Innohub, in collaboration with SNV Ghana, has organized a spectacular pitch day and graduation ceremony for cohort 1 participants of the GrEEn Acceleration Program. The Acceleration program is implemented by Innohub under the SNV Netherlands Development Organisation’s Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana (GrEEn) Project.
The ceremony held at the Innohub Growth Centre on Wednesday, 15th September 2021, was themed: “Building Successful Businesses”, and brought together accomplished industry experts, SMEs, and other stakeholders in the green/circular economy.
In his keynote speech on the theme, CEO of Innohub, Mr. Nelson Amo touched on the need for the entrepreneurs to be guided by two key words: Resilience and Focus. He further explained that the journey towards a successful business is usually not a smooth one, therefore entrepreneurs need to demonstrate staying power and keep a clear focus on the core idea at a time instead of spreading thinly across many things at the early stage.
Mrs. Genevieve Parker-Twum, Senior Incubation and Accelerator Advisor extended well-wishes to participating entrepreneurs, encouraging them to make the best of the opportunity of the new knowledge and skills they have acquired in order to build strong and resilient businesses that last.
The SMEs participated in the program over a period of 6-months, and were provided with bespoke business development support, mentorship, market access and linkages, that would help them develop a roadmap to achieving sustainable scale, and create new decent jobs. As part of the program, the SMEs will benefit from improved access to funding for their operations as well as grants (in cash or services), and will be supported to benefit from a Challenge Fund, opportunity to raise funds from a crowdfunding platform, with diaspora mobilisation (provided by the UN Capital Development Fund), participate in the GrEEn bi-annual investment conference and other investment opportunities.
During the program, the SMEs were able to understand the scope of their customer segments, develop a strategic growth plan with activities geared towards their growth projections, and conduct a detailed market study to help them validate the shortlisted market segments and expand their market reach. At the end of the accelerator phase of the program, all 3 SMEs had developed their Market study reports and identified potential clients both local and international. Innohub will provide a 1-year post accelerator support for the businesses to ensure they are delivering on their growth plans while matching them to investors.
The graduating SMEs were;
- Ropryn Company Ltd – Established in 2016, Ropryn produces fruits & vegetables (Horticulture Sector) for supply to supermarkets, and the hospitality industry. The company operates from Apowa in the Western Region of Ghana. Led by Prince Manu Yeboah, the company currently has a staff size of 15. Ropryn’s goal from the SNV GrEEn Accelerator program is to be able to raise capital, accelerate growth, and create jobs across West Africa.
- Pamela Chicks & Feeds – Pamela Chicks & Feeds operates a unique poultry farm business model that produces pullets (ready to lay birds) for supply to poultry farmers. The farm produces commercial poultry birds (chicken, turkey, guinea fowl) using mainly probiotics. This limits any use of antibiotics and artificial supplements. Pamela Agbotse leads a team of 7, who are experienced in various capacities of the company’s business operations. Pamela Chicks and Feeds looks forward to strengthening the company’s operating model and attaining investment-readiness to raise the capital needed to facilitate the strategic growth objectives.
- Premier Waste Services – Premier Waste Services is a waste management and recycling business, operating from Aboabo in the Ashanti Region. Premier Waste gathers plastic bottles and other plastic waste materials, which are converted into pet flakes for supply to industries and export markets. The company currently has a staff size of 25 including permanent and casual staff. The company, led by Edmund Arthur Brown, is looking forward to attaining investment-readiness, which will allow him to raise capital to expand operations and increase the network of women and youth in its supply chain.
The graduating SMEs during the event, pitched on their businesses to an expert panel namely; Steve Sewu Tawia, Founding Member, Accra Angels Network, Angela Klufio, Head of Investments, Rural Development Fund, Venan Sondo, CEO, Chaint Afrique, and Renald Appiah, Portfolio Manager at Wangara Green Ventures.
The Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana (GrEEn Project) contributes to addressing the root causes of irregular migration by supporting sustainable and climate resilient local economies, green jobs and development in regions of departure, transit and return.
Funded by the European Union and implemented together with the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), SNV through the GrEEn project, focuses on the following two result areas:
Employability and entrepreneurship capabilities of youth, women and returnees are improved in sectors of economic opportunities.
Small, Medium Enterprises (SMEs), offering decent and sustainable jobs to youth, women and returnees, are incubated and/or accelerated and contribute to green and climate resilient local economies.
Let’s go GrEEn!
Please contact connect@innohub.com.gh for all your enquiries.
