Accra| Ghana, Thursday, 11 May, 2017 – Following the recent announcement that Ghana will host the prestigious Innovation Prize for Africa 2017 event on the 17th & 18th July, under the patronage of H.E. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the country’s top innovation leaders came together at a roundtable to discuss important opportunities in supporting local innovation. Hon. Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), opened the discussion that was themed “Investing in Home Grown Innovation: Opportunities for Ghanaians”.
Endorsed by Ghana Investment Promotion Center (GIPC) and Ghana 60 Years On Planning Committee in partnership with the African Innovation Foundation (AIF), the roundtable featured an illustrious panel comprising of AIF and Ghanaian speakers including Pauline Mujawamariya Koelbl, IPA Director and AIF Innovations Ecosystems Teamster; Yofi Grant, Chief Executive Officer, GIPC; David Asiamah, Founder, Agro Mindset; Herman Chinery-Hesse, Founder/CEO, SoftTribe and DK Osseo-Asare, Co-founding Principal, Low Design Office (LOWDO) & lecturer, Ashesi University.
In his opening remarks, Hon. Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, highlighted that Ghana’s partnership with AIF in hosting IPA2017 will raise the country’s innovation profile at a Pan-African and international level while reiterating the Government’s commitment towards driving socio-economic growth and prosperity through innovation. The subsequent panel discussion highlighted the need to drive local innovation and entrepreneurship in Ghana, turning challenges into new opportunities, and the need to provide appropriate financing solutions to catalyse Ghanaian innovators and scale home-grown innovations and ways to promote innovation in the key sectors of the economy.
The roundtable was conducted with the objective of creating a network of innovation practitioners, representing the Ghanaian innovation ecosystems in order to drive innovation research and practice in Ghana and West Africa as a whole. It was also aimed at mobilising champions for innovation from policy institutions, the private sector, academia (research institutions, universities and polytechnics), international organisations and training institutions representatives.
Speaking at the event, Pauline Mujawamariya Koelbl, commented, “Ghana has been a frontrunner in the technology and innovation race, and today’s panel discussion is a strong indication that its leaders, innovation enablers and even the diaspora, are aligned in their quest to take home grown innovation to the next level. We look forward to welcoming Ghanaian companies, institutions and investment community to partner with AIF and support Ghana’s pursuit of its innovation development milestones.”
Over the past five years, the AIF has been playing an active role in supporting the development of African innovation ecosystems through ongoing collaborative programs and strategic partnerships with governments and innovation influencers across the region. For this 6th edition‘African Innovation: Investing in Prosperity’, IPA is bringing together select stakeholders comprising of innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, leaders of innovation hubs and technology parks, policy makers as well cutting-edge African training institutions. It is an opportunity for companies to forge important partnerships, synergies and collaborations with innovation enablers from across the continent to strengthen Africa’s innovation investment climate.
About the African Innovation Foundation (AIF)
AIF works to increase the prosperity of Africans by catalysing the innovation spirit in Africa.
About the Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA)
IPA is a landmark initiative of the AIF and its goal is to strengthen African innovation ecosystems through supporting a culture of innovation and competitiveness, whilst spurring growth of innovative, market-driven African solutions to African challenges.
IPA has been successfully celebrated in African major capitals representing African regions: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (2012), Cape Town, South Africa (2013), Abuja, Nigeria (2014), Skhirat, Morocco (2015) and more recently in Gaborone, Botswana (2016)
Besides a host of exciting side events and brand new initiatives for Africa by Africans, IPA 2017 will offer the following prizes and incentives to winners and nominees:
√ Grand prize of US$100 000
√ Second Prize of US$25 000
√ Special Prize for Social Impact US$25 000
√ A voucher for each of the seven IPA nominees of US$5 000
√ Additional incentives include investment opportunities, training and access to our vibrant network of innovation enablers, ongoing PR support and media coverage
One dead, fire officer hospitalised after bee attack at Quarry Site in Sokode Gb...
Israel and Iran step back from further strikes after renewed clashes
Patients stranded as doctors, nurses refuse to see new patients over KATH CEO su...
Avenor Rural Bank CEO’s house destroyed by fire
Three arrested in Winneba for illegal mining near GWL water lines
Two pupils of Alice Elite Academy laid to rest after fatal school bus crash
Here are areas to be affected by ECG's planned maintenance on Tuesday
Family of civil engineer killed in alleged military shooting demands justice
SHS teacher allegedly beats female student over unpaid hostel fees
Blow to EU defence cooperation as France, Germany abandon joint fighter jet prog...
