Uganda’s Global Entrepreneurship Week runs November 16-21

By Amara Osei

The Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) Uganda says Global Entrepreneurship Week 2026 will run at Enterprise Uganda’s Training Centre in Butabika, Kampala, from November 16 to 21, under the global theme “The World Needs What You Build.”

GEN Uganda is the local coordinator and is partnering with Enterprise Uganda, Vision Group and other ecosystem players. GEN Uganda said the program combines networking, practical training, business clinics and innovation to strengthen business growth, job creation and national development.

The Global Entrepreneurship Network and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation coordinate GEW globally. GEN said the movement reaches entrepreneurs and business communities in more than 200 countries and territories through activities, competitions and events designed to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation.

What will the 2026 program cover?

Mary Odongo, managing director of GEN Uganda, said the main GEW Uganda conference runs November 19 and 20. The Pakasa Forum, organized with Vision Group, will climax the program on November 21.

GEN Uganda said physical, virtual and hybrid sessions will cover multiple parts of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The program will showcase Uganda’s ecosystem, highlight entrepreneurs’ contribution to economic growth and encourage sustainable enterprises that respond to market needs.

GEN Uganda said the events will give owners opportunities to exchange experiences, identify business opportunities and connect with support institutions and individuals capable of helping them turn ideas into viable, growing enterprises.

Odongo said entrepreneurs can meet potential funders, mentors, advisers and fellow business owners. Their practical experience may help address challenges and identify new opportunities, according to GEN Uganda.

“Research had shown that entrepreneurs value opportunities to learn from one another and from people who have firsthand experience in building businesses. That is what we hope to see in the Global Entrepreneurship Week,” she explained.

GEN Uganda said the partnership, particularly through the Pakasa Forum, should extend local entrepreneurs’ visibility and bring their experiences and business challenges to a wider audience. The partners also want business development service providers, financial institutions, government agencies, mentors and others to collaborate because their work influences enterprises’ ability to survive and expand.

GEN Uganda said it wants meaningful relationships that continue beyond the week, not just a series of conferences. The group said those links could help owners facing limited market access, gaps in business knowledge or difficulty finding appropriate support.

What should owners fix before seeking financing?

Charles Ocici, director general of Enterprise Uganda, told entrepreneurs to look beyond the search for financing. He said competition depends on internal structures, discipline and skills, while enterprises also need sound operations and responsible financial management to use borrowed money productively. Access to credit alone cannot guarantee business success, according to Ocici.

Ocici said many businesses struggle or collapse after failing to repay loans because they lack structures to manage operations, control expenditure and monitor performance. His advice: understand how the business functions, establish appropriate systems and develop skills for managing growth before relying on borrowing.

He also urged business owners to keep business finances separate from personal or family expenditure. Ocici said that discipline enables a company to determine its true financial position.

“Proper bookkeeping, financial record analysis and disciplined cash-flow management are among the competencies that small and medium-sized enterprises need to develop if they are to remain competitive,” he said.

Which sessions anchor the November calendar?

GEN Uganda said GEW activities will run throughout November and cover business-idea development, regulations, financial management, marketing and sustainability. Practical learning and business improvement will feature prominently across the calendar.

• The Uganda Management Institute will hold a hybrid StartUp Policy Dialogue on November 18 from 9am to 1pm. The session will discuss policies affecting startups and the wider business environment.
• TAS Microcredit Limited will conduct financial literacy sessions on November 17 and 18, starting at 10am.

What does an inclusive entrepreneurship agenda require?

Ronald Mukasa, Enterprise Uganda’s chief operations officer, said broad participation matters because business development involves more than founders alone.

“Employees, spouses, friends, advisers and other partners all contribute in different ways to the success of enterprises, while the wider business ecosystem influences whether promising ideas can develop into sustainable companies. This week is about you, the entrepreneur,” he said.

Mukasa urged entrepreneurs across Uganda to build connections, participate in learning opportunities and engage with other members of the business community. He also called for partnerships that deliver measurable value to both the private and public sectors.

Enterprise Uganda said the week will focus on business formalisation because registration gives enterprises a clearer identity and improves their ability to engage funding institutions. The activities will bring those issues before owners seeking to improve operations and prepare for expansion.

GEN Uganda and Enterprise Uganda say the program is designed to build relationships and skills that continue after November 21. For both partners, its value will depend on whether those connections, training and formalisation support help enterprises survive, expand and create jobs.