Matsapha – ICT Minister Savannah Maziya on Monday 11 May 2026 officially launched the Startup World Cup in the Kingdom, a move aimed at positioning Eswatini as a competitive innovation and digital investment hub.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Maziya pointed to the significance of innovation and digital transformation in tackling unemployment and driving economic growth, noting that with over 70% of the country’s population under the age of 35, the programme was designed to give young people the tools to turn their ideas into viable 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 CEO of the Royal Science and Technology Park described the launch as a defining moment for Eswatini’s innovation ecosystem, saying the effort proves that the Kingdom is not too small to innovate, not too small to compete and certainly not too small to lead. He encouraged local innovators to back themselves, pointing out that the Startup World Cup offers entrepreneurs worldwide exposure, access to global investors and the chance to turn local solutions into businesses with global impact.
The Director of the Royal Science and Technology Institute Department said innovation is the ladder to prosperity, and reaffirmed the Kingdom’s goal of building a sustainable, knowledge-based economy equipped to thrive in the digital age.
The partnership between the Royal Science and Technology Park and Pegasus Tech Ventures was praised for opening the door for local entrepreneurs to compete on one of the world’s most prominent innovation stages in Silicon Valley.
