Students and graduates from four selected universities would benefit from the Tertiary Digital Innovation Programme (TDIP), which seeks to equip students and graduates with the entrepreneurial skills needed to develop their projects into viable businesses.
The programme, initiated by the Ghana Digital Centre Limited (GDCL), will select fresh graduates, tertiary students, or National Service Personnel who are at the point of completing university and have developed a concept for a technology startup that they have the desire to pursue upon completion.
Beneficiary institutions are Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the University of Ghana, Legon, Academic City University and the Ghana Communications and Technology University (GCTU).
The Ghana Digital Centers Limited held its first Tertiary Digital Innovation Programme roadshow at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to engage students in the initiative.
The Project Coordinator for the TDIP, Edward Aikins, noted that the programme has been designed to identify and enrol ten teams from the four universities to help them build viable business models, product prototypes, market testing and a full launch plan.
He stated that eligible participants should have a unique idea with the potential to contribute to achieving any of the SDGs.
“Participants must have two to three co-founders who are willing to spend time to develop their idea, be ready to sign on with the Ghana Digital Centers Limited for National Service,
“You should also be willing to commit fully to the first 12 months component of the programme, be willing to work exclusively on their idea for the entire period and the team should have at least 30-40% women representation of team members,” he added.
On his part, Prof Emmanuel Kofi Akowuah of the Department of Computer Engineering, KNUST, explained how the partnership with the universities would reduce graduate unemployment bemoaning that “students come up with a lot of innovative ideas but they don’t get to the market.”
He said the relationship with the GDCL would allow students to go through a proper thought-out process, go through the whole innovation process and develop viable products.
This would help students develop their business side of technology and reduce the unemployment rate, Prof Akowuah stated.
The participating teams will receive Start up Kits. The grant package will offer them services such as business incorporation support, branding and digital marketing, lead generation, HR policy development, finance policy development and shared office space.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD
