WAN-Hive Ghana empowers Twenty (20) Female entrepreneurs with funding; a program in partnership NEIP
WAN-Hive Ghana recently hosted the final pitch event of its Women in Business Accelerator program (WiBA) at the Ideas Hotel in Sunyani on February 29, 2024. This event marked the culmination of six months of rigorous training and mentorship for 20 startups, providing them with a platform to showcase their businesses to a panel of esteemed judges, investors and key ecosystem players
In June 2023, WAN-Hive Ghana was enrolled on the Ghana Economic Transformational Project in partnership with the National Entrepreneurship Innovation Plan (NEIP), with support from the Ministry of Finance and The World Bank. As part of this project, WAN-Hive Ghana launched the Women in Business Accelerator Program (WiBA) to accelerate 20 female-led businesses in the Bono Region.
The program commenced with a bootcamp held in three different cities in the region: Wenchi, Wamfie, and Sunyani with over two hundred and fifty female participants. The bootcamp aimed to gather female entrepreneurs across the region, understand their needs, and provide tailored support to them. Participants received capacity-building training in areas such as business development, financial management, and digital marketing. Following the bootcamp, applications were opened in July 2023 for startups to participate in the accelerator program. Selection of the 20 participating startups involved thorough due diligence, including interviews and business site visits to ensure the existence of each startup and its business operation site
The selected startups embarked on an intensive 16 weeks training program covering various aspects of business development, including sustainable business models, product development, access to funding opportunities, business formalization, and digital business training. The training was designed to meet the needs of the startups and. Following the training, the startups were enrolled on a three-week mentorship program with experienced mentors, .
After the rigorous training and mentorship, startups were prepared to participate in the final pitch at the Grand Entrepreneurship and Innovation Event. The highlight of the event was the pitch competition, where startups presented their business ideas from the agribusiness sector, fashion and arts sector, waste management sector, food processing sector, and others. The pitches were captivating, showcasing the diverse talent, innovation and entrepreneurial drive among the entrepreneurs. Winners of the pitch event included Lin K Ventures, an agribusiness startup, OBJ Arts and Craft, a waste management and arts startup, and Lucky Smile, a food processing startup who emerged as Overall Winner, 1st Runner-up and 2nd Runner-up respectively.
In recognition of the startups’ achievements, the top three businesses were awarded GHS 2,000 each, while the remaining participants received GHS 1,000 each to support their ventures. Additionally, over twenty businesses have been registered and received a formalisation certificate from the Registrar of Companies Departments.
The WiBA final pitch event was not merely a showcase of business ideas; it was a celebration of resilience, innovation, and the power of women entrepreneurs to transform lives and communities. With events like these, WAN-Hive Ghana continues to lead in empowering the next generation of leaders and changemakers in Ghana.
Contact us
wanhiveghana@gmail.com www.wanhivegh.org +233204693238
