Founder's Story
Richard Tusabe
Founder's Story
Richard Tusabe
From the Shores of Lake Victoria to Global Impact
Youth Startup Fund was founded by Richard Tusabe, a Ugandan-born social innovator whose personal journey embodies both the potential of youth leadership and the barriers young founders face in accessing support. Raised as an orphan in the remote Ssese Islands on Lake Victoria, Kalangala District, Uganda, Richard grew up in conditions of extreme poverty that would have limited most people’s possibilities. Instead, those experiences forged an unshakable determination to create opportunities not only for himself but for countless others facing similar struggles.
Educational Foundation
Richard holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Management from Makerere University, Uganda’s premier institution of higher learning, where he also pursued graduate studies in Climate Change and Development. His academic foundation in environmental science and climate resilience directly informs his approach to youth empowerment and sustainable development. Beyond formal education, Richard is a certified web developer, graphic designer, and AI engineering enthusiast who leverages emerging technologies to amplify social impact.
Entrepreneurial Leadership
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Richard founded SAPE Foundation (Sustainable Actions for Poverty Eradication) in Uganda, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing education, livelihood support, health, environmental stewardship, and digital inclusion. He also founded Tsabex in California, a multifaceted enterprise spanning digital systems, healthcare, and human resource management. As author of Mental Toughness (available on Amazon), Richard shares powerful strategies for overcoming adversity and cultivating entrepreneurial resilience.
The Systemic Barrier
Despite founding multiple successful organizations and demonstrating clear impact, Richard repeatedly encountered the same barrier: traditional funders would only support his work after he had already proven himself through years of unpaid labor and personal sacrifice. The implicit message was clear: young people must earn the right to be taken seriously through extended apprenticeship in struggle.
A Radical Premise
Richard recognized this paradigm as fundamentally unjust and strategically foolish. If venture capital can invest millions in twenty-three-year-olds building software companies based on potential, why can’t philanthropy invest in twenty-three-year-olds building solutions to poverty, climate change, and inequality using the same logic?
Youth Startup Fund is Born
YSF exists to be that first yes, that early validation, that seed capital which unlocks everything else. We exist because waiting for young people to prove themselves through years of struggle wastes both time and talent the world cannot afford to lose. Every young founder supported by YSF receives what Richard wished he had: flexible funding, meaningful mentorship, peer connections, and the message that their vision matters right now, not someday.