The Singapore Startup Ecosystem: A Collaborative Journey

10 Essential Takeaways from Uganda’s Startup Ecosystem. 1. We are a proper boda boda startup ecosystem. Let me explain. The government claims that the boda boda industry is Uganda’s 2nd biggest employer of youths. Maybe, there is some truth to that. This is evident in Uganda’s startup ecosystem. Some of our most funded/more established startups revolve around boda bodas from Tugende, Asaak, SafeBoda to Zembo, GoGo Electric, Watu Credit etc. 2. Two things can be correct. The quality of the pipeline is still lacking, but also early stage funding is still scarce. There is a dearth of angel investors and true seed and pre-seed investors. But the pipeline has definitely improved. 3. The government through various ministries and programs has fairly good intentions for Uganda's startup ecosystem, but execution remains poor. To be fair, the execution has improved with more involvement of “startup people”, but it is still some way off. 4. Foreign development organizations like ITC, UNDP, MasterCard Foundation, UNCDF had a chance to truly make their mark in Uganda's startup ecosystem, but chose to get in bed with hubs and entrepreneurial support organizations (ESOs) which minimized their impact. (They really made their mark with hubs and ESOs though). Okay, this is a generalization. Some programs were great, but the vast majority were a waste of time and money. 5. We need to do more to appreciate and embrace people who have built startups. Whether they “failed” or succeeded is immaterial. These people should be brought back into the ecosystem to pass down their notes, and help the next generation of founders. Many of them “leave” the ecosystem once they close the curtains on that chapter. 6. We need more Ugandan startup founders to spread their wings to ecosystems like Nigeria 's or Kenya’s, heck, even Silicon Valley while building or before building. Your mindset will not be the same. 7. Founders in Uganda hustle hard with less. I don't have the data to back this, but I think founders here use less funding to achieve better metrics than their counterparts in the big four. Necessity is the mother of invention. (Guys, this is an assumption. I don't have the data like I said). 8. Most startup events are useless. If you are a startup founder, you are better off locking-in and building. You will get nothing from these events, especially the ones in fancy locations. You have no business at Mestil or Serena. Go and build. 9. Uganda is a favourite destination of startups from Nigeria and Kenya. Nigerian startups usually expand to Ghana first, then Uganda. Kenyan startups don't even think twice. They will always find a way to expand here. 10. We may not belong to the big four (far from it actually), but if there is a tier below the big four, then Uganda is surely knocking for permanent membership in that tier. You know, that tier that has Senegal, Ghana, Morocco and maybe Tunisia. Add your takeaway in the comments. 👇

Great insights on Uganda’s startup ecosystem 👏 — and we at EASY RIDE AUTO RESCUE see many of these realities in our own journey digitizing the auto-rescue and insurance space. Here are our 10 takeaways building in Uganda’s ecosystem: 1️⃣ Uganda is indeed a boda boda startup nation 🚲, but the same spirit of necessity-driven innovation is pushing other mobility and insurance-tech solutions like Easy Ride. 2️⃣ The pipeline is growing, but funding gaps (true seed/angel) remain a key challenge. 3️⃣ Government intentions are good, but consistent execution and private sector collaboration are essential. 4️⃣ Development partners should prioritize direct startup enablement, not just hubs/ESOs. 5️⃣ We need to retain and celebrate founders — their lessons are the best mentorship. 6️⃣ Exposure to ecosystems in Nigeria, Kenya, and beyond is critical for scaling mindset. 7️⃣ Ugandan founders truly do more with less, stretching every shilling into impact. 8️⃣ Events are nice, but focus and product building create traction. 9️⃣ Uganda’s ecosystem is attractive to regional entrants — meaning we must strengthen local competitiveness. 🔟 Uganda is ready to graduate into the next tier of African startup hubs — and we are proud to be part of that movement. At Easy Ride, we’ve proven traction by working with all leading insurers in Uganda and 30+ fleet companies, and now we’re scaling to Kenya and Nigeria. Uganda is indeed hustling hard, and the story is just beginning 🚀. #UgandaStartups #Innovation #Insurtech #EasyRide #YouthInnovation

