Eswatini launches Startup World Cup to boost innovation and youth entrepreneurship

By:  Nana Appiah Acquaye

Eswatini’s Ministry of ICT has officially launched the Startup World Cup initiative in a move aimed at positioning the Kingdom of Eswatini as a competitive innovation and digital investment hub.

The launch was officiated by the Minister of ICT, Savannah Maziya, who underscored the importance of innovation, digital transformation and youth empowerment in tackling unemployment and driving economic growth.

Speaking during the event, the minister noted that with more than 70 percent of Eswatini’s population under the age of 35, the programme seeks to create opportunities for young people to transform innovative ideas into sustainable businesses.

“Our young people are not waiting for us to rescue them, but they are ready to build, innovate and create opportunities for themselves and for others,” she said.

The Acting Chief Executive Officer of Royal Science and Technology Park described the initiative as a defining moment for the country’s innovation ecosystem, adding that Eswatini has the potential to compete and lead on the global innovation stage despite its size.

He encouraged local innovators to believe in the potential of their ideas, noting that the Startup World Cup offers entrepreneurs opportunities for international exposure, access to global investors and pathways to scale local innovations into globally competitive enterprises.

The Director of the Research Science Technology and Innovation Department also reaffirmed the country’s digital transformation ambitions, stating that innovation remains central to building a sustainable and knowledge-based economy capable of thriving in the digital era.

The partnership between Royal Science and Technology Park and Pegasus Tech Ventures was highlighted as a major opportunity for local entrepreneurs to compete on one of the world’s leading innovation platforms in Silicon Valley.