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Merchandise Uganda is connecting small businesses to a wide digital market. #40Days40FinTechs Season 5 Day 7

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Merchandise Uganda is connecting small businesses to a wide digital market. #40Days40FinTechs Season 5 Day 7

One of the main pain points faced by small businesses in Uganda is the high cost of rent for stalls and business space. The cheap stalls are not marketable while the marketable stalls are out of reach for small businesses. Nonetheless, technology is solving some of these issues through democratizing advertising and general access to market information.

Among the platforms that are spearheading this is Merchandise Uganda; a free online marketplace where sellers and buyers meet and transact. When you have a business or products to sell, you just visit the Merchandise Uganda platform and open a shop. A seller/trader is required to provide some KYC (Know Your Customer) in form of trader name or business name, location, contact details, good photos of products, and videos of how the products work (if need be).

When someone wants a product, they go to the website or download the Merchandise Uganda app and search for the product they want. Then people with such a product will be listed and the client can contact them directly.

They also have partnerships with courier companies. All suppliers are assigned to these logistics companies. So, when the client makes an order, the delivery company is notified to pick the product and deliver it

Suzan Awori, the General Manager of Merchandise Uganda notes that since they launched in 2019, they have on-boarded tens of clients, created hundreds of jobs, and served thousands of customers.

“We have been in business for more than five years and over the years have on boarded more than 10,000 businesses and created as many jobs along the way. These businesses serve more than one million customers. We are a general business platform and some of our top sectors include automotive, devices, agriculture and furniture,” Awori said, adding:

“We have since upgraded our platform and added a payment system that enables customers to shop and pay digitally. This makes it easy for customers to make payments and also for the sellers to easily and safely receive their money.” 

Merchandise Uganda appeared on Day 7 of the HiPipo 40 Days 40 FinTechs initiative season five.

Run under HiPipo’s Include Everyone program that also encompasses other initiatives such as FinTech Landscape Exhibition, Women in FinTech Hackathon, Summit & Incubator, and the Digital and Financial Inclusion Summit and Digital Impact Awards Africa; the #40Days40FinTechs platform aptly provides a setting for the various players and stakeholders involved in digital and financial technology to exhibit their products and services. It also gives players a platform to share their ideas on how the unserved and underserved by the present financial systems can be brought into the fold.

With over 150 participants in the last four years, #40Days40FinTechs continues to be the world’s premier showcase event for innovations that are enabling underserved populations to join the digital economy space. We know that this can only get better owing to the inspiration and collaboration of our partners; Level One Project, Mojaloop Foundation, INFITX, Cyberplc Academy, Ideation Corner, and Crosslake Technologies. Most importantly, the initiative owes its continued success to the generous support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Essymart is using FinTech to change fortunes of Eastern Uganda Farmers. #40Days40FinTechs Season 5 Day 6

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Essymart is using FinTech to change fortunes of Eastern Uganda Farmers. #40Days40FinTechs Season 5 Day 6

Uganda is an agro based economy and thus efforts to modernize and transform agriculture are always well received. With more than 60 per cent of Uganda’s work force involved in agriculture, it is always refreshing to engage with stakeholders that using technology to the change the fortunes of this industry.

In Eastern Uganda, large and smallholder farmers now have access to quality inputs and market information thanks to Essymart Africa.

Essymart Africa is an agricultural technology enterprise that is focused on providing smallholder farmers with access to quality farm inputs at competitive prices such as stress tolerant seeds, organic fertilizers and pesticides, input financing to ease farmers cash flow, training in regenerative farming techniques, technology-based services and communication, post-harvest services to reduce spoilage, and access to premium markets for better crop income.

Essymart leverages USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) technology to deliver information to farmers via their cell phones. Farmers can dial a USSD code on their cell phone to access farm inputs, information on the weather, local market prices, farming practices, water management techniques and agricultural subsidy programs. In addition, it also provides personalized advice to farmers based on their location and type of farm. Farmers can also ask questions and receive answers from agricultural experts via the service.

