Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC) has organised a Team Building and Bonding Bootcamp for the 2024 cohort of the AgriTech Challenge Pro.

The AgriTech Challenge Pro is a program organised in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, reflecting a joint commitment of KIC and the Mastercard Foundation to enhancing work-readiness and employability skills among young individuals, steering them toward dignified and fulfilling career paths in entrepreneurship.

The team building training kicks off the robust 5-month long accelerator training program, designed to empower young entrepreneurs with the knowledge and skills necessary to develop commercially viable and innovative scalable business solutions within the agricultural landscape. Leveraging innovation and technology as catalysts, the AgriTech Challenge Pro aims to drive transformative change in the industry by nurturing the next generation of agripreneurs, transforming and creating social impact, whiles becoming economically empowered. Each participating team receives funding support for their product and business development. At the end of the 5 months training, the winning teams will progress onto KIC’s Incubation program.

This year’s participants include the top 22 teams from the 2023 KIC AgriTech Challenge Classic and 20 dynamic existing startups. The ten participating universities include University of Ghana (UG), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), University of Cape Coast (UCC), Bolgatanga Technical University (BTU), Takoradi Technical University (TTU), Ho Technical University (HTU), Koforidua Technical University (KTU), University of Development Studies (UDS), SD Dombo University of Business & Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS), and University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR).

The AgriTech teams were immersed in activities that strengthened not only interpersonal connections but also introduced crucial concepts of resilience and discipline as fundamental team skills. Recognizing the pivotal role these attributes play in the journey of start-ups, the bootcamp focused on fostering collaboration and creativity among the upcoming entrepreneurs.

Benjamin Gyan-Kesse, the Executive Director for KIC, set the tone for this year's AgriTech Challenge Pro training with an inspiring address. He emphasized the significance of KIC's program approach, underscoring its role in instilling an entrepreneurial mindset among young individuals. Mr. Gyan-Kesse highlighted the importance of empowering participants to not only envision but also actualize their aspirations, fostering a culture of business growth and sustainability.

KIC’s multi-year partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, seeks to train the next generation of young leaders and entrepreneurs in Ghana’s agriculture sector.

KIC is committed to driving a strong transformation agenda for young people through the agricultural entrepreneurship pathways. As of 2023, more than 3,000 young people had benefitted from the AgriTech Challenge programs.