BPN stands for Business Professionals Network.

Business Professionals Network (BPN) Uganda is a Swiss-founded international non-profit organization dedicated to empowering small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to achieve sustainable growth, strengthen leadership capabilities, and create lasting employment opportunities.

BPN Uganda is located at 45 Kira Road in Kampala, Uganda.

The foundation “Business Professionals Network” was established in 1999 and operates in five countries: Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Rwanda, and Uganda. The country office in Uganda has been in operation since 2025.

Daniel Matter serves as Country Director of BPN Uganda, overseeing the organisation’s day-to-day management, delivering business coaching as a Swiss expert, and leading the core seminars under the BPN programme.

By joining the BPN Uganda programme you gain access to practical tools and expert support designed to help your business grow:

• Personalised coaching from local and Swiss experts. Whether you’re navigating sales strategies, financial management, people challenges, or anything else that comes with running a business — you’ll have experienced coaches in your corner. Support includes developing and implementing your own business plan.
• Business knowledge that works in the real world. Through interactive workshops and seminars, you’ll learn through case studies and hands-on exercises, picking up skills you can apply to your business immediately.
• A network that opens doors. Connect with like-minded entrepreneurs, build meaningful relationships, and grow the contacts your business needs to thrive.

Individual Business Coaching

Running a business means making a multitude of decisions every single day. Good decisions require careful consideration. Have you ever wished you could be guided through your decision-making by an experienced coach?

At BPN Uganda, you will receive individual coaching from local and Swiss experts. This gives you the opportunity to discuss burning questions about marketing your products, financial management, and leadership challenges with a trusted partner.

Seminars/ Business Academy

In the seminars of the BPN Uganda Business Academy, local and international experts provide tailored further training for SME executives. Based on a variety of case studies, you will gain practical knowledge in a highly compact form that you can implement immediately in your daily business operations.

Business Owners’ Association

Small and medium-sized enterprises, regardless of the industry they belong to, often face similar challenges. The regular meetings of the BPN Uganda Business Owner’s Association offer (former) BPN programme participants the opportunity to network with like-minded entrepreneurs and to return to their daily business inspired and strengthened with new ideas.

No. BPN Uganda does not directly provide loans, grants, or investment capital to entrepreneurs. Instead, it focuses on helping businesses to become investment-ready by developing a solid business plan, setting realistic growth strategies and strengthening leadership and financial management capabilities. Furthermore, BPN opens pathways to appropriate financing opportunities through strategic partnerships with financial institutions.

BPN focuses on helping businesses become market-ready so they can successfully leverage business opportunities, partnerships, and growth connections. Rather than acting as a direct broker or sales agent, BPN Uganda provides access to domestic and regional markets through its extensive network, strategic alliances, and ecosystem partnerships. Through targeted capacity building, BPN Uganda equips entrepreneurs with the competitive edge and professional credibility to develop sustainable commercial relationships and pursue new market opportunities independently.

Upon completing your business and financial plan with BPN and signing the cooperation agreement, you will receive 3 individual consultations per year and discounted access to our complete seminar programme for a period of 2 years.

At the end of this two-year term, you may join the BPN Uganda Business Owners’ Association to retain ongoing access to all BPN Uganda services and programmes.

There is no separate fee to join the BPN programme. Thanks to the fact that BPN Uganda’s services are subsidized, we are able to offer our seminars at a price ranging from UGX 50,000 to UGX 350,000, depending on the number of days and hours.

BPN Uganda offers discounts for:

• BPN programme participants: Companies that commit to working with BPN on a long-term basis.
• Early birds: Seminar registrations completed at least one week ahead of schedule.
• Group bookings: Companies sending more than two participants to the same seminar.

Individual business coaching sessions are free of charge and exclusively reserved for companies that are part of the BPN programme. Programme participants only pay for attending the workshops and seminars.

BPN Uganda is designed for entrepreneurs who are ready to take their business to the next level. You may be a good fit if:

• You run a manufacturing or service-based business
• You are between 18 and 55 years old
• Your business is positioned to grow — not just survive
• You are committed to creating real value for paying customers, rather than relying on grants
• You bring a strong growth mindset and a drive for professionalism
• You are open to investing in your own development and willing to receive honest feedback on your business

1. Contact us via the registration form on our website: https://bpn.ug/bpn-programme/#apply 

2. Attend an operational business planning workshop
3. Develop a businessand financial plan for your business 
4. Receive step-by-step guidance from a BPN expert until you have a complete business plan ready for your venture
5. Commit to a 2-year training and coaching partnership with BPNUgandaand invest in your business’s long-term growth. 

Companies from a wide variety of sectors participate in the BPN programme, and we do not have a specific industry focus. Unlike traditional, single-industry associations, our cross-sector approach empowers companies to unlock valuable business connections beyond their own sector and tap into entirely new customer bases.

You can find an overview of our comprehensive workshop and seminar program on the following page: https://bpn.ug/#seminars 

While our workshops and seminars are intentionally tailored for business owners, they are also open to middle managers, executives, and emerging leaders. Upon request, we also conduct corporate seminars that are specifically tailored to the needs and objectives of your organization. 

Provided there is a group of at least 20 participants interested in one of our workshops or seminars, these can also be offered outside of Kampala with appropriate planning. 

No, BPN is completely different from Business Network International (BNI). They are two entirely separate organizations with different structures, business models, and goals. While BPN Uganda focuses on strengthening the entrepreneur and the business from within – through improved management skills, strategic planning, financial discipline, and leadership development – BNI serves as an external growth platform that helps businesses generate sales opportunities through referrals and professional networking.