“Currently, we are serving hundreds of farmers in Eastern Uganda districts of Mayuge, Iganga, Luuka and Kaliro but intend to expand our services to all over the country. Majority of these farmers are smallholder women farmers. By using Web Application, common SMS technologies and telephone calls, we are achieving positive results, improving access to information, increasing productivity and farm incomes, and helping to reduce poverty among small-scale farmers in Eastern Uganda,” Mr Elvis Kadhama, the co-founder and CEO of Essymart said, adding;

“We are disrupting Africa’s agricultural sector using the Fourth generation revolution technologies such as AI to end hunger and poverty among marginalized smallholder farming communities in the African rural areas. We endeavor to help farmers become more productive and efficient by analyzing large amounts of data about weather patterns, soil conditions, pest and disease detection, fertilizer application, crop yields, fertilizer use, and other factors.”

Mr Kadhama noted that they have integrated financial technology in the platform to enable farmers, input dealers and other platform users to be able to seamlessly make and receive payments through mobile money and bank transactions. The platform also facilitates access to farm input on credit thus saving farmers from endless stress.

“We are working with 20 agents. We have so far impacted over 4000 farmers, majority of them being women smallholder farmers dealing in maize, beans and vegetables,” he said.  

Essymart Africa was hosted on Day 6 of the HiPipo 40 Days 40 FinTechs initiative season five.

Run under HiPipo’s Include Everyone program that also encompasses other initiatives such as FinTech Landscape Exhibition, Women in FinTech Hackathon, Summit & Incubator, and the Digital and Financial Inclusion Summit and Digital Impact Awards Africa; the #40Days40FinTechs platform aptly provides a setting for the various players and stakeholders involved in digital and financial technology to exhibit their products and services. It also gives players a platform to share their ideas on how the unserved and underserved by the present financial systems can be brought into the fold.

With over 150 participants in the last four years, #40Days40FinTechs continues to be the world’s premier showcase event for innovations that are enabling underserved populations to join the digital economy space. We know that this can only get better owing to the inspiration and collaboration of our partners; Level One Project, Mojaloop Foundation, INFITX, Cyberplc Academy, Ideation Corner, and Crosslake Technologies. Most importantly, the initiative owes its continued success to the generous support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Cawine Technologies is using FinTech to ease the purchase and delivery of Drinks and Eats. #40Days40FinTechs Season 5 Day 5

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Cawine Technologies is using FinTech to ease the purchase and delivery of Drinks and Eats. #40Days40FinTechs Season 5 Day 5

In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of bad things happened. Among these were the prolonged lockdowns that made it impossible for people to freely move, meet-up and live life like they best know it.

For party goers, there were no parties anymore, when your drinks or eats got finished, you would struggle to get new deliveries as most shops were closed while those that were open, could close early.

“One day, we were at a friends party and we ran short of eats and drinks. One of our friends asked what we would do to address this issue, considering that even for the shops that were open, we couldn’t access them as it was past movement hours. Actually, even one of our friends had a birthday but we couldn’t get him a cake. So, one of us suggested that we could come up with a platform that can ease the purchase and delivery of drinks and cakes. Initially we developed the Cawine APP to deliver Cakes and Wine thus the name Cawine,” Christine Nimusiima, the co-founder and chief product officer at Cawine Technologies traced the story behind the development of this platform.

Launched in 2021, Cawine is a digital platform that eases the purchase and delivery of Eats and Drinks in Uganda.

“Cawine has three APPs in one. We have the client APP, vendor APP and Courier APP. The vendor APP is for the service providers like Bakeries, Wineries, Restaurant owners and Liquor Stall owners while the client APP is what the customers use to make orders for the Eats and Drinks. The Courier APP is for our transport partners. When an order is received by the clients, they prepare it and when it is ready, they give it to the Courier who will then deliver it to the customer’s preferred location.”

Nimusiima noted that the Cawine APP is available on both Google Play and Apple store and allows for digital payments.

“After making your order, you can pay with mobile money or bank cards or cash. Even though we also have cash, we encourage cashless transactions as these are safe for all stakeholders involved in these transactions. So far, we have more than 2000 APP downloads; with 80 per cent of our vendors and customers being women.

Cawine Technologies has featured on Day 5 of the HiPipo 40 Days 40 FinTechs initiative season five.

Run under HiPipo’s Include Everyone program that also encompasses other initiatives such as FinTech Landscape Exhibition, Women in FinTech Hackathon, Summit & Incubator, and the Digital and Financial Inclusion Summit and Digital Impact Awards Africa; the #40Days40FinTechs platform aptly provides a setting for the various players and stakeholders involved in digital and financial technology to exhibit their products and services. It also gives players a platform to share their ideas on how the unserved and underserved by the present financial systems can be brought into the fold.

With over 150 participants in the last four years, #40Days40FinTechs continues to be the world’s premier showcase event for innovations that are enabling underserved populations to join the digital economy space. We know that this can only get better owing to the inspiration and collaboration of our partners; Level One Project, Mojaloop Foundation, INFITX, Cyberplc Academy, Ideation Corner, and Crosslake Technologies. Most importantly, the initiative owes its continued success to the generous support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

MSACCO is digitizing SACCOs and creating Financial Freedom for everyone. #40Days40FinTechs Season 5 Day 4

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MSACCO is digitizing SACCOs and creating Financial Freedom for everyone. #40Days40FinTechs Season 5 Day 4

Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs) are some of the most popular financial institutions serving both the unbanked and underbanked. Unfortunately, because many of these serve the informal sector, they are mainly operated through a cash based, manual approach. But thanks to continuous innovation and growing adoption of technology, many SACCOs are now digitized and able to serve customers from wherever they are located, any time.

One of the platforms that is leading the digitization of SACCOs is MSACCO by FutureLink Technologies, a Bank of Uganda licensed Payment System Operator that works to enhance the financial resilience of Africa’s low- and middle-income earners through a community-driven digital marketplace for affordable financial services.

According to Matia Ssebiranda, the Marketing Manager at FutureLink Technologies, MSACCO is the preferred community driven digital market place for Savings and Credit Societies in Uganda, and Zambia and now expanding to the whole of Africa.

“MSACCO serves the unbanked and underbanked in Africa. This is a channel where customers are able to serve themselves. A customer can be in Kampala and join a Sacco in Mbarara. Through MSACCO, every customer is able to manage their SACCO account anytime. Each customer can easily repay their loan, deposit, withdraw and monitor their account. MSACCO solves the pain of both the unbanked and underbanked by allowing everyone to choose financial services that are relevant to them,” Mr Ssebiranda said.

He added: “The MSACCO APP is available on Google Play and APP Store. After a new customer downloads it, they register and choose which SACCO they want to join after which they start transacting. The second customer we are serving is one that is already a member of a particular SACCO but wants to be digitized. For such a customer, they only download the APP or access through USSD, get an MSACCO number and start transacting.”

Mr Ssebiranda noted that while savings start automatically for new MSACCO customers, accessing credit depends on how long you have been a member of a particular SACCO and how much you have transacted during that period. He highlighted that most SACCOs give credit after someone has been an active member for an average of 6 months as this gives the SACCO sufficient customer behavior history.

MSACCO by FutureLink Technologies was featured on Day Four of 40 Days 40 FinTechs initiative, Season Five.

Run under HiPipo’s Include Everyone program that also encompasses other initiatives such as FinTech Landscape Exhibition, Women in FinTech Hackathon, Summit & Incubator, and the Digital and Financial Inclusion Summit and Digital Impact Awards Africa; the #40Days40FinTechs platform aptly provides a setting for the various players and stakeholders involved in digital and financial technology to exhibit their products and services. It also gives players a platform to share their ideas on how the unserved and underserved by the present financial systems can be brought into the fold.

With over 150 participants in the last four years, #40Days40FinTechs continues to be the world’s premier showcase event for innovations that are enabling underserved populations to join the digital economy space. We know that this can only get better owing to the inspiration and collaboration of our partners; Level One Project, Mojaloop Foundation, INFITX, Cyberplc Academy, Ideation Corner, and Crosslake Technologies. Most importantly, the initiative owes its continued success to the generous support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Edusat ERP is using FinTech to improve Education. #40Days40FinTechs Season 5 Day 3

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Edusat ERP is using FinTech to improve Education. #40Days40FinTechs Season 5 Day 3

Eurosat Group continues to innovatively use technology to serve the underserved and unserved. Among its solutions is a Financial Management system that supports Savings and Credit Co-operatives (SACCOs) mainly those that run the Islamic finance business model.

It’s latest innovation is Edusat ERP; a robust School Management platform designed for Academic institutions of all levels. It offers features for managing Academic records, Finance records, discipline records, budgets, staff, and sickbay records, streamlining Administrative tasks and enhancing efficiency.