Ecosystem? What ecosystem? = = = Jonathan captures some hard truths about our 🇺🇬 #startup #ecosystem - especially points 3, 4 and 5. To be fair, I’ve seen huge progress since I entered the Ugandan startup space just over 🔟 years ago. Yet, frankly, we have just begun climbing this mountain.   No offence to colleagues on the other side (I may be generalising here), but if we are after sustainable impact, then startup people - not just "corporates" - must have a seat at these tables, if only to help us think outside the box (pun intended).   Take, for instance, the strict M&E frameworks that perpetuate box-ticking and, ironically, punish genuine and well-intentioned startups and ESOs when they fail - instead of helping them to learn, improve, and ultimately strengthen the ecosystem long term.   I’m NOT AGAINST M&E policies. But if you strip away capacity gaps, inexperience, or the occasional outright fraud, many so-called failures actually stem from #institutional #voids far beyond the control of any well-meaning startup or ESO. We saw this clearly during the pandemic, when rigidity & lack of empathy from some donors & governments forced well-intentioned programmes & startups on the continent to grind to a halt - to the detriment of everyone involved.   Rather than help a failing startup or ESO, this lack of empathy creates a situation where too much donor money, would rather be funnelled to ESOs that have mastered the compliance game. This ends up funding “showpiece activity” that looks impressive in reports but has shallow impact. Ultimately, founders risk being reduced to props for visibility instead of beneficiaries of real support. That misallocation not only wastes resources, it entrenches the very institutional voids local startups and ESOs are trying to bridge, while adding little to the founders themselves. Founders aren’t props for visibility - they are the ecosystem! Some experiences are impossible to capture in glossy reports, PowerPoints in air-conditioned boardrooms, or social media soundbites. Many of these realities are so nuanced they can only be understood by those who have actually lived them.   I often joke that we "need to educate the ecosystem about the ecosystem".   Recently, a colleague challenged me on this, arguing that founders should simply step up and "play the compliance game” instead of complaining. I disagreed. That approach only perpetuates the box-ticking culture and entrenches the status quo, rather than pushing for a genuinely sustainable, organic ecosystem - one resilient enough to withstand donor shocks, such as the recent USAID cuts that many colleagues are still struggling to recover from. We need empathy at the decision-making tables, lest progress remains cosmetic. Enough ranting for today! Thanks for sparking this, Jonathan. A few colleagues and I are actually writing a paper on this, which we’ll be sharing in the not-so-distant future. #Empathy #SandPitApproach #EntrepreneurshipEcosystems

A recurring weakness in Uganda’s startup ecosystem is the presence of people with zero founder experience in positions where critical decisions about funding, policy, and program design are made. The Problem Many ecosystem boards, steering committees, grant selection panels, and policy advisory groups are staffed with academics, civil servants, donor representatives, or hub managers who have never built or scaled a startup. While they may have administrative expertise, they lack the lived founder scars, cash flow panic, investor negotiations, product-market fit struggles, team dynamics that shape practical decision-making. The Result • Programs often look polished on paper but fail in practice. • Funds are channeled into “safe” projects with low founder impact. • The most pressing founder pain points (capital access, legal bottlenecks, scaling pathways) remain under-addressed and overlooked. • Startup events and competitions become more about optics than substance. • Case Examples • Donor-funded programs: Several multi-million-dollar donor initiatives over the past decade (e.g., large-scale incubation projects) ended up training thousands of entrepreneurs but produced very few investable, scalable startups. Why? The design came from consultants and ESOs, not from seasoned founders. • Policy design: Uganda has seen well-intentioned policies like the SME financing schemes or “innovation hubs” built under donor, government programs, but execution often overlooked founder realities such as collateral requirements, regulatory red tape, or marketing pressures. Contrast with ecosystems that got it right: • In Nigeria, ex-founders like Iyinoluwa Aboyeji (Flutterwave, Andela) play central roles in shaping funds and programs. Their lived experiences inform structures that actually serve founders. • In Kenya, initiatives like Nairobi Garage and Savannah Fund were built by people who had run startups before, giving them credibility and practical insight. The Fix: • Bring ex-founders (whether “failed” or successful) into advisory boards, policy groups, and funding committees. • Insist on “founder quotas” in ecosystem decision-making at least a third of decision-makers should be people who’ve built, scaled, or exited a startup. • Reward practical lived experience over academic credentials when appointing leaders of startup programs.

