Uganda Christian University Innovation Hub Mbale
Who are we?
We are an innovations Hub based at Uganda Christian University, Mbale University College, who’s among other aims is to support and encourage innovation and entrepreneurship in the region, create a platform for bright-minded individuals to network and develop solutions to problems in the societies from which they come from.
What do we do?
The UCU innovations Hub started off with the sole aim of providing a place/platform for the Mentorship /Training of Students and the Community. The place was also among other things, providing technical, business and financial support to innovations as well as being the place for idea generation and development. Central to our vision is the understanding that our Communities are imbued with endless ideas that can help rebuild this country and create order in every sector.
Innovation has become the greatest driving force for development. Our world today is not only dynamic but interconnected and the internet has become central to the life of every society. Automation, therefore, is the way forward for any community. In the confluence of the new technologies the region still lags behind not so much for the lack of innovations but rather a platform for self-expression technologically
The innovations Hub seeks to answer this need and help create an ecosystem of innovators, idea bearers, investors, and partners.
How do we do it ?
Our hubs promote and facilitate socioeconomic development and provide more effective, efficient and sustainable solutions by enabling social innovation.
We focus not only on solutions that create societal value but also processes aimed at community engagement with planning and decision-making to increase the sense of community ownership and foster transitioning towards holistic and sustainable city-making
We embrace the principles of open innovation to advance the development of solutions with respect to the breadth of ideas, opportunities, and know-how, as well as to evolve business models and investment strategies.
Our framework has significant potential to stimulate business innovation, by creating a constant flow of ideas between entrepreneurs, investors, city innovators and cutting-edge expertise coming from science and research. Unlocking a broader roll out of solutions has the added value of making urban areas more open to fostering behavioral change, to promote the re-connection of citizens with innovating their communities and building resilience in our city.
some of the projects that we have worked on include:
Biroto Internship Program
An internship is a crucial component of any academic institution, as it helps shape and prepare students for the job market. It serves as the starting point of their careers, instilling values such as integrity, ethics, resilience, and teamwork spirit, which hold them accountable for their actions. However, if done poorly, students may suffer from low self-esteem, lack of experience, and noncompetitiveness, leading them to explore alternative paths instead of pursuing their fields of study. My ultimate goal is to ensure that the students under my supervision graduate with a broad range of experiences.
The objective behind this program was to establish a mutually beneficial relationship between the interns/mentees and the organizations/mentors, allowing them to engage in hands-on experiences and explore the latest technologies, respectively. Unlike other internships where students play a passive role in regular activities, this program ensures that the students are actively involved in the organization’s operations and trusted with responsibilities to accomplish tasks.
The impact of this program has been truly impressive. The interns have been given opportunities to represent their organizations at symposiums, participate in planning processes, and carry out field activities. It is incredible to witness them advocating for issues such as gender-based violence and the rights of children living with disabilities. Moreover, the interns have provided valuable recommendations to these organizations, enhancing work efficiencies by suggesting the use of certain tools.
Additionally, this program has facilitated partnerships between the university and these organizations, with a commitment to enrolling more students in internships. We have expanded our internship placement opportunities, reaching a wider geographical scope, including locations like Jinja, Moroto, and Kotido.
I would like to express my gratitude to the organizations that have hosted our students, including GIZ-Civil Peace Service/CPS in Soroti, Civil Society Uganda Support Programme (CUSP) in Mbale/Moroto Hub, Integrated Disabled Women Activities (IDIWA), Kolir Women Development Organization (KOWDO), Karamoja Women Umbrella Organization (KAWUO), Eastern Archdiocesan Development Network (EADEN), Uganda Muslim Rural Development Association (UMURDA), Poverty Alleviation and Community Development Foundation (PACODEF), Teso Anti-Corruption Coalition (TAC), Mbale City Council (MSS), Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), Jenga, Comprehensive High School, and Post Bank.
The university is grateful to the European Union for its support in developing the skills of young people, and we are committed to continuing this journey together.
Students and Civil Society organizations have a focus group interaction on their expectations.
25 students have so far benefited from the programme
HI-INNOVATOR PROJECT REPORT
The NSSF H-innovator initiative seeks to support youth, small and medium-size businesses to sustainably grow through entrepreneurship education, funding, and technical support. Under the Hi-innovator initiative, NSSF and its partners will link potentially profitable and sustainable businesses that can drive positive social change and returns to investment with funding of up to Uganda shillings 35 billion over a period of five years. Through this initiative, the fund will also convene potential local and foreign stakeholders in Uganda that can invest in the potential of local entrepreneurship.
GOALS OF THE HI-INNOVATOR INITIATIVE
Uganda Christian University, Mbale Innovation Hub, is one of the incubate hub partners , the NSSF hi-innovator program, and its mandate in the program is to Identify businesses, incubate, register them onto the NSSF business academy and help them go through it thus, approve their work, register them onto the accelerator and help them generate pitch decks, business plans and teasers to pitch in front of the Investment Commitment, provide Business Development Services (BDS), do due diligence services onto the businesses, reports, e t c
UCU, Mbale Innovation Hub has so far interacted with and incubated over 300 businesses under this program and 152 and in the pipeline for (BDS) support thus, being funded.
In cohort one, Uganda Christian University, Mbale Innovation Hub had three businesses and two businesses managed to convince the Investment Committee thus, winning the funding of 30,000 USD of which the last tranche of funding was given to them 2rd December 2022.
1- Eloru Associates Limited
2- Nicho Ventures Limited
In Cohort two the program decided to give businesses 20,000 USD and the hub managed to incubate seven businesses though five managed to convince the Investment Commitment thus, winning the fund of 20,000USD, the following are the businesses
1-Huram Media And Logistics
2-Mama Cash Limited
3-Bugiri Female Youth Tailoring and Designing Association
4-Tecoma
5-Asedi Agric Services
In the third cohort, UCU Mbale Innovation Hub had 10 businesses presented to the Program Investment Committee and 7 managed to convince the committee, thus win funding of upto USD 20,000, the following below are the businesses
THIRD COHORT
In the third cohort, UCU Mbale Innovation Hub had 16 businesses presented to the Program Investment Committee and 12 managed to convince the committee, thus win funding of upto USD 20,000, the following below are the businesses.UCU Presentation – light
