France to co-finance Stanbic’s green-tech incubator in Uganda

October 3, 2025 in Companies by Editor

The French Embassy in Uganda has partnered with the Stanbic Business Incubator Limited (SBIL) to launch a €687,833 program designed to accelerate green entrepreneurship among women and youth.

The two-year Green Tech Incubator and Accelerator for Entrepreneurship Program will support over 200 small and micro-enterprises in the Kampala Metropolitan Area and the Albertine Region. Focus sectors include sustainable cities, renewable energy, circular economy, waste management, green mobility, smart agriculture, water and health.

The French government is contributing €450,000 (about UGX 1.8 billion), with an initial €131,351 already released, while SBIL will co-finance €237,833, or 34.5% of the program’s cost.

French Ambassador Virginie Leroy said the initiative would help Ugandan entrepreneurs “access finance, strengthen capacity, and create an environment that fosters growth,” particularly for women- and youth-led businesses.

SBIL Chief Executive Catherine Poran described the support as “a transformative investment,” noting that more than 300 entrepreneurs are expected to benefit directly, with at least 60% being women and youth. She said over 1,000 entrepreneurs will be trained in piloting and scaling green solutions.

The incubator, an enterprise development arm of Stanbic Uganda Holdings, has since 2018 trained over 11,400 entrepreneurs in financial management, risk management, and access to finance, linking many to millions of dollars in funding and market opportunities.

The program aligns with Uganda Vision 2040 and the government’s Green Growth Development Strategy. Stanbic executives said the bank will provide liquidity alongside the Uganda Energy Credit Capitalisation Company to ensure participants can access funding.

Analysts say the initiative could enhance Uganda’s transition to a low-carbon economy while strengthening employability and innovation, continuing France’s recent focus on youth and women-led entrepreneurship in agroecology, ecotourism, and the creative industries.