“We have developed Edusat ERP which combines both FinTech and EduTech. We are looking at providing a complete solution that enables schools engage parents and also manage their day to day processes like finances and academics. Edusat is an academic ERP. ERP to mean enterprise resource planning system. Edusat has so many resources within it. These include finance – school fees, accounting, payrolls and other components. It also has the academic model that is able to manage and flexibly try to integrate a number of curriculums that are being provided in the Uganda education system,” Mr. Alawi Mutebi, the Founder and CEO of Eurosat Group said, adding;

“Edusat is integrated with different school fees payment systems so parents can pay fees and schools receive it directly in addition to following up on their kids’ performance. We have created a mobile APP through which parents can access the Edusat platform. After we enroll a school on to this platform, each parent that downloads the APP and registers is automatically mapped to their kids’ education details – finances and academics. We have so far onboarded over 20 schools with each school having an average of 500 students. Our target is to onboard more than 100 schools by the end of the year.”

Mr. Mutebi highlighted that even though Uganda is still a fresh ground for innovators, limited awareness, high internet and devices costs are the main obstacles to mass uptake and usage of digital solutions.

He noted that active collaborations among industry players are key to curing most of these obstacles and positively impact society.

Edusat by Eurosat Group was featured on Day Three of 40 Days 40 FinTechs initiative, Season Five.

Run under HiPipo’s Include Everyone program that also encompasses other initiatives such as FinTech Landscape Exhibition, Women in FinTech Hackathon, Summit & Incubator, and the Digital and Financial Inclusion Summit and Digital Impact Awards Africa; the #40Days40FinTechs platform aptly provides a setting for the various players and stakeholders involved in digital and financial technology to exhibit their products and services. It also gives players a platform to share their ideas on how the unserved and underserved by the present financial systems can be brought into the fold.

With over 150 participants in the last four years, #40Days40FinTechs continues to be the world’s premier showcase event for innovations that are enabling underserved populations to join the digital economy space. We know that this can only get better owing to the inspiration and collaboration of our partners; Level One Project, Mojaloop Foundation, INFITX, Cyberplc Academy, Ideation Corner, and Crosslake Technologies. Most importantly, the initiative owes its continued success to the generous support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Faras is transforming riding-hailing services. #40Days40FinTechs Season 5 Day 2

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Faras is transforming riding-hailing services. #40Days40FinTechs Season 5 Day 2

Technology continues to change how different businesses are done. Before the twenty-first century, it was unheard of for one to order for a motorbike or car, get picked from their location and be taken to a place of his/her choice.

But with technology, several innovations have been brought onto the market. In the last decade, ride-hailing platforms have become popular among travelers as they offer convenience, are pocket friendly and flexible.

The latest player to come onto Uganda’s ride-hailing market is Faras Technologies; a “pioneer of the continent’s ride-hailing economy and on-demand transport services.”

Faras operates both a customers and drivers/captains’ APPs. Captains are enrolled using the drivers’ APP, and trained before they start providing travel services, while customers only need to download the customers’ APP on Google Play or Apple Store and start ordering for trips.

“We have been here for two years and now looking forward to the third year and more years in Uganda and across Africa. On average, we get about 150 new customers every day in Uganda. More than 40,000 customers have downloaded our APP and are actively using it for their travel needs. As of June, 2024, we had about 25,000 captains offering car and boda boda hailing services,” Karim Katende, the Head of Marketing for Faras Technologies said.

He added; “Minus Uganda, we also operate in Kenya, Tanzania, Sudan, and Ethiopia while looking to expand to other countries. Transactions with our Captains are all cashless. We are upgrading our platform to roll out cashless payments for customers, cashbacks, and other gifts before the end of this year.

Faras Technologies has featured on Day Two of 40 Days 40 FinTechs initiative, Season Five.

Run under HiPipo’s Include Everyone program that also encompasses other initiatives such as FinTech Landscape Exhibition, Women in FinTech Hackathon, Summit & Incubator, and the Digital and Financial Inclusion Summit and Digital Impact Awards Africa; the #40Days40FinTechs platform aptly provides a setting for the various players and stakeholders involved in digital and financial technology to exhibit their products and services. It also gives players a platform to share their ideas on how the unserved and underserved by the present financial systems can be brought into the fold.

“We are happy to kick off Season Five of 40 Days 40 FinTechs. Last year, we focused on end-user experiences and this year, we will focus on the innovativeness of the FinTechs. We are going to have candid discussions with FinTechs about their innovations and latest upgrades and what impact they envision these products and services and upgrades will have on their customers,” Innocent Kawooya, the HiPipo Chief Executive Officer noted.

