Ten Startups pitch for cash and incubation in SDG Innovation Challenge

The SDG Advisory Unit of the Office of the President in partnership with Ho Node Hub and Ho Technical University organized an SDG Innovation Challenge which included a Pitch Contest organized as part of the Volta Region’s Edition of the SDGs Day Out.

Ten Ghanaian startups addressing problems related to any of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals pitched to a panel of four (4) judges.

The startups were made up of businesses that are based with or without the Volta Region.

The event which happened at the GM Afeti Auditorium of the Ho Technical University had Mrs. Fatoumata Gakou (Deputy CEO of Bank of Africa), Dr. Eugene Owusu (the President Advisor of SDGs), Dr. Angela Lusigi (Resident Representative of UNDP), Mr. Charles Bani (UN Resident Coordinator), Traditional Rulers, Tertiary students from Universities, Entrepreneurs, Senior High School students and the general public were in attendance.

Experienced entrepreneur and MD of Energy Synergies, Mr. Kwame Sowu taught the start-ups on the theme of “building a strong Entrepreneurship culture” and shared his encounters as a businessman.

Ehmblehm Farms, WASH Advancement Center (WAC), and ViztaEdu emerged as winners of the pitch competition.

Ehmblehm Farms, a poultry business based at Kpone-Katamanso in the Greater Accra region emerged as the ultimate winner of the Pitch Contest and was awarded Ghc 20,000.

WASH Advancement Center (WAC), a social enterprise, focused on providing clean water and sanitation through the construction of solar-powered water provision systems and clean toilets in deprived communities in Ghana came second and was awarded GHc. 15,000.

ViztaEdu, an EdTech platform that focuses on enhancing the quality of education among tertiary students in Ghana placed third in the competition and was awarded Ghc10,000.

In addition to the cash prize, the startups are also going to be provided business development support through an Incubation Program.