Capacity Building

Capacity
Building

Young population needs job creation and opportunities, digital innovation offers a
platform for starting businesses, developing skills, and accessing new markets. The role
of academia, industry, and the entrepreneurship ecosystem is crucial in advancing
digital innovation and entrepreneurship.

The Objective

To Train and equip young innovators and budding entrepreneurs at universities across the seven EAC Partner States (Burundi, Kenya, DR Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda), to establish sustainable business models, gain access to knowledge and tools needed to operate and scale up their Startup ventures.

Overview

The Innovators will go through a 2-week intensive innovation and entrepreneurship
training boot camps for young innovators in all seven EAC Partner States to support
their development of new and existing digital innovations, from ideation, prototyping to
scale-up and commercialization for further sustainability and advancement in the
entrepreneurship journey.

Outputs

Tailored Coaching Sessions
Tailored Mentorship Sessions
Linkages to East African Innovation Ecosystem
Cross-Border Innovation Study Tours

Components

The Training Modules include:

Design Thinking
Business Model
Marketing
Sales and Negotiation
Financial Accounting
Commercialization
Intellectual Property and Protection

Quote

"Digital innovation is a key driver for entrepreneurship and job creation in East Africa."

Dr. Bitange Ndemo.

Mentorship

Our mentorship program boasts a team of seasoned experts dedicated to nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs. Each mentor brings a wealth of experience and a diverse skill set to the table. they are commitment to unlocking the full potential of our entrepreneurs

Derick Kainan Omona

Great work from all the team members and facilitators. The workshops really made me visualize in a more detailed perspective. Everything is good just look forward to more engaging sessions in the future. Great and amazing work. Looking forward to learning more from this boot camps.

Elvis Kadhama

My name is Elvis Kadhama, Co-founder and CEO of Essymart Africa an Agricultural Technology startup that empowers smallholder farmers with access to quality seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, extension services and marketing linkages through the use of Web App. My participation in the “Digital Skills for an Innovative East African Industry” is phenomenal as I and my Co-founders have gained access to knowledge and tools needed to operate Essymart and scale up to growth and investment, got connected to mentorship, coaching and peer-to-peer learnings. Through the Dskills@EA , I got guidance on financial and business planning, investor readiness, and sustainability for digital innovation.

Mukama Daniella Kokusiima

Participating in the dSkills@EA Program has been an incredibly enriching experience. The comprehensive sessions and coaching on projects have significantly enhanced my digital skills and practical knowledge. The program's supportive community and expert guidance have been instrumental in developing my commercial knowledge in regards to digital innovation. I highly recommend this program to anyone looking to advance their digital competencies and career prospects.

Charles Rubangakene

Following a training on the BMC I had to make a ton of changes and had to rethink the idea I formerly presented and come up with something more workable. Thanks for you for this wonderful opportunity to better our entrepreneurial journeys.

Meet the hub leaders

Dr Bernadette Mutinda PhD

Kenya Country Manager
E4impact Foundation

Berry Numbi

General Director of the Centre d'innovation de Lubumbashi
(Cinolu)

Denaya Dennis Manoah

Founder Koneta Hub
Country Coordinator
South Sudan

Gatare Libere

Founder of Aclis Hub and Project Cordinator
Burundi

Hausa Lightbourne

Country Manager E4impact
Rwanda

Joseph Mwanyika 2

Co- CEO Ennovate Ventures
Tanzania

Louisa Kamau

Country Manager E4impact
Uganda

Mercy Kimalat

ASSEK CEO
Kenya

Our Partners

Industry Mentorship Series

Branding for early - stage startups webinar

The “Innovators Sprint Up Programme: Industry Mentorship Series” webinar on August 6th, 2024 (5:00 pm – 6:00 pm EAT), features Maryanne Njunguna, Community Manager at She Code Africa Nairobi. The session is focused on Branding for Early-Stage Startups, providing insights into the latest trends and strategies successful young founders use to establish their brand identity. Registration is available through the provided link or QR code.

Sales and B2B for Products and Services webinar

The “Innovators Sprint Up Programme: Industry Mentorship Series” webinar on August 13th, 2024 (4:00 pm – 5:00 pm EAT), features Edna Onyach, Co-Founder of Live Your Dream Enterprises Ltd. The session focuses on Sales and B2B for Products and Services for Early-Stage Innovators, offering practical insights to help startups navigate B2B strategies. Registration is available via the provided link or QR code.