Using Technology to Spur Entrepreneurship / Business

Filling in gaps. With innovation taking centre stage, Outbox Hub is one of the facilities that are helping to fill in the gaps.

To many Outbox is synonymous with emails but not a group of young tech innovators. The group has made an incubation centre that brings together smart brains to develop and create innovations using technology.

The centre collaborates like-minded innovators to co-create and to develop software.
According to Zulu, one of the centre’s founders and who doubles as the program manager, Outbox seeks to supports young innovators to to turn their tech ideas including mobile and web ideas, into
sustainable businesses.

“Our mission is to create good products and businesses on the mobile and web that have value, relevance and are sustainable,” Zulu explains. The people here come from different backgrounds, however one thing – being developers makes them one family.

The centre opened in June last year choosing the name Outbox that would portray the thinking-outside-the-box mentality. “We want members here to exhibit various innovations that are really well thought out thus emphasizing the thinking out of the box mentality,” Zulu explains.

To be part of this initiative he explains there are two ways through which one is selected including either selecting a membership package that qualifies one for the place in the collaborative working space.

He adds this includes choosing either a student package of Shs30,000 per month or non-student package where one pays Shs80,000 per month.” The benefits one gains in being part of this is that the project gives members access to the centre facilities which includes training, internet accessibility, the company’s partner network and business support services every Friday of the week.

On the other hand one can join as part of the centre’s software incubation programme.
Here, one applies and if successfully they are given an oral interview before a panel. To qualify, one must fulfill the following criteria: exhibit team’s potential to execute ideas, demonstrate viability and sustainability of the business.
According to Zulu, one would have to convince the panel about growth opportunities of the product, have a focus on mobile and web, maturity of the business venture illustrated through a prototype.

He says so far the hub is home to three small businesses and 35 individuals who are subscribed members. Zulu carries himself with optimistims as a he thinks that the future of The Outbox Hub is being put on a firm foundation with the view of becoming one of the best self-sustaining business and software incubation centre in Uganda.

Credits: Daily Monitor