At seven years old, John Ivan Busulwa had already chosen his profession: he wanted to be a lawyer.
His interest in law began with an admiration for the way lawyers dressed and confidently presented their arguments.
Despite excelling in the sciences at O -Level, where he scored Aggregate 13 with distinctions, he chose arts at A-Level because he wanted to study law.
He joined Makerere University School of Law, where he pursued a Bachelor of Laws, and subsequently Law Development Centre (LDC), where he undertook postgraduate training.
Knowledge beyond law school
Busulwa’s interest in fields beyond law began while he was still at university. In his second year at Makerere, he picked interest in venture capital while trying to raise money for a startup.
‘When I approached a lawyer for guidance, he initially ignored me and later told me not to disturb him because he was busy. I decided to teach myself,’ Busulwa recalls.
He began reading about venture capital every day.
‘I made it a point to read something new about venture capital every single day for three years,’ he says.
That curiosity introduced him to the world of investment and business finance, where he learnt about deal structuring, drafting term sheets and partnership agreements, private equity and financial modelling.
The experience also changed his understanding of what a lawyer could become.
By then, he had begun thinking beyond conventional legal practice. He wanted to create something that could make a difference to many people at once.
‘I felt law was often reactive, with lawyers and regulators stepping in only after technologies and industries had developed. I wanted to be on the field, building the technologies and creating the impact I wanted to see,’ he says.
He eventually pursued formal finance certifications to complement what he had learnt independently.
‘I enrolled with the Corporate Finance Institute and earned certifications in Financial Modelling and Valuation and Financial Planning and Wealth Management. By the time I joined the LDC, I knew a lot about venture capital,’ Busulwa explains.
Starting up
While still at university, Busulwa and his longtime friend, Matthew Mwesigwa, built Shopline, a platform designed to help small businesses sell online. The venture failed as the two struggled to balance developing the product with their studies.
However, they pressed on.
In their third term at LDC, Busulwa and Mwesigwa began building Credtics, a financial technology platform that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help microfinance institutions automate their credit processes.
The company has since developed an AI model specifically for insurance companies. Busulwa says the model can reduce claims processing time from about seven minutes to five.
The AI reviews claims documents, including handwritten ones, and checks them against the insurer’s policies and the claimant’s details before generating a verdict and a detailed report.
‘It flags inconsistencies, potential fraud, overcharging, double billing and issues involving documents such as driving licences. It is designed to work with a company’s existing technology rather than requiring it to rebuild its systems,’ Busulwa explains.
The company has not yet secured a paying insurance client, but several insurance companies are running trials. Busulwa says the results so far have been encouraging, with interest from insurers in Uganda, elsewhere in East Africa and in Asia.
Restoring trust in insurance
Busulwa is concerned about trust in insurance, particularly in Uganda, where insurance penetration remains low. He believes the claims process is one of the key moments that shape a customer’s relationship with an insurer.
‘If claims are processed quickly, fairly and accurately, trust grows,’ he says.
His legal background remains useful in this work. It enables him to assess legal risks alongside technological ones, while his finance training helps him understand the commercial implications of the systems he is building.
Busulwa believes professionals become more valuable when they can connect seemingly unrelated fields.
‘A lawyer who understands technology and finance can bring something different to a room filled with lawyers, engineers and finance professionals,’ he argues.
Shift in perspective
His move into technology gained momentum in 2025, when he received a scholarship to pursue a Master of Science in Engineering, Science and Entrepreneurship Excellence at the University of Notre Dame in the United States.
The transition from law to a programme combining engineering, science, technology and entrepreneurship was challenging, he says, but that challenge was part of what attracted him to it. Busulwa believes tackling difficult things can create a competitive advantage because most people naturally avoid them.
‘My experience at Notre Dame expanded my sense of what was possible. My master’s research focused on commercialising bio-based stretch fabric and involved interviews with senior executives from companies such as Nike and Under Armour,’ he says.
He adds that interacting with people building successful companies broadened his perspective.
Guidance that shaped him
Busulwa attributes his ambition to a culture of accountability instilled by his parents, Stephen and Gorret Kayiwa. Every year, he says, the three set goals and later review their progress, a practice that keeps him focused on what he hopes to achieve.
A formative moment came in Senior Three, after he performed poorly.
‘My parents told me that education was the strongest gift I had and I was wasting it. The conversation changed how I viewed my abilities,’ he recalls.
Another turning point came when Busulwa was about 19. He walked from Makerere to Kololo to seek an opportunity from Awel Uwihanganye, who would later become his mentor. The meeting eventually led to a job at the LeO Africa Institute, where he received mentorship over the years.
‘The networks I built there later opened another door. A fellow, Maria Nakalanda, told me about the Notre Dame programme, so I applied and got the opportunity,’ he explains.
Delayed gratification
Building Credtics has come with trade-offs. Busulwa says he often goes to bed at about 2am and wakes up at 6am, spending his evenings learning, developing products, contacting potential clients and pitching the platform.
Future
Five years from now, Busulwa sees Credtics operating on a larger scale, helping insurance companies automate claims processing and financial institutions streamline operations across industries and countries. His goal is to develop technology that saves clients time and helps them make more money.
QUICK NOTES
Trade-offs: ‘My social life is limited. I do not go out much and I have a few friends. I am grateful that they understand,’ he says. ‘I invest my own money in building our technology and in my learning. I could have spent money on other things.’
Education timeline
January 29, 2024. Attained Bachelor of Laws (LLB), Makerere University
June 19, 2026. Postgraduate Diploma from Law Development Centre
May 17, 2026. Master’s from University of Notre Dame
Professional certifications: Financial Modelling and Valuation Analyst (FMVA) and Financial Planning and Wealth Management Professional from Corporate Finance Institute.