With over 150 participants in the last four years, #40Days40FinTechs continues to be the world’s premier showcase event for innovations that are enabling underserved populations to join the digital economy space. We know that this can only get better owing to the inspiration and collaboration of our partners; Level One Project, Mojaloop Foundation, INFITX, Cyberplc Academy, Ideation Corner, and Crosslake Technologies. Most importantly, the initiative owes its continued success to the generous support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

AgriShare is helping farmers use Solar Energy for Irrigation. #40Days40FinTechs Season 5 Day 1

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AgriShare is helping farmers use Solar Energy for Irrigation. #40Days40FinTechs Season 5 Day 1

Season Five of the annual HiPipo 40 Days 40 FinTechs initiative has kicked off with AgriShare; an Agric-tech platform that is using financial technology to transform the fortunes of more than 100,000 farmers and core agriculture stakeholders.

AgriShare’s latest intervention is a Buy-Now, Pay-Later model for irrigation equipment. Aimed at curing the ills caused by drought, this model enables farmers to buy or use solar-powered irrigation equipment on credit and pay in instalments.  

“Last year, we launched the solar project which allows farmers to utilize solar energy-powered equipment to irrigate their crops. This is a cost-friendly model for farmers as they don’t need to buy fuel; plus solar energy is environment friendly,” Caroline Nalubwama, the AgriShare Hub Manager for Luweero noted, adding;

“We also have the pay-as-you-go model focused on the irrigation pumps. Farmers that want to own the irrigation pumps and other equipment can pay in installments. This helps them to own the equipment at affordable prices. Most of the farmers pay digitally while some still use cash.”

Nalubwama appeals to the youth to actively take part in Agriculture noting that the industry is profitable, fashionable, and marketable.

“Uganda is an agro-based economy, with the industry employing over 70 per cent of Ugandans. The young people need to seize the opportunities presented by agriculture and use them to grow the economy. At AgriShare, we are here to support farmers and everyone interested in investing in farming. We have offices in Luweero (Central Region), Buwenge (Eastern Uganda) and Nwoya(Northern Uganda). We intend to open more offices in Western Uganda and other parts of the country,” Nalubwama noted. 

Run under HiPipo’s Include Everyone program that also encompasses other initiatives such as FinTech Landscape Exhibition, Women in FinTech Hackathon, Summit & Incubator, and the Digital and Financial Inclusion Summit and Digital Impact Awards Africa; the #40Days40FinTechs platform aptly provides a setting for the various players and stakeholders involved in digital and financial technology to exhibit their products and services. It also gives players a platform to share their ideas on how the unserved and underserved by the present financial systems can be brought into the fold.

“We are happy to kick off Season Five of 40 Days 40 FinTechs. Last year, we focused on end-user experiences and this year, we will focus on the innovativeness of the FinTechs. We are going to have candid discussions with FinTechs about their innovations and latest upgrades and what impact they envision these products and services and upgrades will have on their customers,” Innocent Kawooya, the HiPipo Chief Executive Officer noted. With over 150 participants in the last four years, #40Days40FinTechs continues to be the world’s premier showcase event for innovations that are enabling underserved populations to join the digital economy space. We know that this can only get better owing to the inspiration and collaboration of our partners; Level One Project, Mojaloop Foundation, INFITX, Cyberplc Academy, Ideation Corner and Crosslake Technologies. Most importantly, the initiative owes its continued success to the generous support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Introducing Mr. Henry Lutwama: HiPipo, Board Vice Chair, Partnerships and Diplomacy

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Introducing Mr. Henry Lutwama: HiPipo, Board Vice Chair, Partnerships and Diplomacy

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Mr. Henry Lutwama as the HiPIpo, Board Vice Chair, Partnerships and Diplomacy. Mr. Lutwama is a notable leader with a diverse career spanning various sectors, including urban management, youth empowerment, and cultural preservation. His dedication to advancing digital literacy, promoting financial inclusion, and establishing sustainable education programs makes him a valuable addition to our board.

Mr. Lutwama brings a wealth of experience from his extensive professional background. For the past three years, he has been the Senior Political Assistant to the Minister of ICT and National Guidance, playing a major role in shaping ICT policies and programs in Uganda. His strategic insights and ability to coordinate political and administrative activities have contributed to the Ministry’s successes.