🚀 Hatch’s “Startup Nation” Initiative: Prize Money + Big Exposure 🚀 Sri Lanka’s startup scene just got a major boost! 🌟 Hatch, one of the country’s leading innovation hubs, has launched the Startup Nation initiative — a nationwide competition designed to elevate early-stage, revenue-generating startups and connect them with investors, mentors, and global opportunities. Key Highlights 💡 Over 1,000+ applicants will compete, with the top 100 startups shortlisted for the next stage. Focus areas include MVP-stage and early-revenue ventures tackling real-world problems. (Morning News) 🏆 The winning startup stands to receive USD 100,000, along with mentoring, investment opportunities, and international exposure. Sectors include Deep Tech, B2B, B2C, enterprise software, and national-impact startups. (Morning News) ⚡ Hatch is expanding its network and incubation capacity, forming new partnerships with leading global institutions to strengthen Sri Lanka’s startup ecosystem. (Morning News) Why this matters for young entrepreneurs: This initiative is a golden opportunity to gain not only funding, but also mentorship, visibility, and credibility. 💼 If you’re working on an MVP or have early traction, competitions like this help validate your idea, connect you with investors, and open doors for rapid scaling. 🌍 It’s time to dream big — your startup could be Sri Lanka’s next success story! 🚀 Read more 👉 https://lnkd.in/gRrJ3T7K

++ International Free Zone Authority | IFZA Launches Scale360 to Accelerate Global Startups Into the UAE Market ++ In line with the UAE’s recently introduced national campaign ‘“The Emirates: The Startup Capital of the World,” announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum; IFZA has announced the launch of the first cohort of Scale360, a program designed to equip founders with the tools, mentorship, and resources needed to scale their ventures into the UAE market and shape the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders. Scale360, powered by IFZA in partnership with Plug and Play, reinforces the company’s commitment to empowering startups and attracting global innovation. The announcement follows the program’s first selection process that has attracted 136 applications from different sectors globally, with 56 technology startups being shortlisted and a final cohort of 17 ventures, spanning various areas within the tech sector, will soon be announced. The shortlisted pool of candidates will gain access to expert guidance, and strategic support designed to accelerate their growth. The program begins on September 29, giving founders a fast-tracked pathway into the UAE market through a blend of licensing, mentorship, and direct connections with corporates, investors, and government partners. The launch comes at a time of rapid expansion in the UAE’s startup ecosystem. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, UAE-based tech startups raised US$872 million in funding, an 865 percent year-on-year increase, with fintech, enterprise applications, and sustainability tech leading the charge. At the same time, Dubai recorded a 135 percent increase in new digital startups compared with Q1 2024, demonstrating the city’s growing appeal to founders and investors alike. Startups based in Dubai were responsible for 96% of the capital raised in the UAE during Q1 2025. “The UAE’s vision to become the global entrepreneurship hub resonates deeply with our mission. With the launch of Scale360, we are empowering ambitious founders to take their ideas further and faster. Our first cohort showcases a diverse range of startups from different industries, addressing some of the most pressing challenges faced by businesses today. By focusing on practical support, we’re helping startups with a seamless market entry and a powerful ecosystem that helps them grow.” –Julia Timms, Chief Commercial Officer, International Free Zone Authority | IFZA 🔗 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/drRupPVD #TechAfricaNews #IFZA #Scale360 #UAE #StartupAccelerator #Innovation #GlobalStartups #Dubai #TechScale #Ecosystem #Entrepreneurship

