The Official Startup Designation& STI Hub Platform to registerof Ethiopia.
One national system to register your business, apply for Startup Designation, and access the incentives, funding mechanisms, and regional support available under the Startup Proclamation.
A live national record,
updated in real time.
Startups registered and applications submitted since platform launch.
Startups awarded official Designation Certificates with full access to benefits.
Regional STI hubs providing local support and mentorship across Ethiopia.
A Single National Registry, Replacing Fragmented Regional Processes.
Give founders, regional hub administrators, and evaluators a single, transparent system to register, monitor, and report on national STI activity — replacing legacy, disconnected regional pipelines.
To be the authoritative national record of Ethiopia's registered startups and innovation hubs — built for transparency, public accountability, and consistent application of the Startup Proclamation across every region.
What the Platform
Establishes.
One Legal Pathway
Every designation decision is made against the criteria published in Proclamation No. 1396/2025 — not informal discretion.
A Single Point of Entry
Register once nationally instead of navigating separate regional business bureaucracies.
Transparent Status Tracking
Know exactly where your application stands — from document submission through committee review to certificate issuance.
A Direct Line to Incentives
Designation is the qualifying step for corporate tax relief, customs duty exemptions on capital goods, credit guarantees, and public procurement access.
Four Pillars of
Legal Innovation.
To qualify for Startup Designation, a business must demonstrate that it creates positive economic value via a highly scalable, tech-enabled product or model, through at least one of the following:
Technology Introduction
Bringing a completely novel, technology-enabled product, process, or service to the local Ethiopian market for the first time.
Technology Adoption
Modifying and successfully applying existing technologies to solve systemic Ethiopian challenges that conventional local approaches haven't addressed.
Technology Transplantation
Adapting a proven global technology model or software structure, tailored to Ethiopia's socioeconomic and regulatory context.
Reverse Engineering
Deconstructing and rebuilding technological hardware or complex software frameworks to localize manufacturing or develop proprietary local software assets.
Startup Designation Criteria.
Applications are evaluated strictly against these legal, corporate, and structural thresholds.
Innovation & Scalability Test
The business must create positive economic value through a highly scalable, tech-enabled product or model — via introduction, adoption, transplantation, or reverse engineering of technology — to solve a localized market challenge.
Accredited Ecosystem Builder Designation.
A separate track for incubators, accelerators, co-working spaces, venture capital firms, and innovation research organizations that support the ecosystem rather than operate as startups themselves.
From registration
to certificate.
1Company profile created2Leadership details pending3Product description pending
Full application review typically takes 30–45 days. Committee review may include a founder validation interview.
Institutional Governance.
The MinT STI Platform operates under a three-tier governance structure that ensures policy coherence, operational excellence, and rigorous evaluation.
National Digital Economy Council
Formulates macro digital policy and the innovation agenda.
- Sets strategic direction for the digital economy
- Aligns innovation efforts across all line ministries
- Supervises national ecosystem health
- Approves policy frameworks and regulations
Ministry of Innovation and Technology
Central administrative and enforcement organ.
- Manages the Digital Startup Portal — the single national registration interface
- Runs day-to-day platform operations
- Processes applications and issues certificates
- Coordinates the regional hub network
National Startup Designation Committee
Multi-sectoral vetting board.
- Evaluates applications against published criteria
- Conducts founder validation interviews
- Issues Designation Certificates
- Includes academics, civil society, and industry representatives
- May recommend certificate renewal or rejection
The National Digital Economy Council sets strategic direction, MinT executes the platform and manages day-to-day operations, and the Designation Committee applies rigorous, criteria-based evaluation. This separation of powers keeps policy, operations, and evaluation independent, transparent, and accountable.
Financial Infrastructure
& Policy Support
Designation unlocks direct financial mechanisms coordinated through MinT and the National Bank of Ethiopia.
National Credit Guarantee Scheme
Supervised alongside the National Bank of Ethiopia. Provides credit guarantees directly to commercial lenders, reducing the collateral barrier for early-stage designated startups.
Public Procurement Preferences (B2G)
Designated startups get preferential evaluation on public-sector technology contracts, establishing government as an early anchor customer and validating product-market fit.
