Students Pitch Ideas in Entrepreneurial Competition At ‘Demo Day’

The Office of Research, Innovation and Development hosted the final competition of the Innovation for African Universities (IAU) student enterprise initiative dubbed ‘DEMO DAY’. The ‘Connecting Ghana Project’ brought together students from the University of Ghana (UG), University of Cape Coast (UCC) and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

Partners in this student enterprise, include Impact Hub-Accra, and Imperial College London, and Universal Merchant Bank, with funding from the British Council. The keenly contested finale took place on July 28th 2023, at the ISSER conference hall on the UG Legon campus.

A students’ start-up group from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, KNUST, Mc Han Organics, with a business plan to process cocoa pods into cosmetics products and detergents, beat off competition from fourteen other finalists from the 3 institutions to clinch the ultimate prize.

In second place was Smart Farms, also from KNUST, with a proposal to develop ‘green’ dryers to address the reliance on sun drying of crops and post-harvest losses. The technology is powered by solar energy and other renewable energy sources.

The UG team, EDUVARA, placed third, having developed an innovative school management suite to address inefficiencies of administrative processes in education. The suite was also designed to resolve the challenge of limited internet connectivity in schools.

Prizes awarded to the winning teams ranged from GHc50,000 to GHc20,000, consisting of cash and specified hours of mentorship and training by business professionals. The teams also received support toolkits, certificates, and a plaque.

Following their successful pitches, Mc Han Organics, Smart Farms, and EUDUVARA are expected to develop viable commercial businesses as part of the outcomes of the ‘Connecting Ghana Project.’

The panel of judges, including Mr. Eric Nsarkoh (MEST Africa), Mrs. Abena Serwaa Boateng, (Food and Drugs Authority, FDA), and Dr. Ebenezer Kakrah Hammah, a businessman, evaluated the presentation skills, innovation, market potential, business model, environment and social impact, and execution plan and the team’s ‘ask’, in addition, prototypes and samples of their products.

Speaking ahead of the pitching of ideas at the finale of the competition, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, Vice-Chancelor of the University of Ghana, challenged all teams to present viable and brilliant ideas that will prepare them for the fourth industrial revolution.

She advocated for solutions that would reduce Ghana’s dependency on imports and meet traditional demand, as local ideas are more suited to Ghana’s needs. The Vice-Chancellor, on behalf of the University, expressed gratitude to the partners of the project and invited industry to collaborate with the University to push the boundaries of development in Africa.

“Innovation has always been the driving force of progress and societal development, and this event represents a momentous landmark in our collective journey towards nurturing the innovative and entrepreneurial potential among the bright minds that make up our academic institutions,” she intimated.

Prof. Felix Asante, the University’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor in charge of Research, Innovation, and Development who spearheaded the IAU network partnership, leading efforts to champion innovation at UG, entreated students to ascend beyond concepts, to ‘dream big’ and transform ideas into commercial ventures.

He applauded the commitment of UG’s partners in this initiative for their collective determination to empower students.

The keynote speaker for the 2023 Demo Day, Ms. Constance Swaniker, Founder of the Design Technology Institute (DTI), encouraged the participants to have positive mindsets, knowing that they would succeed in the ventures they had chosen.

She shared her experience of navigating and sustaining a business and admonished the students not to habour attitudes of ‘entitlement’ but to step out of familiar domains and venture into deprived areas from where innovative ideas emanate.

Ms. Swaniker mentioned that “creativity is the height of intelligence, and opportunities often spring out from unexpected places. So, you need to generate a solution for every problem you face and seek lessons when you fail.”

Delivering a solidarity message, the Country Director of the British Council, Nii Dodoo Dodoo, assured the institutions of the Council’s commitment to ensuring that student entrepreneurs were encouraged to innovative and entrepreneurial culture among educational institutions in the country.

Other solidarity messages were received from representatives of Impact Hub-Accra, Imperial College London, UCC, and KNUST, as well as Dr. George Acheampong, project lead of the UGBS Nest, an innovation incubation hub.

The Registrar of the University, Mrs. Emelia Agyei-Mensah, who delivered the vote of thanks at the end of the competition, thanked the participating schools and groups, organisers, partners, and sponsors for the success of the event.

The DEMO DAY competition completed a two-year project which sought to nurture creativity and imbibe a sense of entrepreneurship in the youth. It also signaled the inception of a culture of innovation, commercialisation, and the development of ideas to address societal challenges.

Partners in this student enterprise, include Impact Hub-Accra, and Imperial College London, and Universal Merchant Bank, with funding from the British Council.

The function was attended by Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, Vice Chancellor, Prof. Felix Ankomah Asante, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation, and Development), Mrs. Emelia Agyei-Mensah, Registrar of the University, Prof. Justice Bawole, Dean, Business School, Dr. George Acheampong (UGBS), Dr. Karen Arthur and Dr. Sam Akomea Esq. represented UCC and KNUST, respectively.