Launched by oil and gas company Kosmos Energy, the Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC) is a social investment program that looks to apply innovation to developmental challenges. It operates in four African nations, with the Ghana program launched in 2016 and focused on agriculture. KIC supports entrepreneurs from pre-ideation and connects them with the tools they need to launch and grow businesses. “The objective of the program is to inspire, invest and transform young Ghanaian entrepreneurs through capacity building, technical and human resource investment, seed funding, sector experts, mentors and networks,” says director Benjamin Gyan-Kesse.

KIC’s activities are divided into three pillars: the annual AgriTech Challenge competition, the two-week Business Booster boot camp and an incubator. The challenge competition identifies young graduates who are interested in becoming entrepreneurs and provides them with support. It culminates in a pitch competition, and the winners receive seed funding and the opportunity to join the KIC incubator. The incubator is a multiyear program that involves specialized coaching and provides participants with access to a physical workspace. The Business Booster is a shorter program that helps established businesses that have demonstrated potential and scalability to become investor-ready. Entrepreneurs who join the KIC remain inside the network for the long-term, benefiting from continued access to events, training and other resources.

To date, companies participating in KIC’s programs have impacted more than 23,000 smallholder farmers and created over two hundred jobs. Over five hundred young Ghanaians have been trained and equipped as leaders and entrepreneurs since KIC was established here. Around three thousand aspiring entrepreneurs have applied to take part in the program, including some of the best-known Ghanaian agritech startups. These include on-demand agricultural-equipment provider TroTro Tractor, crowdfunding platform for smallholder farmers Kwidex and greenhouse automation and management platform TechShelta.

Show entrepreneurial spirit.
We are looking for demonstrated personal drive and a strong desire to start a company.

Know your stuff.
A background or strong interest in the agriculture sector in Ghana will help your cause.

Be a communicator.
Participants should have great communication skills and the ability to work in teams.

Focus on creating change.
You should have a strong desire to create change while on the journey of entrepreneurship.

kosmosinnovationcenter.com/contact

Main photo by Kosmos Innovation Center – Iris Eye