Kyambogo University’s Oprah Asero has been crowned champion of the National Engineering Innovation Bootcamp, emerging victorious after outperforming 12 other finalists during the national grand finale held earlier this week.

The finals, hosted at the National ICT Innovation Hub in Nakawa, saw Asero’s innovation — a portable EV motor power bank designed to provide emergency backup energy for electric motorcycle riders facing limited battery swap infrastructure — voted the best overall solution.

William Ahaisibwe from Isbat University secured second place, while Allen Nansiimbi from Makerere University finished third.

The top five teams will each receive UGX 1,000,000 in seed funding, complimentary co-working space at the National ICT Innovation Hub and Hive Colab, and eight months of advanced prototyping and product development support in partnership with Lwera Electronics and Semiconductors.

Distinguished Judging Panel

The judging panel comprised:

  • Kenneth Legesi (Ortus Africa Capital)

  • Alvin Mbabazi (Highland Hub VC)

  • Donald Byamugisha (International Trade Centre)

  • David Nalwebe (Project Management Institute)

The Chief Guest, Aijuka Edmund, President of the Africa Prize Alumni Network, encouraged founders to build boldly and position their innovations for global competitiveness.

As organisers and Leaders in Innovation Fellowship (LIF) alumni, the coordinating team emphasized their commitment to transferring knowledge and support gained from global programmes of the Royal Academy of Engineering to emerging student engineers. The initiative aims to activate technical talent early and scale locally developed solutions to address pressing national and continental challenges.

The bootcamp was delivered in collaboration with Lwera Electronics and Semiconductors, Relevant Ventures, and the National ICT Innovation Hub.

About the Bootcamp

The winner was determined after six weeks of intensive mentorship, prototype development, and venture training. The national finale showcased Uganda’s next generation of engineers building solutions in artificial intelligence, clean energy, smart systems, mobility, and digital health.

The programme, led by alumni of the Leaders in Innovation Fellowship (LIF) and supported under the LIF Community Projects framework of the Royal Academy of Engineering, aims to build a sustainable pipeline of deep-tech founders across African universities, starting in Uganda.

Thirteen finalist teams pitched live before students, investors, government representatives, industry leaders, banking partners, and members of the media at the National ICT Innovation Hub.

Each team delivered a four-minute pitch and demonstrated working prototypes developed in under two months. Several finalists reported securing pre-orders following their presentations.

The bootcamp directly engaged more than 150 shortlisted students and resulted in the emergence of 30 new student engineer founders. From an initial nationwide pool of 150 applicants, 30 semi-finalists advanced, with 13 reaching the grand finale.

Beyond product development, the programme emphasized venture building, systems thinking, and commercialization strategies. Organisers noted that each finalist team represents potential growth in skilled employment across AI development, hardware engineering, IoT deployment, renewable energy, and technical services.

Projections indicate that by 2030, startups nurtured through the programme could generate up to 150,000 jobs, contributing to Uganda’s local manufacturing capacity and strengthening its research-to-market pipeline. The bootcamp is scheduled to run annually to scale its national impact.

Other Award Winners

4th Place – Musiimenta Elizabeth

Makerere University, Civil Engineering
Team: SaveMaama
An on-demand, affordable biogas solution converting food waste into clean energy through a flexible pay-as-you-use model.

5th Place – Esther Akello

Kyambogo University, Mechatronics and Biomedical Engineering
Team: The Solar Maximizer
A modular solar tracker designed to increase solar energy generation by up to 40 percent in off-grid settings.

Other Notable Finalists

  • CardioSense – AI platform for rapid myocardial infarction detection.

  • DuoGnostix – Dual-mode AI and microscopy system for improved malaria diagnosis.

  • PlacementBridge – AI-powered job engine delivering verified real-time opportunities.

  • Pathwell Innovations (U) Ltd – AI-enabled second medical opinion platform.

  • MaKa Transit – On-demand bus mobility platform with digital booking and fleet tracking.

  • Aedos – Compact electric sanitary waste incinerator for schools and workplaces.

  • Audiva – Affordable AI-powered hearing device enhancing speech perception.

  • SOL TANK – Solar-powered water storage and purification system for off-grid communities.

 

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