This was Held earlier this month, under the aegis of the Entrepreneurship Pillar, the activity sought to equip participants with the technical, financial, and entrepreneurial support required to transform their ideas into viable prototypes.

The session which took place virtually, featured a dry run involving mentors and component leads, as well as presentations on fundamental, yet topical issues pertinent to entrepreneurship. An equally important addition was a group mentorship engagement segment allowing for the startups to have targeted interactions with their mentors.

In his opening address, the UG Nkabom Entrepreneurship Pillar Lead, Professor George Acheampong highlighted the prototype development phase as a critical component of the broader initiative. “Linking academic insights with practical entrepreneurial processes is vital for building sustainable ventures,” he stressed. 

Professor Acheampong, further underscored the value in maintaining accountability through progress tracking, encouraging the participants to, “make the most of the resources available and remain focused on transforming your ideas into sustainable prototypes.”

Leading a session on Building an Entrepreneurial Mindset, Professor Kwaku Oppong Asante, emphasised the pivotal role resilience, balance and focus played in any successful entrepreneurial venture. “Mental toughness, setting boundaries, and prioritizing tasks are non-negotiable if you aim to make steady progress and avoid burnout.” He further admonished the mentees to be disciplined in their business endeavours and pursuits.

A subsequent presentation on Intellectual Property Essentials saw Madam Diana Owusu Antwi, a research development officer at the Research, Innovation and Development Directorate, shed light on how the landscape of patents, copyrights, trademarks and secrets could be best navigated. “While these are important,” she noted “failure to document innovations early, premature disclosure, and neglecting to align your intellectual property with business strategies are potential pitfalls you must avoid.”

The activity concluded with expressions of appreciation to the mentors and faculty, and a virtual group photo to commemorate this definitive milestone. Undertaking an evaluation exercise, deepening engagements with the assigned mentors, and participating in future trainings, are critical next steps for these selected start-ups. Meanwhile, a second phase of the intellectual property (IP) training programme is expected to be held later in October. It is anticipated to offer deeper insights into protecting innovations and leveraging IP as a growth strategy.

The Prototype Development Phase follows the successful Ideation Stage and Community Networking Event &  Roadshow (CNR) Bootcamp organised by the Entrepreneurship Pillar of UG Nkabom. The Phase focuses on helping participants move beyond idea generation to develop and validate functional prototypes that can respond to real market and community needs within Ghana’s agrifood system.