The Embassy of the State of Israel in collaboration with the Ghana Garden and Flower Movement has opened calls for application for the fourth edition of the Israeli Green Innovation Competition.

This year’s competition focuses on promoting sustainable green innovation initiatives by young Ghanaian startups.

Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Shlomit Sufa opened the calls for application at the launch of the 10^th Edition of the Ghana Garden and Flower Show.

She expressed her excitement for this year’s competition and said “as a country that finds innovation as the main engine for its economic growth, I am excited to be able to support solutions that answer Ghana’s challenges in agriculture and climate change, while at the same time support the SME ecosystem.”

Ambassador Sufa added that “I would like to take this opportunity to officially open registration for the 2022 edition of the Israeli Green Innovation Competition as part of the 10^th edition of the Ghana Garden and Flower Show. “

“We are hereby calling for entries for this year’s competition, so if you are a startup within the agricultural, horticultural and environment sectors or you operate or have a prototype idea that promotes and supports climate change, I would like to encourage you to participate in this year’s competition for an unforgettable learning experience.”

To participate, startups must demonstrate innovative solutions to challenges within the agricultural, horticultural or environmental sectors that promote green innovation in Ghana and supports the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13- which calls for an urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Participants will present their prototype or solution in a 90-second video clip, detailing all the essential information such as name, problem statement, benefits and brief of how their innovative solution solves the sectors’ challenges.

Interested participants, have until Thursday, 4^th August to register at https://www.gardenandflowergh.com/igic/registration. After a screening and short-listing process, six qualifying participants will be selected for the final pitch to be moderated by an expert team of judges on Sunday 4^th September 2022 at the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park.

The finalist would have a 5-minute timeframe to present their innovative solution. This event will be held at the 10^th edition of the Ghana Garden and Flower Show.

The winner for this year’s competition will receive a fully paid trip to Israel to participate in industry related meetings, excursions and conferences to learn best practices, network and seek potential investors to expand his/her existing business.

About the Israeli Green Innovation Competition (IGIC)

Instituted in 2019, the Israeli Green Innovation Competition (IGIC) seek to honour individuals and organizations that come up with innovative solutions that promote environmental conservation and agriculture in Ghana.

The initiative is undertaken in collaboration with the Ghana Garden and Flower Movement, an initiative of Strategic Communications Africa Limited (Stratcomm Africa). The IGIC is a combination of the two greatest strengths of Israel: Agriculture and Innovation. Israel prides itself as a nation of innovation that helps to stimulate innovation wherever it finds itself. 

As such, the Israeli Green Innovation Competition focuses on innovative startups in the agriculture and horticulture sector.

Past winners of the competition include Mr. Prince Pius Nutsugah from Coologi Ghana, who won the competition in 2019, Mr. Jefferey Appiagyei of SAYeTECH, winner for 2020 and Mr. Maxwell Kojo Xonu from EbaPreneur Solutions Ghana, winner for the 2021 edition. They have all been awarded a fully paid trip to Israel.