Tax Relief & Incentives
Designated startups qualify for tax holidays, exemptions on imported capital equipment, and reduced corporate income tax rates during the certification period. Full details are provided upon designation.
Full details on eligibility and application for each incentive are provided upon Startup Designation.
National Regulatory Sandbox.
For regulated sectors, the Ministry of Innovation and Technology can authorize designated startups to legally test new products and business models in a live market under relaxed regulatory constraints — with a defined path to full licensing.
Exemption from standard capital deposit minimums
Modified transaction limits for pilot-stage testing
Shared KYC infrastructure access across sandbox participants
Application
Submit a sandbox request with product details, compliance plan, and timeline. MinT evaluates jointly with the relevant sector regulator.
Live Testing
Operate under a sandbox license with defined scope, customer limits, and regulatory monitoring.
Reporting
Regular reporting on activity, user feedback, incidents, and compliance status.
Full License Path
Successful completion creates a defined pathway to full regulatory licensing.
Compliance & Renewal.
Certificate Validity
2-year terms, renewable, capped at 8 total years from incorporation.
Ecosystem Builder Certificates
5-year terms, renewable upon successful review.
Notification Requirement
Startups must notify MinT within 10 days of any change to corporate structure or equity.
Periodic Reporting
Required reporting on how tax exemptions and incentives are being used.
Present Across Ethiopia.
The Ministry of Innovation and Technology is establishing regional Science, Technology & Innovation (STI) hubs across Ethiopia to bring Startup Designation services, mentorship, and innovation infrastructure closer to founders in every region. These hubs connect startups to regional resources, facilitate cluster development, and ensure equitable access to national designation benefits and procurement opportunities.
Security &
Accountability.
The MinT STI Platform operates in full compliance with Ethiopian data protection law and the Startup Proclamation. All applicant data, business information, and certification records are stored within jurisdictional infrastructure. Only authorized MinT officials, Committee members, and regional hub coordinators can access application data.
Encrypted by Default
All connections are SSL/TLS-encrypted; data is encrypted at rest using industry-standard AES encryption.
Role-Based Access
Every user role is limited to the data and actions relevant to their function.
Full Audit Trail
Every action on the platform is logged for accountability and regulatory compliance.
Grounded in Law
Data handling follows Proclamation No. 1396/2025 and Ethiopian data protection law.
Core Platform
Capabilities.
Comprehensive registration workflow aligned to Commercial Code requirements.
Startup Proclamation No. 1396/2025 (PDF)
The full legal text establishing the platform and its criteria.
Plain-Language Eligibility & Compliance Guide
A simplified walkthrough of cap tables, PLC equity structuring, and reporting requirements.
Certificate Verification
Public lookup tool to confirm any designation certificate.
FAQ
Answers to common questions about the platform and designation.
Frequently asked questions.
The single national portal established under Proclamation No. 1396/2025, for founders seeking Startup Designation and for regional technology hub administrators reporting to the Ministry of Innovation and Technology.
Private businesses (not public share companies) that meet the innovation, equity, and structural criteria set out in the Proclamation — see Eligibility above.
Formal proof, issued by MinT with a verification QR code, that a business has been evaluated and approved. Certificates are valid for 2 years, renewable, up to a cumulative maximum of 8 years.
No. Registration begins the review process. Designation is granted only after Committee Review confirms the application meets all published criteria.
Tax relief, the National Credit Guarantee Scheme, public procurement preferences, and — for eligible sectors — participation in the regulatory sandbox.
Details on the review and reapplication process will be published here.
SSL/TLS encryption in transit, AES encryption at rest, role-based access control, and a full audit trail — see Security above.
Details will be published here.
Get in touch with MinT.
To be provided by MinT.
To be provided by MinT.
Ministry of Innovation and Technology, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Support channels
- Email support for general inquiries and application status
- Phone support for urgent matters
- Regional hub offices for in-person support and mentorship
Response times
- Emails typically within 2–3 business days
- Urgent issues — call for faster response
- Applications — full review typically within 30–45 days
- Committee review may include a founder validation interview
Ready to Register
Your Startup?
Apply for official Startup Designation and unlock tax relief, credit guarantees, procurement access, and regional support through the MinT STI Platform.