The Kosmos Innovation Center on Thursday hosted a second round of business plan pitches at the ISSER auditorium at the University of Ghana, Legon.

The first in the series of three business plan pitches was held last month on April 28.

At Thursday’s session, 16 teams pitched their proposed business plans which aim to address business challenges in a wide range of areas, including livestock, poultry, and fisheries management; on-farm production and post- harvest challenges; technical and market information for farmers and agricultural processes; finance and insurance; and the ability to track food sources and authenticate agricultural inputs.

Of the 16 teams that presented, 11 were selected by a panel of expert judges to advance to the next stage of the competition.

The panel of judges – comprised of representatives from financial institutions, agribusinesses, investment companies, and development agencies – evaluated the teams based on the strength of their business concepts, as well as their management skills, team dynamic, and entrepreneurial spirit.

Mr. Joe Mensah, Kosmos Energy’s vice president and country manager in Ghana, said: “The teams are improving daily thanks to the intensive business support and training they are receiving from the Kosmos Innovation Center and its vast network of mentors. The agriculture sector offers plenty of opportunities for young people to apply their knowledge and skills in innovative ways that can make a difference for Ghana.

About Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC)

The Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC) is Kosmos Energy’s flagship social investment program in Ghana. It uses innovation to create and apply commercial solutions to development challenges, starting with agriculture. To learn more, visit the KIC website: www.kosmosinnovationcenter.com or visit the KIC Facebook.

About Kosmos Energy

Kosmos is a leading independent oil and gas exploration and production company focused on frontier and emerging areas along the Atlantic Margin. Our assets include existing production and development projects offshore Ghana, large discoveries offshore Mauritania and Senegal, as well as exploration licenses with significant hydrocarbon potential offshore Sao Tome and Principe, Suriname, Morocco and Western Sahara.

As an ethical and transparent company, Kosmos is committed to doing things the right way. The Company’s Business Principles articulate our commitment to transparency, ethics, human rights, safety and the environment. Read more about this commitment in the Kosmos 2015 Corporate Responsibility Report. For additional information, visit www.kosmosenergy.com .