UEW Hosts ESICD Hubs Innovation Grants Final Pitch Competition

In a welcome address read on his behalf by Prof. Sakina Acquah, Prof. Stephen Jobson Mitchual, Vice-Chancellor of UEW, described the occasion as “a celebration of creativity, innovation, resilience and the entrepreneurial spirit that defines our youth and the institutions represented here.” He recounted that the ESICD Project, launched by the British Council in partnership with the THINK Network, had empowered four pioneering institutions including UEW to design and implement incubation programmes that nurture talent and transform ideas into viable ventures.

“Today, we witness the fruits of those efforts; this is not just a competition, it is a stage for ideas that can change lives, shape communities and contribute to national and global development,” he stated. He lauded the British Council’s commitment to empowering African youth and strengthening higher education institutions and praised the THINK Network for creating a vibrant platform for university incubators to share best practices and build synergies.

Prof. Mitchual urged the finalists to take pride in how far they had come, regardless of the competition’s outcome. “Whether you walk away with the ultimate prize or not, remember that you are already winners. Many great enterprises began as small, bold ideas pitched on platforms like this,” he said. Prof. Mitchual also reaffirmed UEW’s commitment to developing job creators rather than job seekers through its Business School and Innovation Hub, positioning the University as a hub for entrepreneurship, innovation and problem-solving.

On behalf of Prof. George Acheampong, Project Director at the University of Ghana Business Innovation and Incubation Hub and Executive Secretary of the THINK Network, Ms. Eyram Yvonne Buame expressed deep appreciation to UEW for hosting the event and providing a platform for young innovators. She noted that the ESICD Project, funded by the British Council, was conceived to empower higher education institutions in Ghana by enhancing entrepreneurship education, strengthening student support systems and ultimately improving graduate employability.

“The Tertiary Hubs for Innovation and Knowledge (THINK) Network was launched in February 2024 as one of the key outcomes of the ESICD Project. It brings together incubation and innovation hubs across higher education institutions to share knowledge, pool resources and build stronger entrepreneurial ecosystems,” she explained.  

She highlighted that since its inception, the THINK Network has expanded to eleven member institutions and made significant strides in governance, strategic planning and capacity-building. Through the ESICD Hubs Innovation Grants, four member institutions including UEW had successfully piloted incubation programmes that nurtured student-led businesses and strengthened hub capacities.

“Today’s Final Pitch Event is both a celebration of these ventures and a demonstration of the collaboration we aspire to build and strengthen across the Network,” she said, pledging that the THINK Network would continue to deepen partnerships, mobilise resources and scale its impact in driving sustainable entrepreneurship and innovation across Ghana’s higher education landscape.

Dr. Keren Naa Abeka Arthur, Director of the Design Thinking Innovation Hub at the University of Cape Coast, congratulated the student teams for their creativity and hard work. She emphasised that the ESICD experience had already transformed the participants by equipping them with 21st century skills, new knowledge and invaluable networks.

“Irrespective of the outcome, each individual here has won something. You have gained new friends, new knowledge and new skills. That, for me, is more important than the final award,” Dr. Keren Arthur remarked. She called for stronger collaboration among universities to scale up the impact of such initiatives and attract more funding for student innovators.

The event climaxed with the announcement of results. Although the judges emphasised that “everyone is a winner” and praised the teams for their innovation, feasibility and demand, ultimately determined the rankings. Sankofa Industries Ghana emerged in first place, followed closely by Med Aquafeeds in second place and Nhyira Ecobite took third. Other teams—DSLab, SaBJeG Paper Work, AGRIHUB, CampusDash, Nsoroma Agrotech, Polygen, SkillNext Centres and Pinamat—were also commended for their strong performances and encouraged to continue refining their ideas beyond the competition.

The ESICD Hubs Innovation Grants Final Pitch Competition underscored UEW’s growing role as a catalyst for innovation and entrepreneurship in Ghana’s higher education landscape. By hosting the event, the University not only provided a platform for student-led solutions to real-world challenges but also reaffirmed its vision of shaping Ghana and Africa’s future through education, innovation and community engagement.