The annual event, organized by Start-up Uganda in partnership with UNCDF, will take place from 22nd – 26th November, focusing on innovation for national development.

5th October 2021, Kampala, Uganda: Leading innovators and thought leaders from across the continent will convene from 22nd to 26th November for the Kampala Innovation Week (KIW) 2021. The event will be hosted as a hybrid event (primarily virtual) under the theme, "Harnessing the power of Innovation & Entrepreneurship for Uganda's digital transformation and job creation".

Over the five days, KIW will bring together innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, government stakeholders and development partners to discuss wins, misses and opportunities for growth in the innovation space. Specifically, participants will explore the role of innovators and entrepreneurs in achieving Uganda's development ambitions, deliberate on how innovation and entrepreneurship can be harnessed for job creation and employment, and discuss the links between digital technologies and community transformation.

"It is a crucial time for the innovation space in Uganda. Our responses to the effects of the pandemic especially within the sectors of agriculture, education and health are going to be great determinants of the economic trajectory in years to come. Making sure that spaces like Kampala Innovation Week are kept alive is a critical part of this development," said Jean Kukunda, Vice Chairperson of Startup Uganda and Director at Design Hub Kampala.

"Uganda has witnessed a growth in the innovation culture, though as a country we are yet to achieve a strong innovation ecosystem. By supporting initiatives like the Kampala Innovation Week, UNCDF aims to facilitate systemic growth of a vibrant innovation ecosystem, that will in turn spur development of an inclusive digital economy," said Chris Lukolyo, UNCDF Digital Lead in Uganda.

The five days will be preceded by two weeks of pre-event activities that include online masterclasses and sessions from various stakeholders within the Ugandan Startup Ecosystem. Some of the topics of discussion will include Influencing and its career viability in Uganda, a much-needed conversation on mental health and entrepreneurship, and a discussion on the state of the education system given the COVID-19 pandemic.

As an event that looks to celebrate innovation, participants can expect to hear from some of the current leaders in the space, including Daniel Ruyonga of Teheca, Lynda Kembabazi of KAINO, Nathalie Dijkman of SEMA, Esther Karwera of Akorion Company Limited and many more.

The main week promises talent from across the continent, with Startup Uganda leveraging relationships with partners like Afri-labs and Impact Rooms to host thought leaders such as Ghanaian entrepreneur and leadership development expert, Fred Swaniker, BBC's Nancy Kacungira and others. The event, as always, has attracted both local and international partners, including but not limited to UNCDF, UNDP, KAS, Enabel and Guinness.

KIW 2021 hopes to attract even more people than KIW 2020, reaching up to 20,000 virtual participants throughout the five days, with an even higher number expected over the two-week pre-event period. With the opportunity to gather even more renowned and accomplished speakers, KIW 2021 promises to be a space dedicated to stimulating and directional discussion with a sharp focus on digital transformation, job creation and economic sustainability in light of innovation. For updates on the agenda and speakers, please visit www.kiw.ug.

About UNCDF
The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 46 least developed countries (LDCs). With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development. This last mile is where available resources for development are scarcest; where market failures are most pronounced; and where benefits from national growth tend to leave people excluded.

UNCDF’s financing models work through three channels: (1) inclusive digital economies, which connects individuals, households, and small businesses with financial eco-systems that catalyze participation in the local economy, and provide tools to climb out of poverty and manage financial lives; (2) local development finance, which capacitates localities through fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal finance, and structured project finance to drive local economic expansion and sustainable development; and (3) investment finance, which provides catalytic financial structuring, de-risking, and capital deployment to drive SDG impact and domestic resource mobilization.

By strengthening how finance works for poor people at the household, small enterprise, and local infrastructure levels, UNCDF contributes to SDG 1 on eradicating poverty with a focus on reaching the last mile and addressing exclusion and inequalities of access. At the same time, UNCDF deploys its capital finance mandate in line with SDG 17 on the means of implementation, to unlock public and private finance for the poor at the local level. By identifying those market segments where innovative financing models can have transformational impact in helping to reach the last mile, UNCDF contributes to a number of different SDGs and currently to 28 of 169 targets.

Startup Uganda
Startup Uganda (SU) is an association of innovation and entrepreneurship support organizations (IESO) working towards strengthening the startup support ecosystem and sector.
Rooted in the fundamental belief that innovators and entrepreneurs are a driving source of economic, social, and environmental sustainable development, the association is committed to creating an enabling environment where startups can access the support they need to start and grow. As an association of organizations, SU’s approach stems from the conviction that we are stronger and more impactful together than we are alone. SU endeavours to deepen the trust, sharing and collaboration between members and the ecosystem at large.

SU was initiated in 2019 by eight IESO members with support from the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF). The association intends on expanding its reach and impact by including a greater number and variety of IESOs, and to work with government, private sector, donor communities, and other ecosystem supporters. Towards these ends, SU embarked on a strategy development process to set comprehensive priorities and a path for development and growth. This Strategic Plan (2020-2025) is an internal, guiding document for SU members, executive committee/ board of directors and secretariat.