student. Then, you let her break out of her theory-based education and expose her to future trends and the power of building new things. You guide and train the student – but always focus on execution. As they build an identity as an entrepreneur and get started, you support them financially to kick things off. And mentor the startup journey so they do not waste their time and resources. Don’t forget to connect them with partners and to make them part of a community – keep building their confidence and guide their success.

Our Vision

Our vision for entrepreneurship in Africa

Our vision is to “unlock the potential of changemakers to create innovative and scalable businesses across Africa.” This is possible through how StartHub is set up: we don’t rely on funding and can take our own decisions. We are not bound by 1-year project plans but can run an experiment or decide to invest in something tomorrow. We are a self-financed hybrid social venture that builds on a successful consulting business. We use our profits to build innovation infrastructure in East Africa.

We work on becoming an Africa-wide university-based entrepreneurship movement. StartHub looks at boosting changemakers from a systemic lens: With African universities, StartHub builds integrated entrepreneurship programs. Our content is used in class and certificate programs. Our student clubs organize engagements and events. Our StartHub trainers are local entrepreneurs who pass on practical know-how to students. This decentral approach enables us to add the function of entrepreneurship support at African universities. It allows scale as we only create content, qualify trainers, and support the setup of these structures.

Explore StartHub
Programs

Our organization is structured as a hybrid social
venture and is held by the 3 core pillars below.

StartHub Consulting

StartHub Catalyzer

Startup accelerator and early-stage investment program.

StartHub LaunchPad

StartHub LaunchPad

Supporting university students to bring their innovative ideas to life.

StartHub Catalyzer

StartHub Consulting

Project design and management, innovation, research across Africa.

Meet the team making
amazing things happen!

Co-Founder and Program Design

Laura Althaus

Timothy Maenda
Venture Associate

Timothy Maenda

Esther Nafula

Consultant

Joshua Daaki

Consultant & Country Lead Tanzania

Shakila Mshana

Co-Founder & Teamlead Catalyzer

Matthias Möbius

Bonita Nanziri
Venture Associate

Bonita Nanziri

Kenny Olukanni
Innovation Consultant

Elisha Kenny Olukanni

Student Club Coordinator

Gerald Geria

Andrew Kakinda
Program Associate

Andrew Kakinda

Academy Coordinator

Joanita Babirye

Finance and Administration

Joshua Mutama

Joy Akatukunda

Junior Consultant

Noah Mesfin

Lucky Kyomuhangi

Developer StartHub Platform

Stuart Kalema

Viva Atwijukire

Co-Founder and Program Design

Laura Althaus

Venture Associate

Timothy Maenda

Timothy holds a degree in Accounting and Business Management as well as years of experience working with and investing in Ugandan and Kenyan SMEs.

Esther Nafula

Esther Nafula works as a venture associate for growth with StartHub’s entrepreneurs. She has experience working with Safe Boda in various departments since their early days, and then serving as Head of Operations of the venture-funded eyeware company Lapaire – before taking over the country lead of Lapaire for Uganda and scaling the company up.

Consultant

Joshua Daaki

Consultant & Country Lead Tanzania

Shakila Mshana

Shakila is the country lead and co-founder for Tanzania and leads the team, university, and incubation programs in Tanzania.

Co-Founder & Teamlead Catalyzer

Matthias Möbius

Matthias sees Entrepreneurship as a tool to improve systems and bring one’s vision of the future to life. Passionate about working with innovators that are shaping the future.

Venture Associate

Bonita Nanziri

Innovation Consultant

Elisha Kenny Olukanni

Student Club Coordinator

Gerald Geria

Driven by a desire to have a lasting impact on the African continent, Gerald is dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs bring their ideas to fruition. He thrives at and enjoys working at the intersection of challenges, ideas, and people.

Program Associate

Andrew Kakinda

Academy Coordinator

Joanita Babirye

Joanita is a graduate of urban and regional planning from Makerere university. She is so passionate about entrepreneurship and especially green innovations. Her urge to protect Mother Earth has influenced her decision to build a movement of greenpreneurs. With this, she has always sought for spaces that challenge her to achieve this goal.

Finance and Administration

Joshua Mutama

Joshua holds a degree in accounting and finance. He is a growth enthusiast, capacity builder, and entrepreneur. He is passionate about helping young adults to reach their full potential

Joy Akatukunda

Joy is a graduate of Business Statistics from Makerere University. She’s passioante about helping brands grow using digital marketing and social media. She believes in the future of African creators and entrepreneurs and that led her to work with StartHub, an organization that is dedicated to bringing opportunities closer to startups and innovators.

Junior Consultant

Noah Mesfin

Noah is a student of the Makerere University faculty for engineering, passionate about supporting others to innovate and build the future.

Lucky Kyomuhangi

Lucky Kyomuhangi is an IT professional who completed her Bachelor’s degree in IT at Uganda Martyrs University. Currently, she works as an administrator at StartHub Africa, a company that empowers young people to build a better future through entrepreneurship. Lucky is passionate about personal and people growth, and she believes that everyone can achieve their full potential if they have the right mindset and support.

Developer StartHub Platform

Stuart Kalema

Stuart runs the code behind software that StartHub builds for its entrepreneurs – he shows all his patience and perseverance every day in making things happen.

Viva Atwijukire

Viva Atwijukire is very passionate about helping youth and entrepreneurship . She is experienced in project management, and providing support to startups. She wants to help as many youth as she can. Viva has a bachelor’s degree in procurement and logistics management from Uganda Christian University.

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