- KIC has opened applications for the 2025 AgriTech Challenge Pro, a five-month accelerator programme, with nominations closing on November 1, 2024.
- Supported by the Mastercard Foundation, the initiative aims to empower young entrepreneurs in Ghana’s agricultural sector by fostering scalable, tech-driven solutions to key industry challenges.
- Selected participants can receive up to $50,000 in seed funding, with previous beneficiaries like “King Tractor” and “Grow For Me” successfully launching businesses that boost local employment and agricultural productivity.
- Since 2016, KIC has helped create 64 agribusinesses, continuing its mission to transform Ghana’s agriculture through youth entrepreneurship and innovation.
KIC has announced the commencement of applications for the 2025 AgriTech Challenge Pro programme, with nominations open until November 1, 2024.
The initiative is supported by the Mastercard Foundation through its partnership with KIC, aimed at empowering young leaders and entrepreneurs in Ghana’s agricultural sector as part of the Youth in Agricultural Transformation initiative.
The AgriTech Challenge Pro is a five-month accelerator designed to help young entrepreneurs develop commercially viable and scalable solutions to key challenges in agriculture.
It focuses on leveraging technology and innovation to boost productivity, improve yields, and create jobs within the sector. Participants are selected from the AgriTech Challenge Classic programme, as well as existing startups ready for investor engagement.
At the end of the programme, KIC, in collaboration with its partners, provides up to $50,000 in seed funding to selected businesses. Previous participants have benefitted from capacity building and coaching, enabling them to bring innovative solutions to life.
One such success story is that of Agnes Kuole from the Upper West Region of Ghana. Agnes, who always aspired to become an agripreneur, joined the AgriTech Challenge Classic and advanced to the Pro programme.
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Together with her team, they established “King Tractor,” a startup that manufactures locally made tractors while creating employment for welders and other local workers. “The seed funding from the KIC programme allowed us to build tractors that support farmers in our community,” Agnes shared.
Another beneficiary, Grow For Me, a platform for commodity and input financing, has also scaled up its operations thanks to KIC’s support.
Co-founder and CEO, Nana Opoku Agyeman-Prempeh, highlighted how the programme helped them expand their commodity trading and input financing for rice farmers in Asutuare. “Partnering with KIC has significantly boosted our growth and allowed us to create more job opportunities for young people,” he noted.
KIC’s Executive Director, Benjamin Gyan-Kesse, emphasized the organization’s dedication to transforming Ghana’s agricultural sector through youth employment. Since its inception, KIC has supported the creation of 64 businesses, with a focus on scalable ideas in agriculture. Startups like Agro Innova, Complete Farmer, and Jaasgrow are among the businesses that have benefitted from KIC’s initiatives since 2016.
With its continuous support of innovative agricultural solutions, KIC is committed to helping young entrepreneurs seize opportunities within the sector and drive the future of agribusiness in Ghana.
