All Featured stories from Ghana Innovation Journal.
Hello Innovators Welcome to Issue #65 of This Week in StartupGhana newsletter, our weekly recap of the big news + funding in Ghana’s startup ecosystem. Here’s a look at the bold moves shaping the ecosystem this week. Deep Dive: Fidelity Bank's Green Fund This week marks a definitive turning point for climate-smart infrastructure in Ghana. [...]
Fido, Ghana’s leading digital credit provider, has entered into a strategic partnership with Uber to deliver fast, flexible and driver-centric financing solutions to drivers on the Uber platform across the country. Eligible drivers can access instant loans of up to GH₵10,000 through Fido’s fully digital platform. The product is structured to reflect the realities of [...]
Hello Innovators Is the Ghana Startup Ecosystem “crashing” or just recalibrating? We have published the 2025 Ghana Startup & Innovation Ecosystem Report. Get the data-backed insights needed for your 2026 strategy here: https://shorturl.at/CXgtk THE HEADLINE: The Ecosystem Recalibration Total startup funding in Ghana reached $66 million in the last year, a 48% decline from 2024. [...]
2024 was a year of record highs and deep contradictions for Ghana’s startup ecosystem. A 95% jump in funding sounds like a win—until you realize female founders secured less than 1% of the total capital, marking a 95% drop from the previous year. At the same time, venture debt financing surged by 431%—a sign that [...]
Hello everyone, Have you ever wondered why Africa’s smallholder farmers remain poor despite feeding the entire continent? The reasons are plenty—ranging from limited access to finance to outdated supply chains. Fortunately, some startups featured in this edition have secured funding to change that. Here are the top headlines: Accelerator 3 Ghana-based startups advance to the [...]
Ahead of our 2024 Ghana Innovation & Startup Ecosystem Report release, we’re sharing some key insights with our valued readers. Our report reviews Ghana's startup scene, highlighting success, challenges and key trends that shaped the ecosystem in the fiscal year. In 2024, the Ghanaian startup funding ecosystem experienced a remarkable year, with startups raising $127 [...]
As the global push for sustainable solutions intensifies, Africa-focused investors are placing bold bets on technology’s ability to address the escalating impacts of climate change. Across sectors like energy, agriculture, waste management, and manufacturing, founders are driving innovation to reduce emissions, improve efficiency, and foster sustainability. Since 2019, Africa’s climate tech innovators have secured over [...]
At the Ghana Innovation Journal, we specialize in uncovering the startups, products, and trends shaping Ghana’s innovation ecosystem, making us the ultimate authority on transformative industries like climate tech. Climate tech has surged into the spotlight this year, with key players making headlines through innovative products, successful funding rounds, and impactful initiatives. With our finger [...]
Ghana's financial securities regulator, SEC, has approved two operating licences for crowdfunding businesses (Grow For Me and Ingwoo Fintech Services) to crowd-in investments and boost entrepreneurial growth. This milestone marks a significant leap forward for Ghana's burgeoning digital economy and opens new avenues for funding entrepreneurs and small businesses. Crowdfunding regulation history in GhanaGhana's journey [...]
QKnow Edtech has announced a strategic partnership with the University of Colorado’s PhET Interactive Simulations to enhance STEM education in Ghana. This collaboration aims to integrate PhET's extensive library of virtual math and science simulations into QKnow's platform, providing students and teachers with innovative tools for a more engaging learning experience. PhET Interactive Simulations, established [...]
Wahu Mobility, the fully integrated electric vehicle (EV) platform has partnered with Letshego, the pan-African retail financial services company to accelerate electric vehicle ownership in Ghana. Through this partnership, Letshego Ghana will provide innovative financing solutions to Wahu Mobility’s end customers. EV financing is crucial in Ghana and across Africa because it addresses one of [...]
