Members of the GCIC in a panel discussion during the induction ceremony
The Ghana Climate Innovation Centre (GCIC) has admitted its first batch of beneficiaries into its mentorship programme at the Ashesi University College, at Brekusu in the Eastern Region.
The eleven beneficiaries, all entrepreneurs were selected from a total of 72 business applications across the country and they will receive business skills training and mentoring by a selected group of established business leaders and social entrepreneurs, funding facilitation and provision of office space and facilities.
They will also benefit from a market growth and market access support services, technical assistance with technology and product development as well as policy and regulatory support services.
The induction of the first group of entrepreneurs marks a milestone in the life of the centre which aims at supporting over 100 climate innovation businesses by the year 2020 in a $1.1m funding support from the Danish and Netherlands embassies.
Speaking at the event, Ruka Sanusi, Executive Director of GCIC stressed on the Centre’s mission to constantly create and support an exceptional set of transformational innovative venture that are pioneering adaptive and mitigating solutions for climate change issues in Ghana.
“We incubate businesses and business leaders to operate their enterprises at the place of joint value; that point where the needs of society, the CEO/business client and stakeholder values and needs can be maximized,” she added.
Criteria for Selection
Touching on the selection criteria, Ms. Sanusi said the selection criteria begun with the expression of interest by entrepreneurs in the five climate change thematic areas including solar energy, energy efficiency, water purification, waste management and climate and agriculture.
“The applications are assessed and the successful applicants are called for an interview where they make a presentation on the business. We then sit with them based on the level of their enterprise and we fashion out the package for them which is for a year,” she explained.
The second batch is expected to be recruited in October in the five year plan worth $1.1m
Emmanuel Kodwo Sackey, from the Danish Embassy, said the country needs new ideas to deal with environmental challenges hence the support to the centre to assist Green Enterprises.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri