Fifteen Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in the Western and Ashanti regions are being supported by SNV Ghana to expand production and help grow Ghana’s circular economy.

Each of the winning businesses under the GrEEn Innovation Challenge will receive a matching grant of up to 25,000 euros with technical and operational support to make them investor-ready.

The second edition of the GrEEn Innovation Challenge is under the theme, “Promoting Job Creation through GrEEn Innovation”.

The challenge provides support for GrEEn businesses in the agriculture, renewable energy and energy efficiency, and water, sanitation and hygiene sectors to become commercially viable.   

The challenge will accept applications from SMEs currently enrolled in or graduated from a 6-month GrEEn incubation programme which provides business advisory support. 

Senior Incubation and Acceleration Advisor at SNV Ghana Genevieve Parker-Twum is anticipating eco-friendly innovative enterprises that solves societal problems.

“I’m expecting to see interesting innovative businesses in the GrEEn sector. Last year we saw some pretty good ones. They have demonstrated through their projects that it’s impossible so we want to see more,” she said.

SNV Ghana is committed to assisting entrepreneurs and businesses in Ghana’s circular economy for sustainable jobs and development.

The four-year GrEEn project aims at creating greater economic and employment opportunities for the youth, women and returning migrants. 

Ashanti Regional Head of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Osman Mamuda is confident of the impacts of the GrEEn businesses to Ghana’s economy. 

“These GrEEn SMEs have helped our economy even though it hasn’t been a massive impact. But in their own small way they are helping through the creation of jobs and adding value to our wastes,” he said.

The maiden edition of the GrEEn Innovation Challenge saw 12 SMEs based in Western, Ashanti and Greater Accra regions receiving a total matching grant of over GHC1million.    

A beneficiary of the last challenge, Kwaku Agyei of Eazz Foods, stressed the facilitation has enhanced his production. 

His company processes eggs into powered forms and supplies to both local and international industries.

“The Fund has been helpful to me. It has made me establish another drying center where we are processing more eggs and even gotten more industries to meet demands. With our new facility we are doing more than 15 tonnes now,” he said.