In a groundbreaking move, Ashesi University’s Endowment Fund has invested in Janngo Capital, a pan-African venture capital firm. The university will become the first academic institution in Ghana to invest from its endowment into a venture capital fund, setting a precedent for academic institutions in the sub-region to explore new asset classes. This bold decision [...]
Naa Sika, the e-Micro Bank for the unbanked, has been chosen to participate in the prestigious Catapult Inclusion Africa Programme. This one-week bootcamp aims to empower startups driving financial innovation with a focus on environmental impact and inclusivity. Organized by the Luxembourg House of Financial Technology, the program offers participants the chance to engage with [...]
Tendo, a leading platform for social media resellers, has been chosen for Morgan Stanley’s Inclusive Ventures Lab, an accelerator designed to support technology-driven startups. The company is among 25 startups selected globally for the 2024 program, representing the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. The Inclusive Ventures Lab is a five-month accelerator [...]
Fido, a digital lender operating in Ghana and Uganda, has raised $30 million in a Series B round to expand its financial services to individuals and small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). The round includes a $20 million equity investment from global impact investment manager BlueOrchard and the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank FMO, alongside $10 million [...]
Two Ghanaian tech startups, Aquantuo and Metaschool, have made it to the Top 50 finalists for Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) 2024. This recognition places them among Africa’s most promising entrepreneurs and changemakers. The 2024 ABH Top 50 features a diverse group, spanning 14 sectors and 18 countries, with 40% female and 20% francophone representation. Agriculture [...]
The Bank of Ghana has made a significant move toward regulating the growing interest in cryptocurrencies and digital assets within the country. In a recently released draft guideline, the central bank outlines its approach to ensuring that digital assets such as Bitcoin, stablecoins, and other virtual currencies are managed responsibly while also fostering innovation. As [...]
MEST Africa, one of the pre-eminent technology incubators on the continent, has invested in 3 news startups. The latest portfolio additions from MEST Africa’s last Entrepreneurs-in-Training (EIT) programme are the result of 1,000+ applications and represent a diverse mix of teams working on various verticals and technologies. Aspiring entrepreneurs in the EIT programme go through [...]
Daniel Kwaku Merki is the Managing Partner of Boxplay Ventures. His career journey from investment banking, restaurant operator and startup consultant to an angel investor has inspired him to find a sustainable and more inclusive way to finance transformative African entrepreneurs. He thus co-creates transformational startups tackling the continent's most common and challenging problems through [...]
Dr. Nii Lante Heward-Mills is the Country Director for Viamo in Ghana and Liberia. He is an Information and Communications Technology for Development and Public Health Public Promotion expert. He has worked in the last decade deploying digital solutions to support large-scale developmental projects in Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Ethiopia and Rwanda. He also led the [...]
Ghana’s insurance industry regulator, the National Insurance Commission, has accepted five insurtech startups. The groundbreaking initiative aims to foster a conducive environment for the development and testing of cutting-edge innovative insurance products and services for the insurance sector. Meet the chosen ones! The selected innovators and their respective solutions are as follows: The solutions will [...]
Nicholas Carl Clerk is an Investment Ecosystem Development Manager at Renew Capital, supporting the establishment of Renew Capital’s presence in Ghana through the engagement of investment and development ecosystem actors and the management and execution of private sector consulting and development projects. Nicholas supports the facilitation of gender-smart programs and assists in all aspects of [...]
After not undertaking any investments between 2011 – 2015 and 2017 – 2020, the government-backed private equity fund of fund investment vehicle, the Ghana Venture Capital Trust Fund (VCTF) has so far committed GHS 173 million (approx. $11.2 million) to investors after its $40 million recapitalization. In between the fallowing periods, the Fund committed capital [...]
Prince Boateng Asare is a User Experience Designer with over ten years of experience. As the CEO of STEMAIDE, he spearheads the education technology company’s vision to provide educational tools and foster a supportive environment to equip young Africans with the necessary skills and mindset to thrive. He is also a co-founder of IoT Network [...]
