AYuTe Africa Challenge Uganda for Young Agritech and Agribusiness Innovators

The challenge areas include AgriTech solutions focused on precision and climate-smart production, livestock and aquaculture technology, post-harvest solutions, farm mechanization and energy, and digital market and finance innovations; Agribusiness solutions focused on growing small-scale processing into market-ready products; and youth-led green and circular agribusinesses focused on agro-waste-to-value enterprises, post-harvest loss reduction and value addition, circular and biodegradable packaging solutions, and renewable and circular energy solutions for productive agricultural use.

Powered by Heifer International Uganda, backed by the Mastercard Foundation, and implemented in partnership with CURAD, AYuTe Africa Challenge Uganda supports young people aged 18–35 who are building solutions for agriculture or are ready to develop innovative ideas that address challenges faced by farmers and agricultural communities.

The challenge provides an opportunity for innovators to access UGX 205,000,000 in catalytic financing, along with mentorship, incubation, and access to a network of partners and experts designed to help solutions grow into scalable businesses.

The AgriTech Innovation Track is a national competition calling young innovators across Uganda who are developing technology-driven solutions that address challenges faced by smallholder farmers. Eligible ventures should be beyond the concept stage, less than three years old, demonstrate demand, and have potential to scale impact across Uganda.

The Agribusiness Track focuses on young entrepreneurs in the Busoga sub-region who are building businesses that add value to agricultural products through processing and transformation. The track supports businesses within horticulture, dairy, oilseeds, and poultry value chains that are engaged in processing, preservation, packaging, or value addition.

The Growing Small-Scale Processing into Market-Ready Products challenge supports operational agribusinesses that transform raw agricultural produce into higher-value goods, reduce post-harvest losses, strengthen incomes, and build stronger rural economies.

The Youth-led Green and Circular Agribusinesses challenge supports enterprises that convert agricultural waste, losses, and inefficiencies into income-generating opportunities through circular and green innovations, including waste-to-value solutions, loss reduction technologies, biodegradable packaging, and renewable energy solutions.

Applicants for the AgriTech Track must be Ugandan youth aged 18–35, have a technology-based innovation at prototype stage or beyond, address the identified challenge areas, have a scalable solution, and operate a startup or business under five years old.

Applicants for the Agribusiness Track must be Ugandan youth aged 18–35, operate an agribusiness with at least six months of trading history, address the identified challenge areas, be based in the Busoga sub-region, and be founders or co-founders of a small or micro enterprise.

Women, persons with disabilities, innovators from underserved regions, and youth from rural Busoga are strongly encouraged to apply.

For more information, visit AYuTe Africa.