The She Techs The Future project demo day was recently held at StartHub Africa’s headquarters in Bukoto, and it was an amazing display of creativity and entrepreneurship.
The event was a significant turning point in embracing and advancing Ugandan women in technology.
The She Techs The Future project seeks to invest in and develop female-led digital businesses in East Africa, from concept to launch. Prominent development organization representatives, investors, and entrepreneurs gathered to celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of women in Uganda’s tech industry.
James Macbeth Forbes, the national director of GIZ Uganda, highlighted in his opening remarks the organisation’s commitment to enabling Ugandan youth to lead better lives by providing them with substantial support for their digital inventions.
During the demo day, tech founders Pearl Gakazi of Kolaborate, Patricia Giramia of Cyanase Investors, Shadia Nassanga of Emun App, Nambogo Nurait of MobiCare, Tugume Brenda of Esoptron Salon, and Doreen Ninsiima of Instant Biomed were among those who took the stage to pitch.
This event demonstrated the increasing potential of female entrepreneurs in the tech industry in East Africa. A panel discussion with tech entrepreneurs who have achieved notable success in their industries was one of the event’s highlights.
Patricia Giramia, CTO of Cyanase Investors; Sandra Awili, creator of ShareCard; Pearl Gakazi, co-founder of Kolaborate; and Vaola Amumpaire, founder of Wena Hardware, led an informative discussion about the value of strategic networking and mentoring for 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.”
Notable attendees at the demo day included Laura Kübke of Business Scouts for Development, James Macbeth Forbes, the country director of the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), Koichiro Yamamoto of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and numerous others.
The She Techs The Future project commenced in April 2023 with ideathons held at four universities in Uganda and Tanzania.
These ideathons provided a nurturing environment for fresh ideas and enabled female innovators to start their businesses. After the ideathons, more than fifteen female innovators from all over Uganda came together for a week-long boot camp. Participants in this rigorous program received comprehensive training, workshops, and mentorship, giving them the tools they need to succeed in the tech sector.
This project was made possible through the collaborative efforts of StartHub Africa and Business Scouts for Development (BSfD) by the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The support and involvement of the Federation of German Industries (BDI) and Sequa, on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), further underscore the project’s significance and impact.