Greetings, fellow startup enthusiasts! This week's StartupGhana newsletter brings you a mix of inspiring news – funding wins, policy updates, and a stellar talent acquisition. Let's dive in and see what's propelling Ghana's entrepreneurial ecosystem forward! Funding Policy Talent That's a wrap for this week's StartupGhana newsletter! We hope you found the content insightful. Stay [...]
The Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) has passed a new legislative instrument aimed at standardizing the classification of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country. Why the need for MSME classification? The classification serves a dual purpose: firstly, it standardizes the definition of micro, small, and medium enterprises in Ghana. This creates a clear [...]
Ato Kwamena Mensah is a technology enthusiast passionate about solving Africa’s food challenges. He is the Co-founder and CEO of LbH, an agricultural technology startup that connects over 12,000 smallholder farmers to financing, data-driven agronomy services, and premium markets. I’m like a firefighter at my job. I use my water pump daily to put out [...]
Gifty Gyimah is passionate about digital innovation and entrepreneurship. At Enterprise Village, she builds, grows, and manages the innovation hubs' online and offline communities of entrepreneurs. She uses social media platforms like WhatsApp to connect aspiring entrepreneurs with mentors and organizes workshops on everything from mobile app development to using social media for business growth. [...]
Kwamina Oblie Botchway is the CEO of AfroPark, a platform for African tech entrepreneurs and creatives to showcase their talents, skills, and businesses through events. AfroPark is building a community of entrepreneurs, providing opportunities to connect, promote their brands, and develop their businesses through technology. I put on events for tech entrepreneurs and creatives—people who [...]
Peter Onisha Peregbakumo is the founder and lead software engineer at Vibraniuum Technologies. He oversees a team of skilled software engineers and guides them in creating innovative solutions for African businesses. One of their notable products is BuukMeNow, which simplifies bookings and appointment management and collects down payments for African companies and professionals. At BuukMeNow, [...]
Elorm Ofori is a strategic Product Manager with over two years of experience in both B2B and B2C sectors. She manages the B2B buyer product at Complete Farmer, a platform connecting farmers, investors, and consumers across Africa. Ofori's diverse portfolio encompasses projects like crypto staking apps, lost-and-found solutions, launchpads, and agricultural commodity marketplaces. I help [...]
Isaac Newton Acquah is a tech-savvy business developer with over ten years of experience in business development with a focus on strategy, structure, media and marketing. He serves as the National Project Coordinator for Ghana for the Netherlands Trust Fund V Project implemented by the International Trade Centre, supporting 25 tech start-ups and 18 IT [...]
Two Ghana-based companies, AgriMercarb and Ecovon, have been selected for the MassChallenge Switzerland Accelerator. The two companies are among 103 early-stage startups selected to join the 2024 acceleration program. The selected early-stage startups come from 37 countries spanning 5 continents and have all committed to sustainability. Over the next 4 months of acceleration, the startups [...]
After leading the digital KYC and ID verification company Appruve, Paul Damile recently exited the startup in a cash-and-stock deal to Smile ID, a major player in Africa's digital compliance industry. Damile's journey with Appruve exemplifies the classic startup experience: a captivating sprint from problem identification to a minimum viable product, followed by a demanding [...]
Disclaimer: This information does not constitute financial advice or recommendation and should not be considered as such. Investing After the economic crisis wiped out investors’ wealth and disposable income, putting your money to work and potentially building wealth is important in 2024. Below are fintech leveraging technology to facilitate access to investment products such as [...]
Disclaimer: This information does not constitute financial advice or recommendation and should not be considered as such. The 2022/23 fiscal year has been chaotic financially for Ghanaians. The government’s default on debt had a spiraling effect on individuals and businesses. Inflation went off the roof while investors suffered haircuts on their investments. These challenges were [...]
Startup funding across Africa suffered a tough blow amid the economic downturn and funding drought in 2023. Africa startup funding experienced a significant year-on-year decline of 46% (Partech, 2023). Despite the drought, Ghanaian startups managed to raise $65 million, representing a 69% decline from the 2022 total investment of $209 million. 2023 witnessed four $10 [...]
