Opening a restaurant is a dream that many people share, but only a few are able to turn it into a successful reality. The restaurant industry is known for being...
Not every entrepreneur faces the same barriers. While some struggle to access financing, others—like Ian Clarke—have found ways to navigate the system and unlock new opportunities. After stepping away from...
For three decades, the mobile phone has been an evolving cornerstone of Uganda’s landscape, consistently defying obsolescence. Far from being a mere communication device, it has seamlessly integrated into the…
Diana Nabukenya Adeyemi, Co-founder and CEO of Richland Foods Ltd, is the trailblazing entrepreneur behind the Yo ‘Nyama brand — a fast-growing network of halal butchery kitchens in Uganda. Her...
When Olga Kiconco finished her Bachelor’s Degree in Telecom Engineering at a university in Malaysia in 2013, she knew it was time to look for jobs. But when she came back to Uganda, she was hit by the innovation bug. She started a cyber security firm with a couple of friends. They set up shop at Hive Colab, and this is where she started diving a little bit deeper into the startup world. Unknown to Olga, this was not just a pitstop for her, but it would be her trade for the foreseeable future. Upon finishing her Master’s in International…
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According to the Internet Poverty Index, produced by the World Data Labs and supported by the Internet Society Foundation, 31 million Ugandans can not afford the Internet or live under the Internet poverty line in 2023. This makes Uganda, the country with the 6th biggest number of people that can not afford the internet, ahead of China (29m) and Mozambique (27m), but just below Indonesia (34m) and Tanzania (41m). What do we mean by Internet Poverty, in this context? The internet is considered a basic right due to its significance in today’s world. It provides access to vast information, enabling…
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In an address to the Assembly Hall at the Paulskirche in Frankfurt, Germany on June 25, 1963, the then USA president, John F Kennedy said one of his famous quotes. “For time and the world do not stand still.” he said, “ Change is the law of life.” And change is upon us at SafeBoda. In a LinkedIn post, Rob Sanford announced his promotion to the CEO job at SafeBoda, one of Uganda’s biggest startups. (Read our story about the announcement here). A few days later, his predecessors, Co-CEOs Maxime Dieudone and Alastair Sussock confirmed the news in separate LinkedIn…
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In April 2023, Moses Musinguzi was appointed Head of Operations at SafeBoda, one of Uganda’s iconic startups heading a team of 56 people. The ride-hailing giant has a habit of promoting from within, and Moses’ case is no different. Becoming head of operations was 9 years in the making. His story with SafeBoda began in 2014 when he joined as the startup’s first-ever driver. But this promotion is not his first rodeo at overcoming odds. In fact, he has been overcoming the odds his entire life. Growing up, Moses’ life was chaotic. He is the only child of his mother,…
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African asset financing startup, M-Kopa has raised a combined equity and debt round of at least $250m, the company announced on Monday. This is one of the biggest single funding rounds raised by an African startup. M-Kopa will use this funding to continue its Africa-wide expansion and increase its 3m users in Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria. This funding round attracted Standard Bank, Africa’s largest bank by assets, who sunk $100m into the debt round. The rest of the debt round was supplied by development financial institutions the International Finance Centre (IFC), FMO which is a Dutch development Bank and British…
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In the last week of this year’s first term, I downloaded an app called Kawu. Using the app, I was able to send pocket money to a distant relative in her Senior Five at Budo SS. By just plugging in their card number, I got the image and other details of this relative. And in a flash, the transfer was made. This is not a testimony that is reserved for me. Plenty of other people can attest to enjoying these services. I engaged with a parent, who declined to be named, over a phone conversation about Kawu. A single mother,…
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Paul Graham, the founder of the highly influential Y Combinator accelerator program penned arguably his most famous essay in September 2012. In this essay, titled Startups = Growth, Paul Graham argued that startups are built to grow fast. “Being newly founded does not in itself make a company a startup. Nor is it necessary for a startup to work on technology, take venture funding, or have some sort of “exit”. The only essential thing is growth.” he argued. This mantra of hyper-growth is something that startups worldwide have followed to the dot, raising millions of dollars to capture as big…
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According to a report from the Uganda Counseling Association and the Ministry of Health, 14 million Ugandans are currently mentally sick. Essentially, this implies that in every 100 Ugandans, 35 are battling a mental disorder, most probably silently. The mental disorders can range from depression, bipolar disorder, dementia and autism among others. In Africa, Uganda ranks in the top 6 in Africa in the rates of depression (4.6% of the population) while 2.9% live with mental disorders. But these are 2017 statistics. Mental Health problems were exacerbated by COVID-19 and the ensuing lockdowns that drove more people into poverty and…
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Safeboda co-founders Maxime Dieudonne, commonly referred to as Max and Alastair Sussock, have departed their joint role as Co-CEOs of Uganda’s biggest ride-hailing startup in a surprising move that was announced by their successor on LinkedIn. The nature of their departure remains unclear at the moment. Also, it remains to be seen what this means for the third co-founder Rapa Ricky Thomson. Alastair has since transitioned into a chairman role, but Max is yet to offer an update. Max and Alastair had been Safeboda’s Co-CEOs since the founding of the startup in August 2014. They have overseen the phenomenal growth…
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As a reporter covering events and the entertainment industry in general at Chano8, an online news platform, Geoffrey Mutabazi always found himself having the same problem – his phone would run out of battery yet there was not a spot to charge from. This was the same challenge in many restaurants and bars in Kampala. He was not the only one facing this challenge, revellers were. Everyone wanted to charge-ko. When he changed roles and became a software seller at SMSONE, he got a better understanding of tech. It was during this time, while as a business student at ISBAT…
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