When Silicon Valley came to Ghana
A four-day growth and investment boot camp has been launched in Accra to bring together the top 100 startups across the continent.
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The event, which is dubbed SpeedUPAfrica, is set to train the 100 startups on how to nurture their businesses. They will also receive seed funding.
The workshop, which is the first of its kind in the country, would be hosted by the Ashesi University from the July 6-10, this year. It is expected to have mentors and investors from the Silicon Valley.
Some of the activities include one-on-one mentor sessions, growth hacking, on the spot introductions, on the spot investments and other surprises which would be 100 per cent focused on execution.
The Founder of SpeedUPAfrica, Mr Toro Orero, in an interview with the Graphic Business said the workshop would be in two parts; the knowledge gap and the funding gap, which would be addressed thoroughly.
“We notice that there is the knowledge gap and the funding gap for startups and that is what we are hoping to bridge these gaps,” he noted.
According to him, the workshop should not be seen as a challenge but rather an accelerated programme geared to impact the startups.
He said the workshop was also to pave the startups to attract investments of up to a US$1 million in outstanding businesses, out of the 100 participants at the end of the programme.
“There is going to be lots of games and lots of challenges. The whole idea is the investments are going straight to the startups that we find are the most promising,” he added.
Explaining further, he said their partners in other 17 African countries would see to it that needed assistance would be given to the other beneficiaries of the million dollars in their respective countries.
“Startups are their own bosses and we do not have the intention to come in to order them around except when there is a need for us to give our input, we would.”