The We-Africa Boost Program kicked off its inaugural entrepreneurship workshop at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) on Monday, October 28, 2024. With over seventy participants eager to enhance their entrepreneurial skills, the program opened with an engaging session led by Professor Zsolt Gemesi, an expert in research and innovation from the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College London.
Esteemed members of the Ghanaian We-Africa Boost team, including Prof. Kwadwo Mensah-Darkwa, Dr. Frank Ofori Agyemang, Dr. Enoch Bessah, and Dr. Bennetta Koomson, were in attendance, alongside Makafui John Bedzra, the Innovation Manager at KNUST’s Engineering Education Project. Hosted in the KEEP Postgraduate Classroom and the Petroleum Building at KNUST, the workshop is set to run through Friday, November 1, 2024.
The first day’s activities began with registration and a networking lunch, followed by a workshop session led by Gemesi, covering essential topics such as business fundamentals, team dynamics, and startup business models. He introduced lateral thinking as a powerful tool for innovation, contrasting it with the traditional analytical thinking prevalent in academia. Participants also explored Belbin’s Team Roles, examining the strengths of action-oriented, thinking-oriented, and people-oriented roles within entrepreneurial teams.
On the second day, attendees studied deeper into entrepreneurial concepts, working hands-on with the Business Model Canvas to develop practical frameworks around their own business ideas. Engaging in problem-solving exercises, participants tackled real-world challenges, including a scenario based on Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctic survival, fostering critical thinking and collaboration.
Throughout the remainder of the week, participants engaged in a mix of educational and interactive activities aimed at nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset. The workshop promises all attendees a chance to network with industry experts, gain practical skills, and leave equipped with the tools to bring their business ideas to life.
