MasterCard Foundation/Innovation Village Future of Work Accelerator Program 2020 for promising Technology Startups

The Innovation Village in collaboration with MasterCard Foundation is launching an Accelerator program that will support promising technology startups to increase workforce access, readiness and success.

The Innovation Village is looking for promising startups that are developing solutions aligned to:

Track 1- Job creation and Opportunity matching
Track 2- Leveraging technology to create jobs for all

Today job creation lies at the heart of Uganda’s development challenge. About 400,000 youths enter annually into the job market to compete for approximately 9,000 available jobs. More so, 30% of the qualified youths are unable to find jobs, and the situation is even worse for semi-skilled and unskilled youths.
The causes of unemployment in Uganda are believed to be multifaceted, ranging from low skilled workers, lack of market-ready skills to match the evolving nature of work, and inadequate investment/supply side of jobs.

The Thinking

The future of work offers unparalleled opportunities in form of new technological advances and a stream of new business, upon which human capital can be leveraged to create faster job growth and inclusion outcomes in Uganda. 

The Innovation Village in collaboration with MasterCard Foundation is launching an Accelerator program that will support promising technology startups to increase workforce access, readiness and success.

Requirements

promising startups that can develop solutions aligned to the following challenge theme areas.

Job creation and Opportunity matching 

• Making invisible jobs visible.
• New stream of business that create jobs opportunities for hundreds of thousands of youth.
• Innovative business models that accelerate entrepreneurship.
• Deliver opportunities to youth from under-represented backgrounds to real-world of work and support networks.
• Link exceptional graduates and undergraduate students with Uganda’s leading organizations through internships, volunteer and training opportunities.

You may also check:

• 2020 PD Summer Internship Programme at the United Nations World Food Programme
• Education for Sustainable Energy Development (ESED) Scholarship Program 2020/2021
• World Health Organization (WHO) Internship Programme 2020/2021

Benefits:

Pre- seed funding

Startups accepted into the program will be offered up to $ 25,000 in pre seed funding.

Mentors and Networks

Connections to impact investors, business leaders, social enterprises and strategic partners

Free working space

As part of the program, you will be offered free working space at The Innovation Village.

Peer Learning

Work alongside and learn from peer entrepreneurs around the Country

Extensive one-on-one training

Startups will get intensive one-on-one business training from experienced serial entrepreneurs.

Continued Support

Post-accelerator support with growth strategy, ecosystem connections through the CDA network, and peer advisory.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY