More than 500 African social enterprises are expected to seek investment and business partnerships at a Kampala summit in November, where organisers will launch a $1 million fund (about Shs 4.14 billion) to support businesses tackling social and environmental challenges.
The fund will be unveiled during the Pan African Social Enterprise Summit, scheduled for November 23–24, 2026, as organisers seek to connect entrepreneurs with investors, open new markets and expand financing opportunities for businesses operating across the continent.
The Federation of Uganda Social Enterprises (FUSE), which is organising the summit with Ashoka East Africa, said the initiative would bring entrepreneurs into direct engagement with impact investors, policymakers, corporate representatives and development partners.
Timothy Mugerwa, FUSE president and chief executive officer, said the fund would demonstrate Africa’s willingness to invest in its own entrepreneurs.
“The launch of a USD 1 million Pan-African Social Enterprise Fund shows that Africa is ready to invest in its own social entrepreneurs,” Mugerwa said.
He said the summit would provide a platform where capital, policy and enterprise could converge to advance social entrepreneurship across the continent.
However, the organisers have not yet disclosed how the $1 million fund will be distributed, the eligibility requirements for beneficiaries or when applications for financing will open.
The summit is expected to produce three key outcomes: the launch of the fund, the opening of new markets for African social enterprises and connections between more than 500 enterprises and potential investors and partners.
Social enterprises are businesses that combine commercial activities with efforts to address social or environmental problems. Their growth often depends on access to financing, reliable markets and partnerships that enable them to expand beyond their immediate communities.
The Kampala meeting will focus on how such businesses can contribute to poverty reduction, tackle inequality and address environmental challenges while remaining commercially viable.
The initiative comes as Uganda implements its Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV), covering the 2025/26–2029/30 financial years, and pursues a Ten-Fold Growth Strategy aimed at expanding the economy from about $50 billion to $500 billion by 2040.
Organisers say the summit aligns with the government’s economic transformation agenda and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which promotes inclusive growth and sustainable development. Its emphasis on cross-border trade and partnerships also aligns with the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Beyond the fund, the summit will feature a Social Enterprise Marketplace where businesses can showcase and sell their products, exhibitions, networking sessions and discussions on investment and enterprise development.
Young innovators aged 15 to 35 will also compete for prizes of $4,000 and $2,000 in a pitch competition targeting social enterprise solutions that are already generating revenue or are ready for commercialisation.
The summit will conclude with the Social Enterprise Awards Gala Dinner on November 24 at Hotel Africana in Kampala, where social innovators in Uganda will be recognised across 10 categories.
The awards, now in their third edition following events in 2024 and 2025, are organised by FUSE with strategic support from Astute Strategists.
The organisers say the broader objective is to strengthen African enterprises by linking them to financing, markets and partnerships that could help them expand their impact and commercial reach.