The Pathogen Economy Labs (PEL) in partnership with the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Secretariat, Marconi Lab, Makerere University Centre for Artificial Intelligence (MAK-AI), Makerere Innovation and Incubation Center, and Makerere University has launched the AI Innovation Academy program titled the “AI4H – AI/ML Academy Bootcamp”, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at equipping undergraduate students, early career professionals, and startups or innovators with practical skills and a passion for applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to solve pressing local and global challenges.
The AI4H – AI/ML Academy Bootcamp program is being funded by the Science, Technology, and Innovations Secretariat, with an aim to empower AI-driven innovation in Uganda. It is an intensive program designed to run for four months, combining theoretical knowledge with hands-on projects. Participants will gain expertise in programming, data handling, visualization, supervised and unsupervised learning, model tuning, deep learning, computer vision, natural language processing, and responsible AI. They will also participate in a business incubation phase, where selected participants will receive mentorship and business development support. The top three participants will secure seed funding of up to USD 4,000 to enable further development, launch, and testing of their Minimum Viable Products (MVP) with real users.
How were the participants selected? Which sectors are the solutions impacting? How will this impact be manifested?
Selected participants include students from universities and technical institutes studying technology-related fields; early-career professionals such as computer scientists and software engineers seeking to upskill in AI/ML; and founders of startups that aim to integrate AI/ML into their products. The participants also went through rigorous interviews to ensure they met the desired criteria.
The solutions are expected to impact a cross-section of sectors, including health, agriculture and food security, environmental and climate change, and education, among others.
In support of this cause, the Research and Education Network for Uganda (RENU) is supporting the program with the following;
- Cloud and AI infrastructure
- Connectivity
- Cybersecurity for AI
- Communications
By supporting the AI4H Academy, RENU reaffirms its commitment to building digital capacity for Uganda’s education and research communities. This initiative not only creates a pipeline of AI-ready talent but also fosters innovation that addresses real-world challenges in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education, fintech, business and climate resilience.
Pathogen Economy Labs is a project that was initiated by Makerere University in partnership with clinical, governmental, and research institutions to tackle pressing health challenges. This initiative is guided by the following objectives;
- Developing an Integrated AI Disease Screening Platform to enhance the diagnosis of high-impact diseases such as COVID-19, tuberculosis, cervical and breast cancers, working closely with local health institutions.
- Establishing an AI Research and Innovation Hub as a national center for mentorship, technical support, and infrastructure, where AI talent can thrive and innovations can be nurtured for long-term impact.
- Commercialising AI-Driven Innovations by supporting at least three AI-powered solutions through the full commercialization process — transforming research prototypes into viable businesses that strengthen Uganda’s economy and health outcomes
This academy marks a major step in building a pipeline of AI-ready talent in Uganda, nurturing solutions for national challenges, and positioning the country as a leader in AI-driven innovation in Africa.
