Uganda’s emerging entrepreneurs took centre stage in Kampala as the GEC+ Uganda 2026 Pitch Competition created a national platform for startups to present their solutions, connect with entrepreneurship stakeholders and compete for the opportunity to represent the country at GEC+ Africa 2026.
Held on Friday, 29 May 2026, at the Enterprise Uganda Business Development Services Centre of Excellence in Butabika, the national finals brought together startup founders, government representatives, innovation leaders, entrepreneurship support organizations and other ecosystem stakeholders. The competition was organized by GEN Uganda in partnership with Enterprise Uganda, 22 On Sloane/GEN Africa HQ and the Global Entrepreneurship Network.
Creating a Pathway for Ugandan Startups
The competition formed part of the wider GEC+ Africa initiative, which promotes innovation, strengthens entrepreneurship ecosystems and encourages collaboration among entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, ecosystem builders and support institutions across the continent.
For Uganda, the national pitch competition served both as an entrepreneurship showcase and a selection platform. It was designed to identify promising ventures, increase their visibility and connect local entrepreneurs to broader continental opportunities.
The event also reflected the growing diversity of Uganda’s startup ecosystem. Nine finalists successfully pitched businesses drawn from manufacturing, fintech, technology, healthtech, energy, greentech and agriculture. Their participation demonstrated that innovation in Uganda is emerging across both digital and traditional sectors and addressing a wide range of commercial and development challenges.
Leadership Perspectives on Entrepreneurship and Growth
The programme opened with remarks from Mrs. Mary Odongo, Managing Director of GEN Uganda, who welcomed the founders and ecosystem stakeholders and highlighted the importance of platforms that promote entrepreneurship and innovation-driven enterprise development.
Her remarks established the competition as more than a final-stage contest. It was also a space for entrepreneurs to gain confidence, present their ideas publicly and become more visible within Uganda’s business support ecosystem.
Ms. Carmen Rudd, GEC+ Africa Lead, delivered the Chief Guest address and situated the national competition within the wider GEC+ Africa framework. She highlighted the value of cross-border collaboration and the opportunities available to founders through continental exposure and stronger engagement with Africa’s entrepreneurship networks.
Government support for enterprise development was reinforced by Mr. Johnson Abitekaniza, Assistant Commissioner for Business Development Services at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives. Speaking on behalf of the Government of Uganda, he acknowledged the contribution of entrepreneurs and private-sector actors to economic development and reiterated the importance of creating an enabling environment in which MSMEs can grow.
Mr. Sam Iga Zinunula, Chairperson of the GEN Uganda Board, focused his remarks on the need to build stronger and more investable startup pipelines. He encouraged entrepreneurs to develop scalable business models capable of attracting investment and international attention.
Together, the addresses connected the immediate competition to larger questions of business growth, investment readiness, public policy and Uganda’s participation in Africa’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Nine Startups Pitch Across Diverse Sectors
The central activity of the day was the live startup pitch competition, during which the finalists presented their ventures before a panel of judges.
The businesses that pitched were:
- Helton Traders Limited
- PAYTOTA
- UV-SAFISHA Water Purifiers
- Canine Safaris Ltd
- Impala Healthtech Research
- Dada Innovations, trading as Simply Hers
- Kyuka Ventures Innovation Hub
- Green Creek Eco Farm Ltd.
- AVAL Agroecology Limited
The breadth of sectors represented showed the range of ideas being developed by Ugandan entrepreneurs—from financial and health technologies to clean energy, agriculture, manufacturing and environmental solutions.
The pitching process provided the founders with an opportunity to communicate their business models, explain the challenges they are addressing and demonstrate the potential of their solutions before an audience that included entrepreneurship and business-development stakeholders.
Helton Traders Limited Emerges as National Winner
Following the adjudication process, Helton Traders Limited was announced as the overall winner of the GEC+ Uganda 2026 Pitch Competition.
The company received UGX 2,000,000 and secured the opportunity to represent Uganda at the GEC+ Africa 2026 Conference in Cape Town, South Africa.
Kyuka Ventures Innovation Hub was named first runner-up and received UGX 1,500,000, while Dada Innovations, trading as Simply Hers, finished as second runner-up and received UGX 1,000,000.
The winners’ image on page nine of the activity report captures the three enterprises alongside event leaders and partners holding their award cheques, marking one of the day’s defining moments.
Helton Traders Limited’s selection represents an important next step in connecting a Ugandan enterprise to a wider continental platform. It also provides visibility for Uganda’s startup ecosystem within a network that brings together founders and entrepreneurship stakeholders from across Africa.
Strengthening Uganda’s Entrepreneurship Ecosystem
The event produced outcomes beyond the selection of a national representative.
It increased visibility for participating startups, strengthened interaction among entrepreneurship stakeholders and reinforced the recognition of entrepreneurship as a driver of economic transformation. It also raised awareness of opportunities available through continental entrepreneurship platforms.
The audience brought together founders, government representatives, innovation leaders and support organizations, creating an environment for networking and continued ecosystem engagement.
For GEN Uganda, the competition advanced its role in connecting entrepreneurs to opportunities, networks and platforms that can support business development. Enterprise Uganda’s involvement also placed the event within a wider business-development context, linking startup innovation to institutional support for enterprise growth.
Looking Ahead to GEC+ Africa 2026
The GEC+ Uganda 2026 Pitch Competition demonstrated the importance of providing entrepreneurs with credible platforms to present their work and connect with wider networks.
As Helton Traders Limited prepares to represent Uganda at GEC+ Africa 2026, the national finals have already contributed to a broader objective: ensuring that promising Ugandan enterprises are visible within national and continental entrepreneurship conversations.
GEN Uganda will continue to highlight entrepreneurship opportunities and support initiatives that connect Ugandan founders to markets, partnerships, knowledge and networks across Africa.
