The Startup Garage project, funded by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Mission, empowered university students to become technology-driven entrepreneurs, creating employment opportunities for themselves and others. Targeting 50 students from Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Bishop Stuart University (BSU), University of Saint Joseph Mbarara (USJM), and Metropolitan International University (MIU) in Southwestern Uganda, the program used three approaches: establishing innovation clubs, organizing product development workshops, and hosting pitch competitions.
Through innovation clubs, students with early-stage ideas received mentorship to develop them into viable businesses. Product development workshops guided students in ideation and prototyping over four months, and the pitch competitions allowed participants to present their ideas to judges, with cash prizes for top innovations. EYIT and partners provided training, mentorship, speaker sessions, exchange visits, and refreshments to selected students, fostering a supportive environment for entrepreneurial growth. The program, which ran from September 2023 to May 2024, concluded with a final pitch day where outstanding innovations were awarded.