In a tweet sent out to the public, communications regulator The Ugandan Communications Commission (UCC) has called upon startups, Incubation hubs or Ugandans with emerging ICT businesses as well as ‘high impact’ ICT innovations to seek financial support through its Incubation Support Initiative (ISI).
Have a #startup? then get #incubated as you support advancing communications services in UG.more info https://t.co/QlAaUgmfiw @OutboxHub
— UCC (@UCC_Official) July 4, 2017
They went on to detail Ugandans or organisations eligible for support as ones with the following traits;
- An innovative concept that applies or seeks to develop broadcasting, postal or telecommunications services and which they wish to develop or scale up, OR
- An innovative ICT incubator providing these services
- Linkage of incubates to investors, customers, peer firms and specialised innovation organizations locally and/or internationally.
- Assistance in accessing funding;
- Supportive infrastructure such as work space, laboratory facilities, plant and equipment;
- Shared services (e.g. internet);
- Technical expertise and marketing support
- capacity building in technical and business/entrepreneurship skills
Whether this is part of the promised innovations fund by the ICT Minister, Hon. Frank Tumwebaze remains to be answered but somewhat the presumptive candidates eligible for support are what the honorable outlined late last year.
The funding is targeting two categories of startups/innovators seeking seed funding and the Incubation promotion subsidy. UCC asserts that the support will only be availed at a competitive basis and as such, a select committee will be set up to vet applicants..
Those targeting seed funding will get financial assistance up to a tune of $15,000 towards capital requirements to develop or scale their creative concept. The concept should be geared towards harnessing or developments of telecommunication, broadcasting and postal services.
Funding to Incubation Promotion Subsidy on the other hand will target an existing Incubator facilitating the provision of incubation services to a tune of $4,500. Areas for which the fund will be given include plant/equipment used by the incubator, development of laboratory and other testing facilities, training facilities and other resources among others.
The applications will thereafter be evaluated by the select committee appointed by the commission on the basis of merit of the institution in promoting/providing ICT incubation services for applicants seeking the incubation subsidy while those seeking seed funding will be judged based on maturity , richness and innovativeness of their concept.
Successful applicants will be contacted in a period of not more than 45 working days and applications are open not later than 24th July at 5:00PM.
