Shs1.8B French Grant to Stanbic Bank Targets Youth and Women Entrepreneurs in Green Sector

The Stanbic Business Incubator Limited (SBIL) has secured a fresh UGX 1.8 billion (€450,000) grant from the Embassy of France in Uganda to accelerate youth and women-led entrepreneurship in the country’s green and innovative economy.

The funding will finance SBIL’s new programme, the “Greentech Incubator and Accelerator for Entrepreneurship in Uganda”, which is designed to strengthen the resilience of small and micro-enterprises while advancing sustainable development.

The agreement was signed at the French Residence in Kampala by H.E Virginie Leroy, Ambassador of France to Uganda, and Ms. Catherine Poran, CEO of SBIL.

The two-year project, valued at €687,833 (approximately UGX 2.7 billion), will target over 200 youth and women entrepreneurs in Kampala and the Albertine region, focusing on sectors such as sustainable cities, green mobility, renewable energy, waste management, water and health solutions, circular economy, and smart agri-technologies. SBIL will co-finance 34.5% of the project, amounting to €237,833.

Programme Highlights:

• Acceleration (3–6 months): 130 SMEs will be supported to develop business, marketing, and HR strategies.

• Incubation (6–18 months): 70 entrepreneurs, at least half women, will receive technical support from innovation hubs to improve products and scale ventures.

• Access to finance: At least 60 SMEs will benefit from loans, grants, or investment opportunities under a €300,000 blended finance facility.

Ambassador Leroy said the partnership demonstrates France’s commitment to “fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and employability of Ugandan youth and women.” She noted that the initiative builds on France’s recent projects in agroecology, ecotourism, hospitality, and the cultural industries, all aimed at empowering young entrepreneurs.

SBIL’s CEO Catherine Poran highlighted that the programme is aligned with Uganda’s Vision 2040 and Green Growth Development Strategy, adding that it “will contribute to building a resilient, inclusive and sustainable economy.”

This new collaboration follows previous France-supported initiatives, including the Youth Employability Project (2023–2025), which trained over 500 young people and women, and the SPICE project (2024–2025), which supported start-ups in Uganda’s cultural and creative industries.