Ghana: KIC launches AgriTech Challenge Pro with Team Building Bootcamp

Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC) conducted a Team Building and Bonding Bootcamp for the 2024 cohort of the AgriTech Challenge Pro.

The AgriTech Challenge Pro, a collaborative program with the Mastercard Foundation, signifies the shared dedication of KIC and the Mastercard Foundation to bolstering work-readiness and employability skills among young individuals. The aim is to guide them towards dignified and fulfilling career paths in entrepreneurship.

The team building training kicks off the robust 5-month long accelerator training program, designed to empower young entrepreneurs with the knowledge and skills necessary to develop commercially viable and innovative scalable business solutions within the agricultural landscape. Leveraging innovation and technology as catalysts, the AgriTech Challenge Pro aims to drive transformative change in the industry by nurturing the next generation of agripreneurs, transforming and creating social impact, whiles becoming economically empowered. Each participating team receives funding support for their product and business development. At the end of the 5 months training, the winning teams will progress onto KIC’s Incubation program.

This year’s participants include the top 22 teams from the 2023 KIC AgriTech Challenge Classic and 20 dynamic existing startups. The ten participating universities include University of Ghana (UG), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), University of Cape Coast (UCC), Bolgatanga Technical University (BTU), Takoradi Technical University (TTU), Ho Technical University (HTU), Koforidua Technical University (KTU), University of Development Studies (UDS), SD Dombo University of Business & Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS), and University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR).

The AgriTech teams engaged in activities during the bootcamp that not only reinforced interpersonal connections but also introduced essential concepts of resilience and discipline as fundamental team skills. Acknowledging the pivotal role these attributes play in the startup journey, the bootcamp aimed to foster collaboration and creativity among the upcoming entrepreneurs.

Benjamin Gyan-Kesse, the Executive Director for KIC, set the tone for this year’s AgriTech Challenge Pro training with an inspiring address. He emphasized the significance of KIC’s program approach, underscoring its role in instilling an entrepreneurial mindset among young individuals. Mr. Gyan-Kesse highlighted the importance of empowering participants to not only envision but also actualize their aspirations, fostering a culture of business growth and sustainability.

In a multi-year partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, KIC aims to train the next generation of young leaders and entrepreneurs in Ghana’s agriculture sector.

KIC is dedicated to advancing a robust transformation agenda for young people through agricultural entrepreneurship pathways. By 2023, over 3,000 young individuals had already benefited from the AgriTech Challenge programs.