Thirty(30) impressive AgriTech startups present at 2022-2023 Kosmos Innovation Centre Challenge Pitching session
The Kosmos Innovation Center, powered by the Mastercard Foundation and Kosmos Energy, hosted a successful pitch session for 30 Agritech startups. The event, held at the KIC Incubation Hub in Accra, provided a platform for businesses in the agriculture sector to showcase their ideas and receive feedback from industry experts. Out of the 30 startups, 15 were selected from the KIC AgriTech Challenge Classic program, while the remaining 15 were chosen from the AgriTech Challenge Pro that opened in 2022.
At the pitch session of the Kosmos Innovation Center, the Ideation Team, comprised of experienced experts from the agricultural and related industries, was present to assess the startups’ proposals for scalability, impact, revenue, and sustainability. With representation from universities such as the University for Development Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and the University of Cape Coast, these institutions came together to offer coaching and mentorship to the 30 startups from across the agricultural value chain.
The Executive Director of KIC, Benjamin Gyan Kesse, expressed his eagerness to support the youth in driving innovation within the agriculture industry. He stated, “Our foundation is committed to empowering the next generation to approach agriculture with confidence and a pioneering spirit. This is a key part of our mission.”
The first pitch session of the Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC) proved to be a success, with all participating entrepreneurs presenting a minimum viable product. The Ideation Team, comprised of experienced agricultural and industry experts, will now assess their work and determine who will move on to the next stage of the program for further training and business development support.
Those who don’t make it to the next stage still have the opportunity to join the Kosmos Innovation Centre Fellowship, which offers a chance to network, enhance skills and receive coaching.
The Kosmos Innovation Center revealed the winners of the 2022 AgriTech Challenge Classic in October 2022. These fifteen successful teams will now move forward to the AgriTech Challenge Pro, an acceleration program designed to provide early-stage agri-tech startups with the necessary resources, support, and funding to bring their products to market and prepare for growth.
The Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC) and the Mastercard Foundation are committed to supporting young entrepreneurs in their business development journey, as demonstrated by their AgriTech Challenge Pro acceleration program. This program is open to all agricultural business teams and offers the necessary tools, funding, and support to help bring their ideas and products to market and prepare for growth.
The Ideation Team was impressed by the innovative business concepts presented by the participants and emphasized the importance of supporting these young entrepreneurs. With this initiative, KIC and the Mastercard Foundation aim to help cultivate a thriving agricultural sector by empowering the next generation of business leaders.