HIGHLIGHTS:

The two-day event will showcase of student innovations, exhibitions of Innovations turned enterprises from the Youth4Business program led by UNDP, and a very comprehensive, insightful, and engaging program curated performances from the school of Performing Arts and Film.

The line-up of activities for the Expo include, exhibitions from all ten (10) colleges of the University and other University institutions, an Art exhibition, a fashion show curated by Axarya Trends and the Margret Trowel School of Fine Art, a medical camp, Food vendor stalls, to mention but a few.

IN DETAIL:

Makerere University and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are elated to announce the Youth and Innovation Expo 2023 held under the theme, “Fostering Innovation for Uganda’s Transformational Development” in an effort to showcase outstanding youth innovations and youth enterprise.

The Youth and Innovation Expo 2023 will be held on 6^th and 7^th October 2023 from 9:00am to 5:00pm at the Makerere University Yusuf Lule Central Teaching Facility.

The Youth and Innovation Expo 2023 is being sponsored by MTN Uganda with Start Hub Africa as the curator for all the knowledge sessions in the two-day Expo.

A BRIEF OVERVIEW:

Since its humble beginning in 1922, Makerere University has been able to transform communities and societies through its wealth of human capital, numerous research outcomes and technological innovations that have served Uganda, East Africa, Africa and the world at large. On the 6^th and 7^th of October 2023, we hope to showcase and exhibit the great strides Makerere and her alumni have taken towards Innovations and Enterprise over the last 100 years.

In 2020, the President of Uganda, H.E President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni launched the Youth4Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship Facility (Y4BF). The programme was developed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with Stanbic Bank Uganda to address the problem of youth unemployment in Uganda.

The Facility was designed to respond to the effects of COVID-19 and beyond by driving social economic transformation. This facility has been implemented through the combination of innovation, creating jobs and fostering entrepreneurship by supporting access to an integrated mix of finance products, business management skills and market access to young women and men entrepreneurs and youth-owned MSMEs.

Makerere University, being the oldest and biggest University in Uganda, is uniquely positioned to be a hub of many youth innovations through end-of-year course research projects. Together with UNDP, Makerere will showcase a number of youth innovations and youth start-ups which have successfully made the transition from research to commercial enterprises. Through this exhibition, we also hope to create viable forward and backward linkages that will facilitate the creation of jobs and foster entrepreneurship by supporting access to an integrated mix of
finance products, business management skills and market access to young women and men entrepreneurs and youth-owned MSMEs.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

The Youth and Innovation Expo 2023 will bring on board a number of activations from its sponsors, Makerere@100 partners, University Internal and External partners such as MTN Uganda, Stanbic Uganda, Bank of Uganda, Absa Bank, Bank of Uganda, Parliament of Uganda, DFCU Bank, Centenary Group, Standard Chartered Bank to mention but a few.

We have also curated a very engaging program for the two-day Youth and Innovation Expo, the program, directed by Mr. Maurice Mugisha will include an opening ceremony, a panel which will be held under the theme, “Creating opportunities for Uganda’s Young people: Moving from rhetoric to action” and five master classes.

The Master classes which are well curated knowledge sessions aimed at quipping both students and innovators with the necessary skills and hands-on knowledge for the journey of an innovator and the journey to employment for a student.

The Master classes to expect will be held under the following themes;

1. Youth and Climate action: Opportunities for youth engagement in climate action.
2. The job market of the future: The skills and innovations needed in an unpredictable world.
3. Monetizing your innovation: The journey to your 100th customer.
4. Career paths: The best career path in not always a linear one
5. Fit for finance: Experiences from unlocking finance for youth enterprise and innovation.

These master classes will all be taking place in the Yusuf Lule, Central Teaching Facility.

The two-day event will consist of a very comprehensive, insightful, and engaging program curated performances from the school of Performing Arts and Film, a showcase of student innovations, exhibitions of Innovations turned enterprises from the Youth4Business program led by UNDP to mention but a few.

The Guest of Honour for the exhibition will be Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament.

The Youth and Innovation Expo 2023, conference program and master classes will broadcast live on all our social media platforms and various media platforms.