Prior to his tenure with the Ministry, Mr. Lutwama held several positions at the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA). His work in urban management, particularly in youth empowerment within the Kampala Capital City Authority, has left a lasting impact. Additionally, his five-year role as Youth Councillor showcased his dedication to initiatives focused on empowering youth.

Mr. Lutwama’s leadership extends beyond urban management and government roles. He served as Chairperson of the Gender and Community Services Committee at the Rubaga Division Urban Council, overseeing initiatives to improve welfare and gender equality. In his three years as Executive Secretary for Finance, Administration, and Human Resources, he ensured efficient and effective service delivery, contributing to the community’s overall well-being.

As a co-founder of Manya Ekika Kyo, Mr. Lutwama has been instrumental in helping the Baganda people understand their totems through digital tools. His innovative approach led to the development of local caller tunes, which have become some of the best-selling cultural content on telecom platforms. Additionally, through Decent Africa, an organisation where he is a co-founder, Mr Lutwama has promoted solid cultural values and women empowerment, focusing on the decency of fashion and the minds of women and girls.

Mr. Lutwama’s commitment to social causes is further exemplified by his leadership in the Poverty Eradication Mission with Clan Leaders, where he spearheaded a mission to raise significant funds for poverty eradication. His role in co-founding the Busolya Education Fund and the Bataka Mutindo Sacco has been key in promoting education and financial literacy within the Bataka community.

Mr. Lutwama holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Professional Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, a Bachelor of International Relations and Diplomatic Studies and a Bachelor of Mass Communication from Makerere University, further strengthening his credentials for this distinguished role. His multilingual abilities complement his extensive skill set, which includes leadership, cultural preservation, youth empowerment, and strategic planning.

We are confident that Mr. Lutwama’s appointment as Board Vice Chair, Partnerships and Diplomacy, will lead to the forging of strong partnerships and advancing our noble mission. His visionary leadership and deep commitment to community development will enrich our organisation and drive us toward even more extraordinary achievements.

Please join us in extending a warm and gracious welcome to Mr. Henry Lutwama as he assumes this critical and impactful role.

40 Days 40 FinTechs kicks off with Registration of Participants

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40 Days 40 FinTechs kicks off with Registration of Participants

We are happy to announce that registration for the fifth season of the annual HiPipo 40 Days 40 FinTechs initiative has opened. The HiPipo 40 Days 40 FinTechs initiative has undoubtedly set the Innovation and Financial Inclusion bar very high; particularly showcasing both the time and lifesaving abilities of Financial Technology.

Although the 2020 and 2021 seasons ran in the middle of the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic, they laid the groundwork for this project with more than 200 submissions and about 85 participants altogether. The third edition, which ran in 2022, was bigger and better as it focused on the East African region. Some 47 participants, drawn from Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania were featured, out of more than 150 submissions. The fourth season outshone all the previous editions as it focused on end-user experiences of FinTech customers. From Kampala to Lwengo, to Nakasongola, to Gulu, to Arua, to Lira, to Mbale, to Sheema, to Kabale, end-users shared how financial technology had transformed their lives, businesses and communities alike.

Run under HiPipo’s Include Everyone program that also encompasses other initiatives such as FinTech Landscape Exhibition, Women in FinTech Hackathon, Summit & Incubator, and the Digital and Financial Inclusion Summit and Digital Impact Awards Africa; the #40Days40FinTechs platform aptly provides a setting for the various players and stakeholders involved in digital and financial technology to exhibit their products and services. It also gives players a platform to share their ideas on how the unserved and underserved by the present financial systems can be brought into the fold.

“We are happy to kick off Season Five of 40 Days 40 FinTechs. Last year, we focused on end-user experiences and this year, we will focus on the innovativeness of the FinTechs. We are going to have candid discussions with FinTechs about their innovations and latest upgrades and what impact they envision these products and services and upgrades will have on their customers,” Innocent Kawooya, the HiPipo Chief Executive Officer noted.

He added: “We shall seek to find out how affordable, available, accessible and equitable these innovations are. Importantly, we look forward to finding out how safe and secure these FinTech solutions are.”

With over 150 participants in the last four years, #40Days40FinTechs continues to be the world’s premier showcase event for innovations that are enabling underserved populations to join the digital economy space. We know that this can only get better owing to the inspiration and collaboration of our partners; Level One Project, Mojaloop Foundation, INFITX, Cyberplc Academy, Ideation Corner and Crosslake Technologies. Most importantly, the initiative owes its continued success to the generous support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Now is the time for Digital Innovators and FinTechs from all over Uganda to submit their registration details before 30th July, 2024 to stand a chance to participate in 40 Days 40 FinTechs Season Five. Participation is on a first-come, first-serve basis as long as your submission meets all the participation requirements.

Important Dates.

40 Days 40 FinTechs Registration: 15th to 30th July, 2024. Register here.

Profiling and Featuring 40 Days 40 FinTechs Participants:  5th August to 20th September, 2024.

FinTech Landscape Exhibition: 27th September, 2024.

Women Entrepreneurs tipped on the Power of Networking.

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Women Entrepreneurs tipped on the Power of Networking.

It was all pomp and colour at the 2024 Women Entrepreneurship Celebrations. Held on 5th July at MoTIV, Kampala, the event brought together over 100 Women Entrepreneurs that were recognized for their exemplary contribution to developing Uganda’s Entrepreneurship ecosystem. 

Organized by the Ideation Corner Foundation in partnership with HiPipo and Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Organisation (WEDO), the annual Women Entrepreneurship Celebration recognized exceptional women entrepreneurs leading Uganda’s transformation. It gave young and upcoming women innovators an unparalleled chance to network with already established entrepreneurs; and also celebrated milestones that women founders and business leaders have accomplished over the years.

The 2024 edition was much bigger; giving the lucky participants a chance to network, learn, unlearn and re-learn from one another.

While delivering her keynote speech, Ms. Ruth Sebatindira, the Founder of Ligomarc Advocates noted that her more than two decades’ long entrepreneurship experience has taught her that networking is at the center of business success as it is through such engagements that knowledge is shared, business ideas brainstormed, beefed up and implemented. She thus challenged the Women Entrepreneurs to take on networking as a positive business development activity.

“Networking is not a one-day event, it’s a long-term relationship. Establish expertise and credibility in your field, then network intentionally – over lunch, dinner, or a gym session. Use networking to build meaningful connections that open doors to new opportunities,” she said.  

Meanwhile, Ambassador Damali Ssali, the Founder Ideation Corner and also WEDO Ambassador for Uganda noted that the over 100 participants for 2024 were shortlisted from more than 300 Women Entrepreneurs that showed interest in participating in this year’s event through online submissions.

“It is a pleasure to see you all today as we celebrate women entrepreneurs at the Ideation Corner. I am happy to see so many of you taking time out of your busy schedules to join us. As we mark this special occasion, I’m proud to reflect on our growth over the years. From 25 women entrepreneurs at our first celebration to 50 at our second, and now 100 today, we’re making progress! My goal is to see 1,000 women entrepreneurs at our next celebration – yes, I always aim high!” Damali Ssali noted.

She used the same opportunity to announce that as part of Ideation Corner’s continuous efforts to support Entrepreneurs, it was partnering with WEDO to offer a free an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Empowerment program, targeting the first 100 women that will register digitally.

“Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing business, and I’m excited to announce that the Ideation Corner, in partnership with WEDO, is launching an AI Empowerment Program specifically designed for women entrepreneurs in Uganda. This 6-week course will cover AI applications in small businesses, branding, data analysis, customer engagement, marketing, and sales,” she said, adding;

“Participants will gain practical skills in using AI tools like ChatGPT, chatbots, and data analysis platforms. By joining this program, women entrepreneurs will gain a deeper understanding of AI technologies, develop practical skills, and learn how to leverage AI to enhance their brand identity, improve customer engagement, and drive business growth.”

Additionally, Doreen Nanfuka, the HiPipo Senior Programs Officer noted that honoring Women Entrepreneurs is a step in the right direction and called upon other stakeholders to generously support initiatives such as Women Entrepreneurship Celebration and Women in FinTech program, as these contribute strongly to closing the gender diversity gap in business.

The 2024 edition built on the success of previous celebrations over the years. The inaugural Women Entrepreneurship Celebration was held in 2021 at the Stanbic Business Incubator, Kololo where up to 25 Women Entrepreneurs attended. 

The second edition took a dinner theme held on December 17th, 2022 at Kampala Serena Hotel, attracting up to 50 Women Entrepreneurs who each had a chance to pitch their businesses, share experiences and mutually celebrate each other’s accomplishments.

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