New Business Challenge held in Accra

The New Business Challenge, an initiative of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency has been held in Accra.

The New Business Challenge had selected Ghanaian and Dutch students working in groups for six weeks to come out with a solution on business cases of Dutch enterprises that want to do business in Ghana.

The companies, which provided such business cases were, Philips, which is looking for a business model to replace kerosene lanterns with solar lamps for households in Ghana, Deltares, which is looking out for innovative solutions for the increasing damage caused by invasive water plants, and, Dijkstaal, a company also looking for a sustainable business model to implement new bridge projects in Ghana by working with local communities and government to ensure commitment and long term relations.

The students that participated in the business challenge were divided into Dijkstaal team one and two, Deltares team one and two and Philips team one and two.

He said it would also help encourage innovative entrepreneurship and exchange of knowledge between the Netherlands and Ghana by facilitating a beneficial cross over between education and practical experience.

He said the business challenge would contribute to the private sector development in the Netherlands and Ghana, as well as promoting closer networking between educational institutions by recruiting talents that would make education more practice oriented.

He assured that, both Ghana and the Netherlands would keep on growing together economically, socially and culturally.

Professor Gosky Alabi, of the University of Professional Studies commended the Dutch government for organizing the business initiative, which she described as timely.

She advocated for the shift of the educational approach from teacher dependent to learner dependant as well as training graduates in a way that they would be needed by industries after completion of their education.

After the presentations by each of the various teams, the three member jury adjudged the Philip One team as winners, for providing the best business model, and a representative of Philips has promised to work with their proposal.