📌Stanbic Biashara Incubator, in partnership with Hindsight Ventures, is connecting Uganda top startups with Tanzanian enterprises in a first of its kind regional immersion tour.
📌The initiative deepens cross border innovation and trade linkages, positioning Tanzania as a hub for regional entrepreneurship.
📌The collaboration is creating real opportunities for knowledge exchange, investment, and the growth of high impact African businesses.
A delegation of ten Ugandan startups is in Tanzania for a Regional Market Immersion Tour hosted by the Stanbic Biashara Incubator in partnership with Hindsight Ventures. The tour, running from 16 to 19 November 2025, is part of a wider effort to connect East African entrepreneurs to regional value chains and new investment opportunities.
Today’s immersion session brought together ten Ugandan entrepreneurs and twenty-five Tanzanian startups, alongside representatives from the Uganda Ministry of Trade, Stanbic Bank, and various ecosystem partners. The strong turnout underscores the growing demand for regional learning and market access among emerging businesses in East Africa.
Supported by the Uganda Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, the initiative aims to bridge the gap between startup innovation and cross-border market access. For Tanzania, the collaboration reinforces the country’s growing reputation as a hub for entrepreneurship, trade, and innovation-led growth.
The programme strengthens what experts describe as the East African innovation ecosystem — a rapidly expanding network of startups, investors, policy institutions, and corporate enablers driving economic transformation through technology and entrepreneurship.
During interactive sessions, entrepreneurs from both countries explored opportunities to collaborate, co-create products, and develop joint ventures that address shared market needs in sectors such as financial inclusion, agriculture, and digital services.
Kai Mollel, Head of the Stanbic Biashara Incubator at Stanbic Bank Tanzania, said:
“This exchange is not a ceremonial visit. It is a working platform for real market understanding and partnership building. The Ugandan startups are gaining exposure to how Tanzanian enterprises operate, while our local entrepreneurs are learning from Uganda’s agility and innovation in digital technology.”
James Makula Mukasa, Chairperson of the Startup Technical Committee and Project Coordinator at the Uganda Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, added:
“This immersion demonstrates how regional collaboration strengthens the entire ecosystem. Uganda and Tanzania share a vision for entrepreneurship-driven growth, and bringing our founders together creates new pathways for investment, innovation, and market expansion.”
Tanzania’s startup ecosystem continues to expand, supported by a strong banking sector, a growing SME base, and policies that encourage innovation and industrialisation. The Stanbic Biashara Incubator has contributed significantly to this growth by nurturing early-stage enterprises and linking them to training, financing, and market opportunities.
Nuru Lema, CEO and Founder of Yana Corporation and one of the Tanzanian participants, said:
“This programme gives entrepreneurs practical visibility into what is happening across the region. Meeting founders from Uganda helps us understand new market needs and create partnerships that support growth on both sides.”
This partnership aligns with Tanzania’s Vision 2050, which prioritises entrepreneurship and regional integration as catalysts for industrialisation and inclusive growth.
Uganda, on its part, has made notable progress in developing structures that support its rapidly growing startup sector. Through the Uganda Ministry of Trade and partners such as Hindsight Ventures, the country has launched incubation programmes that combine mentorship, technological access, and early-stage financing.
The Stanbic Biashara Incubator emphasises that regional collaboration is essential to building Africa’s next generation of businesses. When startups in neighbouring countries exchange knowledge and access shared markets, they accelerate innovation and attract cross-border investment.
To date, the Stanbic Biashara Incubator has supported more than 5,000 entrepreneurs and 600 SMEs in Tanzania. This regional exchange enhances that impact by helping Tanzanian startups expand their thinking beyond local markets while giving Ugandan entrepreneurs exposure to Tanzania’s business landscape.
The discussions, collaborations, and insights emerging from this tour are expected to translate into ongoing business partnerships, investment opportunities, and policy recommendations that will strengthen the region’s innovation ecosystem long after the four-day visit.
