A launchpad
for Uganda's Christian
Startups
Raising Africa's "Next Gen" Kingdom entrepreneurs
Starting or growing a Christian Business in East Africa?
You've come to The Right Community!
AVODA Institute of Entrepreneurship’s three programs are designed specifically to help Christian entrepreneurs in Uganda raise revenue and investment to become transformative businesses for Christ.
AVODA was born from painstaking research and interviews into over 100 African startups, accelerator programs, and investor networks. AVODA identified 36 specific challenges that African entrepreneurs face today. AVODA’s programs are made to help address these challenges.
AVODA is Uganda’s first NextGen Startup Hub. We recognize that many of Uganda’s entrepreneurs are ready to outgrow the “grant-preneurship” model (i.e. small businesses starting and surviving on small, US$10-50k grants) that has largely defined Africa’s startup ecosystem till now. The “Next Generation” (NextGen) of Uganda’s startups must focus on securing local revenue and international contracts, rather than grants. As a NextGen Startup Hub, AVODA focuses on connecting our students, not only to investors and donors, but to local and international clients.
AVODA's Kingdom Vision for Africa
With 680 million Christians and counting, Africa is rapidly becoming the “global center of Christianity”. However, Africa’s Christian businesses are not only under-served in customized business education and business funding, they are yet to be made fully aware of their historic opportunity to build the Kingdom of God in and through Africa.
AVODA’s vision is to equip Africa’s Christian businesses with the practical tools, necessary resources, and Kingdom-driven community to make revenue and impact for Christ, both locally and globally.
What to Expect from AVODA Institute's Three Programs
AVODA Green
- Length: 1-2 weeks
- Time: 6-8PM, Monday-Friday
- Location: AVODA Group Offices UG
- Full Fee: 350,000 UGX
- Perks:
- Cash prize for best ideas
- Free one-on-one coaching sessions with AVODA experts
- Free and full membership to AVODA Agòra during program
- Discount for AVODA Blue amounting to the full fee of AVODA Green
AVODA Blue
- Length:10 months (Jan-Nov)
- Time: 5:30-7:30PM, Tuesday-Thursday
- Location: AVODA Group Offices UG
- Full Fee: 8 million UGX (scholarships available – see below)
- Perks:
- Pitch at AVODA Investor Event if you hit your annual sales target
- Sell your products to AVODA Group’s many global clients
- Certificate of Entrepreneurship
- Free one-on-one coaching sessions with AVODA experts
- Free, powerful marketing (social media, videos, publications, etc.)
- Free and full membership to AVODA Agòra during program
- Various scholarships available (see below)
AVODA Agòra
- Length: Monthly & yearly memberships
- Time: Open 9AM-5PM, Monday-Friday
- Location: AVODA Group Offices UG
- Monthly Fee: 350,000 UGX
- Annual Fee: 3.95 million UGX
- Perks:
- One-on-one coaching sessions with AVODA experts at discount
- Free, high-speed wifi
- Free, guaranteed power supply
- Access to the AVODA Library
- Big discounts to other AVODA programs and events
NOTE: The AVODA Institute serves startups with under $300k of sales per year, or under $1 million in valuation. For startups with larger sales or valuations, see the AVODA Silver Program under the AVODA Consultancy.
The AVODA Library collects some of the best selling business and Christian books around the world. Our growing library has over a hundred books on Economics, Leadership, Management, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Personal Development, Christian Life, Christian Doctrine, and many other topics.
Located at the very heart of Kampala!
Meet our Excellent Instructors
More information about the AVODA Blue Program
Scholarships & Grants
Scholarships for full AVODA Blue program:
- Early Bird Scholarship: UGX580,000 for those who apply and are accepted before December 19, 2021
- Partner Scholarship: UGX580,000 for members of Watoto Church, University Community Fellowship, Uganda Christian University, and alumni of ABU and ABI.
- Exceptional Candidate Scholarship: UGX888,000 for the applicants scoring highest in admissions essays and interviews.
Entry requirements
Our admissions criteria focus on whether the applicant has an entrepreneurial spirit, a teachable character, and strategic mindset.
Other admission criteria are:
- A-levels certificate
- English proficiency
- 2 entrance essays
- 2 admission interviews
NOTE: These criteria do not apply for those applying only for the AVODA Green.
More facts that make AVODA unique for students and investors
The AVODA Group Advantage
AVODA Institute of Entrepreneurship is a member of AVODA Group, a Japan-based strategic consulting firm that serves various global clients, including banks and governments.
This provides our entrepreneurs with a massive strategic advantage, giving them world-class exposure, and allowing them to seek business contracts with large overseas clientele.
The AVICS Advantage
One of the biggest challenges for African entrepreneurs is the high interest rates of commercial loans and micro-finance credit.
The AVODA Interest & Credit Score (AVICS) system uses an algorithm to track students’ tuition payment history, grades, daily punctuality, and more to produce accurate and favorable interest rate recommendations for investors who want to provide loans to our entrepreneurs.
The AVODA Fund Advantage
The AVODA Institute can invest into its entrepreneurs from its US-based partner, AVODA Fund. This allows AVODA Institute to invest into its entrepreneurs at sub-market rates, using the AVICS system to assess each entrepreneur’s credit-worthiness.
Program Overview
The 34-week AVODA Blue program innovatively combines world-class MBA-level business lectures together with engaging workshops, live projects in the market, and real opportunities for investment. The program is divided into THREE segments.
1) The intensive 4-week AVODA Bootcamp, introduces AVODA’s Christian philosophy and strategy for building strong, value-driven businesses, and also sets the scene for AVODA’s team-based culture through a long menu of engaging group workshops and activities. The AVODA Bootcamp can be applied for separately from the full, 34-week program.
2) Students who sign up for the world-class, full 34-week program will then progress on to the 19-week AVODA Blue Lab, a world-class mini-MBA specifically customized for Christians business owners and post-COVID entrepreneurs. As a post-COVID program, classes are delivered through a hybrid model of online videos and content combined with onsite (physical) workshops and team activities.
3) Uniquely, AVODA has our students launch and incorporate their startups halfway through the program at the beginning of the 15-week AVODA Blue Hub. This allows the latter half of AVODA’s 34-week journey to be actually – not theoretically – about boosting our startups’ sales and international client acquisition. Our entrepreneurs can then pitch to investors at the end of the program with actual sales and track record to show.