💡 Korea’s startup boom hides a quiet crisis — the “Death Valley” between funding and survival. Despite record government spending, nearly 40% of startups funded through Korea’s Pre-Startup Package have shut down within five years. The numbers reveal a painful truth: early-stage funding alone can’t sustain long-term growth. Korea’s startup ecosystem, once defined by rapid launches, is now confronting its toughest challenge — the scale-up gap. Key findings from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Republic of Korea, 대한민국 중소벤처기업부: 📉 39.6% closure rate among 2019 Pre-Startup Package firms. ⚠️ 51% of Youth Startup Academy ventures “effectively closed.” 👥 Employment declines from year three onward. Experts warn that the current model rewards creation over sustainability. As Rep. Seo Il-jun put it: “If the focus stays on quantity over quality, startups will keep falling off the three-year cliff.” It’s time to redefine success: not by how many startups launch, but by how many survive, scale, and globalize. 👉 Read the full story→ https://lnkd.in/gaTyZNFG #KoreaTechDesk #Startups #ScaleUp #Entrepreneurship #InnovationPolicy #KoreanStartups #MSS #Funding #StartupEcosystem #VentureGrowth

Day 12/21: What is the missing middle of startup ecosystems? 📊 If you think the Balkans lack startups, check again. What we actually lack are the systems that help them scale. The numbers don't lie. Yesterday, I wrote about founders who thrive when capital disappears. Today, let’s talk about the systems that disappear right when founders are ready to grow.   Lately, my conversations fall into two extremes. 1. Founders who have built something real, fighting to climb higher without much existing support; 2. And others who still believe there is nothing to climb, because “we don’t really have startups here". Let me bring you back a bit: Across Swiss EP - Swiss Entrepreneurship Program's 🇦🇱🇧🇦🇽🇰🇲🇰🇷🇸 in the last eight years, we have tracked: nearly 2000 startups, out of which around 570 are still active and building, around 200 pivoted into SMEs or digital agencies, the rest did not make it. (which is still better than the global 90% failure rate)   These are just the startups that came through our partners’ programs. Depending on how you define "startup" the actual number across the region could be higher. But it is certainly not "20". 😅 Now, the interesting part of these conservative estimates: only around 1–2% of all of these startups have raised Series A funding. 👽 So, my 2 cents nobody asked for: We are probably not missing founders, but for sure we are missing altitude. Emerging ecosystems often build an ecosystem that is phenomenal at getting startups off the ground, and terrible at helping them stay in the air. Kyle Poyar recently posted an interesting observation: “It’s easier to get into Harvard (3.6%) than to scale a startup to $25M ARR in 10 years (only 2.3% make it).”😳 He is right. We are witnessing the creation of numerous micro-VCs, accelerators, and seed programs that get startups funded, but the number of investors who can take them to Series A? They are certainly not keeping pace.   In translation: we added more flights but didn’t build enough runways. ✈️ Crunchbase and Carta report that globally, only 15–20% of seed-stage startups ever make it to Series A. This is not a great number but in our region, it is waaay lower. Not because founders lack grit or ideas. Because the systems around them weren’t designed for scale. But the good news? Systems can be redesigned. Infrastructure can be built. And that is the missing middle. Not missing talent. Not missing ideas. Just the bridge that gets these startups from surviving to scaling.   And now, how do we build it?🙃

The National Incubation Center Karachi, in partnership with Orbit Startups, successfully hosted Orbit Demo Day 2025, a landmark event celebrating the first cohort of startups accelerated under this groundbreaking collaboration. The event brought together leading investors, dignitaries, and ecosystem stakeholders to witness the next wave of high-potential ventures shaping Pakistan’s innovation landscape, with active participation from both NIC Karachi and National Incubation Center, Peshawar (NIC Peshawar). The program opened with welcome remarks by Syed Azfar Hussain, Project Director NIC Karachi, followed by Kelly Pang, Senior Program Manager at Orbit Startups, who emphasized the significance of this strategic collaboration in empowering startups from emerging markets to scale and succeed. The spotlight then turned to the Cohort 1 accelerated startups, who pitched their ventures before a diverse audience of investors and industry leaders. These included blinq, a platform digitalizing invoices with real-time reconciliation across gateways; Chaajao, an e-learning solution with live and recorded classes plus practice tools; Mergn, a SaaS platform for customer retention; Connectia, an all-in-one smart fuel card and fleet operations platform; Trashit, a green solution converting organic waste into compost fertilizers; STEMverse, a gamified learning platform teaching robotics and AI through play; VM Nebula, an AI-powered virtual desktop with US-matched IPs; and Apaale, a digital marketplace connecting shippers and truckers to reduce inefficiencies and risks. Following the startup pitches, a panel discussion on the theme “From Idea to Impact: Supporting Startup Growth in Pakistan” featured Ali Tabba, Director of YB Group; Kelly Pang, Senior Program Manager at Orbit Startups; Manish Phulwani, Associate Director of EQ2 Ventures; and Vladimira Briestenska, Founder of Neem. The session was moderated by Zeba Qureshi from OPEN London and explored strategies for scaling startups in Pakistan, the challenges of operating in emerging markets, and the vital role of collaborations in driving impact-focused growth. Asim Ishaq Khan, Vice President LMKT, also shared his perspective on how LMKT-operated NIC Karachi and NIC Peshawar are building a robust pipeline of scalable businesses. Ali Tabba, Director of YB Group, highlighted YBG’s commitment to fostering entrepreneurship and supporting NIC Karachi as a platform that is shaping Pakistan’s innovation economy. William Bao Bean, Managing General Partner at Orbit Startups, remarked on the significance of accelerating Pakistani startups and connecting them to global opportunities. The day concluded with closing remarks by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication, reaffirming government support for innovation and entrepreneurship in Pakistan. A networking session over hi-tea provided founders with the opportunity to directly engage with investors, corporates, and media. #LOUG

🎤 58 Seconds on Stage: Lessons from Startup Grind Doha Five days ago I stood on stage with only a single minute to tell the story of EntrepreNode to a room of investors, mentors, builders, and founders. Representing EntrepreNode at the Startup Grind Doha All-Star Pitch Battle was intense, humbling, and energizing. This global program pulls local winners from 150+ chapters to compete on the world stage. Locally, we were one of 21 startups selected from 51 applicants (I’m especially proud that 7 of the 21 were founded by University of Doha for Science & Technology students). 🎓 In exactly 58 seconds I set out: 🟣 The persistent problems holding back modern startup ecosystems around the world. 🟣 How EntrepreNode connects founders with the right investors and mentors, and helps streamline their due-diligence process to help startups fundraise and increase their chances of success. 🟣 The massive global VC funding market opportunity we’re going after. 🟣 Our recent traction and validation efforts in the past 6 months. ▶️ (Full pitch video is below. I would be more than happy to receive any constructive feedback and criticism)! We didn’t place in the top 3, but the real win was the feedback, connections, and lessons we gathered from seven exceptional judges and dozens of passionate founders. Events like this make me optimistic about the talent and innovation in Qatar’s startup ecosystem. 🙌🏻 Huge congratulations to the winners: 🏆 Be My Sense (1st, advancing to regionals), PitchPro.me (2nd), paintit.ai (3rd). Also, very well done to Sinaholz GmbH for their well-deserved Most Creative Pitch award. Thank you to Mr. Indica Amarasinghe, Builders VC | MENA, YEC, and the Qatar Chamber for an inspiring event in the heart of Lusail 📍. Also, massive thanks to the judges and for their time and insights: Tarik Sultan, Alina Truhina, Hayfa Al-Abdulla, Omair Alnaimi, Marcel D., Firas Sleiman, Majed Lababidi, and to the talented event moderator Anshu Jain. 🤝🏻 Takeaway: pitching isn’t just about winning, it’s about clarity, iteration, and learning from a brilliant ecosystem of peers and mentors. I’m excited to iterate on the feedback and keep building the vision that EntrepreNode aims to achieve alongside my great co-founders Ahmed Safari and Mohammed Al-Hayek💡. If you’ve pitched on a similar stage, what’s the single best piece of feedback you received? I’d love to hear, and if you watched our pitch, please share your thoughts below.👇🏻 #EntrepreNode #StartupGrind #PitchBattle #Startups #Founders #Mentors #Investors #Doha #Qatar #VC #EarlyStage #UDST #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #DueDiligence #AI #TechStartups #SaaS #FounderJourney #StartupCommunity