Learning, scaling, connecting: Enabel Innovation Hub bootcamp

In April 2025, the Enabel Innovation Hub hosted a dynamic five-day bootcamp in Kampala, Uganda. Funded by Belgium through the Wehubit 2.0 programme, with contributions from the European Union via the Data Governance in Africa Initiative (DGA), the Digital and Green Innovation Joint Action (DGI), and the Regional Teachers Initiative for Africa (RTIA), the event brought together 21 project teams tackling pressing challenges.

This bootcamp was more than just a training – it was a chance to pause, reflect, and connect. Participants stepped back from daily operations to explore the strategic side of scaling social innovation.

What the grantees learned

Throughout the week, participants engaged in hands-on sessions focused on scaling strategies, sustainable finance and partnership-building. Contributing experts from Brink and CGIAR offered valuable insights and workshops on sustainable business models and practical scaling tools.

Several teams will continue collaborating with Brink in the coming months through action-research initiatives supported by the Innovation Hub. Two Digital and Green Innovations teams will also further develop their scaling strategies in the coming months.

Peer learning was a core feature of the bootcamp. Through group work and informal exchanges, grantees shared their journeys, challenges, and breakthroughs – helping each other uncover blind spots and gain fresh perspectives on their scaling pathways.

For many, the bootcamp was a turning point: clarifying their long-term vision, assessing their readiness to scale, and identifying partnerships and resources needed to get there. The mix of expert-led sessions, practical tools, and reflective exercises created an energising learning space.

Why Kampala ?

Uganda’s capital is home to a vibrant innovation scene. The city became a living classroom for the participants, with standout visits to 3 local social enterprises:

→ Ecoplastile, which transforms plastic waste into sustainable construction materials.
→ Zetu Africa, the creators of the SeatPack—a school bag that doubles as a bamboo classroom chair.
→ AirQo, a Wehubit 1.0 alumni project from Makerere University, now scaling low-cost air quality sensors across Uganda.

These visits grounded the bootcamp in real-world examples of resilience, creativity, and impact. They also sparked new ideas and potential collaborations. As Angela Nshimye, Policy and Stakeholder Engagement at AirQo put it: “We shine together.”

Being in Kampala also allowed participants to connect with local alumni from the Wehubit 1.0 programme, reinforcing the value of the Knowledge Exchange Network (KEN), a growing community of innovators supported by Enabel.

Tailored value for each programme

Digital and Green Innovation Action grantees benefited from expert input, peer learning and deep reflection. Key takeaways included:

• A clearer understanding of the technical components of a project (e.g on data governance) and how it aligns with scaling efforts
• Tools to reassess strategies and identify gaps in their scaling strategies
• Peer inspiration from related initiatives and domains

Data Governance in Africa Initiative grantees focused on aligning digital and green innovation with long-term impact:

• Dedicated time and space to step back from daily operations and focus on strategic thinking, impact, and long-term vision
• Build future collaborations and partnerships through strategic exercises on endgames and feasibility
• Engage in peer discussions around sustainable business models and the development of local partnerships
• Draw inspiration from Ugandan innovators tackling similar challenges

Wehubit 2.0 grantees left with renewed direction:

• They connected with peers facing similar ecosystem integration hurdles.
• One grantee was inspired by AirQo’s journey and is now exploring a new partnership.
• Both projects began planning their upcoming action-research phase and identified relevant future events to attend.

Across all groups, the bootcamp created a shared language around scaling, impact, and innovation. It helped participants move from implementation to strategy, from isolated efforts to collective momentum.

Looking Ahead

The Kampala bootcamp was a milestone in Enabel’s broader mission to support social innovation across Africa. It demonstrated the power of bringing people together, not just to learn, but to co-create, reflect, and grow.

By investing in people, partnerships, and purpose-driven innovation, Enabel and its partners are helping to scale solutions that matter. And as this bootcamp showed, the journey is just as important as the destination.