UICT hosts pitching, Demo day as Ugandan start-up founders are set to receive funding & participate in Japan expos.

UICT Nakawa: On 27th February 2026 , The Uganda–Japan ICT Industry Promotion Project (UJ-Connect) successfully hosted its Batch 3 Entrepreneurs’ Pitching and Demo Day at the National ICT Innovation Hub Auditorium, UICT Nakawa, marking another significant milestone in strengthening Uganda’s digital entrepreneurship ecosystem. 

The event brought together representatives from the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance (MoICT&NG), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), UICT leadership, regional ICT hub instructors, investors, mentors, judges, and ecosystem partners to witness eight promising startups pitch their innovations after four months of structured acceleration and mentorship.

A Celebration of Structured Innovation

In his welcome remarks, the Principal of UICT represented by the Institute Secretary Mr. Ambrose Bakwasiibwe, emphasized that the Demo Day was more than a pitching event, describing it as a celebration of discipline, structured learning, and execution under the Uganda–Japan ICT Industry Promotion Project .

He highlighted that innovation thrives not merely on inspiration, but on structured capacity building, institutional strengthening, and consistent execution. He further reaffirmed UICT’s commitment to strengthening human resource capacity, curriculum development, and delivery systems to ensure sustainability beyond project cycles.

Strengthening Uganda–Japan Collaboration

Speaking at the event, JICA Senior Representative Mr. Hideshi Yanashita congratulated the founders for transforming ideas into tangible concepts and encouraged them to embrace mentorship feedback as they scale their ventures.

He announced that winners would receive Proof-of-Concept (POC) funding and opportunities to participate in expos in Japan , further strengthening cross-border collaboration between Uganda and Japan.

In his keynote address, Mr. Jun Yanashita noted that UJ-Connect, launched in early 2023, has grown into a stable pipeline builder for Uganda’s startup ecosystem, supporting founders from idea-stage to post-revenue ventures .

He revealed that Batch 3 selected 15 startups from 128 applicants, with 11 completing the programme and 8 advancing to the final pitch stage.

The Startups

The eight startups that pitched during the Demo Day represent key sectors critical to Uganda’s socio-economic transformation:

• Agri-tech: Essymart Africa and Microvest (U) Ltd

• Education: Twahirah Islamic Center and Edusat Pay (ERP by Eurosat Group)

• Health: Abram Group and LA-NUTRIFIN by Lyfex

• Insurance: Zelani

• Ticketing & Events: Ticketyo Technologies Ltd

Each startup delivered a five-minute pitch followed by a ten-minute Q&A session with the judges.

Awards and International Exposure

UJ-Connect awarded Proof-of-Concept grants of USD 5,000, 4,000, 3,000, and 2,000 to the top four startups.

Additionally, two founders earned an all-expenses-paid trip to Japan in April to participate in Sushi Tech Tokyo, one of Japan’s largest technology events .

These incentives are designed not merely as rewards, but as strategic investments to give startups time, space, and exposure to validate, refine, and scale their solutions.

A National Ecosystem Effort

The event also recognized the participation of 15 regional ICT instructors from Soroti, MUNI University in Arua, and Kabale, underscoring that UJ-Connect is now a nationwide initiative .

The closing remarks from Mr. Ambrose Ministry of ICT and National Guidance reaffirmed government commitment to fostering technology-driven entrepreneurship as a pillar of Uganda’s digital transformation agenda.

Building the Future

Over its three cohorts, the nine-module UJ-Connect accelerator has demonstrated that sustainable innovation requires structured mentorship, institutional capability, and strong partnerships.

As the Principal of UICT declared the Demo Day officially open, he reaffirmed UICT’s dedication to translating structured partnerships into measurable impact for Uganda’s digital economy.

The UJ-Connect Batch 3 Demo Day stands as a testament to what is possible when international collaboration, national leadership, and entrepreneurial ambition align to build the future of Uganda’s ICT industry.