The UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce (UKGCC) has hosted the 'Grand Challenge Pitch Day' event to showcase Ghana’s most promising startups tackling key challenges in Ghana’s agricultural sector through innovation.

Addressing investors, innovators, industry experts and representatives of UKGCC’s member businesses during the event, Adjoba Kyiamah, Executive Director of the UKGCC, remarked that “The Pitch Day is a follow up to the Grand Challenge Programme Launch and Innovation Workshops held in March 2025 to engage relevant stakeholders and equip innovators with the necessary tools to effectively participate in the Grand Challenge process.”

The Grand Challenge Programme is a competitive process which aims to identify and spotlight high-potential agricultural innovations and enable them to scale.

“It accelerates the commercialisation of selected innovations by providing targeted support to winners, including assistance with market entry, international market access, and long-term success,” Ms Kyiamah added.

The United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) sponsored the Grand Challenge Pitch Day event in partnership with Results for Development (R4D) as part of the Sankore programme, which is designed to strengthen innovation systems in Nigeria and Ghana.

The UK Government, through the Sankore Programme, is committed to its partnership with Ghana to advance science, technology and innovation, support the commercialisation of innovative solutions, strengthen innovation policy, and enhance digital service delivery.

Nine innovators presented their pitches, showcasing a range of solutions aimed at addressing pressing challenges in the agricultural sector. These included solar-powered crop threshers, automated cashew nut collection machines, and climate-smart mushroom farming models.

The innovators included Wobil Technologies, Agriease Ltd, AgriMercarb, Castor Care Ghana Limited, Delimush, EHB Limited, Kodu Technology, Aerodry Technologies, and Eastern Freshaura. Two additional innovators who had made it to the top 30 shortlist, Miss Ashley Ventures and Pakar Laboratories LLC, were also given the opportunity to share their ideas.

A panel of distinguished judges, comprising Victoria Ofosua Ameyaw – a seasoned Programmes Officer at the Ministry of Environment Science Technology and Innovation, Terry Mante – Research Commercialisation Broker & TTO Consultant at Impact Investing Ghana, Dorcas Amoah Lartey – Marketing Strategist, Kwame Abrokwa – Senior Manager, Sustainable Finance at Fidelity Bank Ghana, and Johnson Singir -Science and Technology Network Manager at the FCDO, adjudicated the pitches, significantly contributing their rich and varied expertise to the success of the programme.

Johnson Singir said, “I was inspired witnessing the ingenuity, passion, and bold ideas of Ghana’s changemakers - innovators who are not only addressing local challenges but also shaping global solutions. The UK is proud to support this initiative, which strengthens Ghana’s innovation ecosystem and unlocks the full potential of its research and talent.”

The Pitch Day event concluded with the People’s Choice Award, where the audience voted for AgriMercarb, a waste management company that operates a network of community-based black soldier fly production facilities across Ghana. By converting organic waste into animal feed, renewable energy fuels, and organic fertilisers, AgriMercarb was recognised as the startup with the greatest potential to create lasting impact in Ghana’s agricultural sector.

As their prize, AgriMercarb will be featured on the Joy Business Van, a feature series by Joy Business that highlights Ghanaian businesses, entrepreneurs, and innovators, showcasing how they operate and contribute to Ghana’s economy.

Shirgade Laryea, Senior Trade Services Manager at the UKGCC, congratulated the innovators, adding that the event demonstrated the potential for innovative solutions to drive economic growth and improve food security in Ghana and West Africa.