Feminature Uganda has partnered with Delaware State University to implement the Entrepreneurship Incubation Garage Uganda dubbed ‘Garage’ that is designed to support and incubate at least 100 innovation ideas into scalable market products. The Garage is implemented under Delaware State University’s College of Business with the support of the U.S Mission in Uganda.
The mission of the Global Entrepreneurship Education Initiative of the College of Business (COB) at Delaware State University (DSU) is to provide entrepreneurship education in emerging and developing countries, to contribute to the emergence of local entrepreneurs.
Through The DSU Garage (the COB’s innovation and maker’s space), and the Delaware
Center for Enterprise Development (DCED), the COB will offer the Entrepreneurship
Incubation Garage Uganda, a curriculum tailored to current and prospective entrepreneurs in Uganda.
The role of entrepreneurship in economic growth and development has been underscored since the seminal work of Joseph Schumpeter. As a result, many countries, states, regions, and cities, have undertaken efforts to spur innovation and entrepreneurial activity by creating entrepreneurial ecosystems. However, African countries have lagged behind because of the lack of adequate entrepreneurship education. Hence, the purpose of this program, which is part of the Global Entrepreneurship Education Initiative of the College of Business at Delaware State University, is to provide entrepreneurship education in African countries to contribute to the emergence of local entrepreneurs.
Through the Garage, the COB’s business incubator and the Delaware Center for Enterprise Development (DCED), the COB will offer a curriculum tailored to current and prospective entrepreneurs who are in the innovation stages of developing a product for their business in Uganda in partnership with Feminature Uganda.
This curriculum includes four:
1) Setting up,
2) Start-up,
3) Sustaining, and
4) Scaling up.
At the first level, participants will be trained to develop the entrepreneurial mindset so that they can eventually take the plunge of starting their own ventures. At the second level, participants with a business idea will be coached to prove their business concept, conduct a feasibility analysis, write their business plan, and develop the skills necessary to raise the funds needed to finance their ventures.
At the third level, participants will learn the skills and techniques required to successfully manage their ventures. Finally, at the fourth level, participants learn the skills required to scale their business.
Objectives
To contribute to the development of entrepreneurial skills and ecosystems in
Uganda.
To trigger a positive change of mindset for young Ugandans by creating an
opportunity for them to learn from US-best practices.
To facilitate an open market of ideas, goods and services between young Ugandan
Entrepreneurs and Ugandans.
Initiating stages of Innovation for commercialization that includes the entrepreneur
developing a product.
The project is designed for local Ugandan entrepreneurs in any of the four (4) stages of their entrepreneurship journey between 18-30 years of age.
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