Revna Biosciences, an Accra-based biotechnology startup, has joined the cohort of startups that have secured grant funding from the develoPPP Ventures programme. The grant will enable the company to accelerate its research and development efforts, further enhance its cutting-edge technologies, and expand its portfolio of groundbreaking solutions. What problem is Revna Biosciences solving? Led by [...]
Welcome to the This Week in StartupGhana newsletter. We have been on a hiatus for a few weeks. Whiles we were away, these were the headline stories in the Ghanaian ecosystem Funding Talent moves Accelerator Product launch
Hello friends, Welcome to the Ghana Innovation Journal newsletter. Blitz what happened in Ghana’s innovation landscape over the last week. Funding Partnership Product Launch and Expansion Accelerator
Hello Friends, Welcome to the Ghana Innovation Journal newsletter. Blitz what happened in Ghana’s innovation landscape over the two weeks. Funding Product Launch & Expansion Partnership
The Board of Directors of Accra Hearts of Oak has appointed Delali Anku-Adiamah, the founder and CEO of Waya Money, as the club’s new Managing Director. As the newly appointed Managing Director of the club, he will assume a pivotal leadership role within the organisation. His responsibilities will encompass various duties to drive the club's [...]
The legal tech startup Zuputo has been selected among the ten companies for the Startup Boost programme launched by Sweden-based tech consulting company tretton37. Out of the ten selected companies, Five are based in Africa (Ahiyoyo, Aliments, Iguru Therapies, Iko Africa and Zuputo), four in Europe (Datatera, EarthCare, Plussa and Tablerone) and one in Asia (Ecocentric). Half of them have female [...]
Elucid, the sustainability tech firm, has closed its seed II funding round. Following the first closing of the round in August 2023, the investment from UBS Optimus Foundation marks the finalization of Elucid's seed funding round. The funding will help the company expand its geographical reach in Africa and South America, strengthen the central team, [...]
Ghana’s supper app Hubtel hit a GHS 160 billion (~$13.2 billion) in transactions in 2023, as revealed by CEO Alex Bram in a New Year message to the public. In addition to the impressive total processed value, Bram said the company also nearly tripled staff strength, growing from about 200 at the beginning of the year to a vibrant [...]
MinoHealth AI, Aurum Institute, and Degas Ghana secure grants to catalyze equitable artificial Intelligence use. The Gates Foundation has awarded two Ghana-based startups and a healthcare research organization grants for the Grand Challenges on Catalyzing Equitable Artificial Intelligence Use initiative. The initiative will make three-month grants of $100,000 to support projects to build tools using [...]
Google kicks off its first accelerator for the Middle East and Africa by introducing the inaugural Google for Startups Accelerator: Climate Change cohort, which is focused on tech and climate-focused startups in the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa region. The cohort is launching a week-long boot camp week for 11 climate change-focused startups, offering guidance, [...]
Two Ghanaian tech companies, Zeepay and Sommalife, have been shortlisted as Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) Top 20 finalists. The top 50 finalists were selected based on their passion for establishing sustainable and impactful enterprises in their communities and beyond, businesses that are anchored on several SDG goals. Geographically, West Africa accounts for 35%, East Africa [...]
As part of his birthday celebration, the Chief Executive Officer of Quick Angels, Richard Nii Armah Quaye, supported ten entrepreneurs with a seed capital of GHS25,000 each to boost the growth of their businesses. The companies were selected from a pool of 1,200 applicants. The finalist comes from various industries, including technology, recycling, fashion, and [...]
Teshie Global Evangelical Church has announced the launch of the Victory Business Incubation Program (V-BIP), a new initiative designed to provide funding, coaching, and mentoring for young professionals within the church who are interested in turning their business ideas into successful ventures. The V-BIP program, which is being spearheaded by the Young Adults Ministry, aims [...]