Four Ghanaian start-ups have emerged winners of the UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce (UKGCC)’s Grand Challenge Pitch event, an innovation competition funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) through its West African innovation initiative, Sankore.
The winning innovators — Kodu Technology Limited, Delimush, Agri Mercab, and Wobil Technologies — were announced at the conclusion of the Grand Challenge Pitch in Accra on 29 October 2025. The competition seeks to identify and scale high-impact agricultural innovations capable of transforming the sector through sustainable and technology-driven solutions.
Out of 70 applicants, 30 innovators were shortlisted, with 12 finalists invited to pitch their projects before a panel of investors, industry experts, and development partners. The finalists were assessed based on criteria including market readiness, proof of concept, potential for revenue generation, social and environmental impact, and alignment with government policy frameworks.
According to the UKGCC, the four selected enterprises will receive tailored commercialisation support to strengthen their business models, attract investment, and scale operations across West Africa as part of the next phase of the initiative.
The winning projects include Kodu Technology Limited, which produces affordable, eco-friendly sanitary pads made from plantain and banana stems; Delimush, a food innovation company that transforms perishable crops such as mushrooms and tomatoes into long-lasting, chemical-free foods; Agri Mercab, a waste management enterprise that converts organic waste into valuable resources using black soldier fly facilities; and Wobil Technologies, an agritech company that develops locally made, climate-smart machinery to reduce post-harvest losses.
Speaking on the initiative, Shirgade Laryea, Senior Trade Services Manager at UKGCC, commended the collaboration between Ghanaian and British partners in driving innovation within the agricultural sector.
“Throughout the programme, the UKGCC and its partners – FCDO, Results for Development (R4D), and the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST) – aimed to strengthen Ghana-UK partnerships in science, technology, and innovation, while deepening our understanding of innovators’ needs and the challenges they face,” Mr. Laryea said.
Ahead of the final event, UKGCC and its partners organised innovation workshops and masterclasses in Accra and Kumasi in March 2025, bringing together over 250 innovators for sessions on commercialisation, investor readiness, and intellectual property management.
One of the judges, Dorcas Amoah Lartey, a marketing strategist and customer experience specialist, described the experience as inspiring and a clear reflection of Ghana’s creative potential.
“It was eye-opening to see how much innovation is coming from Ghana’s youth,” she said. “It’s encouraging to see young people developing solutions for the agricultural sector. Whether they won or not, I urge all participants to apply the feedback they received and keep refining their ideas. Each of them has a bright future.”
As part of their prize, the winning teams will benefit from mentorship and capacity-building programmes facilitated by UKGCC and its network of partners. The initiative is expected to drive growth and innovation across West Africa’s agricultural value chain, supporting the region’s broader development goals under the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
With the Sankore programme moving into its next phase, UKGCC reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the innovation ecosystem through partnerships that empower entrepreneurs and accelerate sustainable transformation in the region.