StartUp Cup unveils International experts for maiden Africa summit in Ghana
StartUp Cup has unveiled a panel of international experts for its maiden African summit in Ghana.
The experts include notable names in the startup industry in the country and other parts of Africa and the world.
Some of the speakers confirmed for the summit include Sean Griffin, CEO & Founder of StartUp Cup World (Washington DC) , Diana Ofwona, West & Central Africa Regional Director of UN Women, Neal Hansch, Managing Director of MEST (Ghana) , Albert Biga, CEO of Zooba Shop (Ghana) , Neeraj Gala, Product & Innovations Director of Bharti Airtel Africa (Kenya Head Quarters) among others .
A statement issued by StartUp cup stated that The Africa StartUp Cup summit is an event designed to showcase and celebrate entrepreneurs and is expected to host over five hundred (500) delegates from every conceivable industry, and in the process shine a global light on the power of Africa’s entrepreneurs and startups to improve lives.
According to the statement The Africa StartUp Cup initiative is another effort by StartUp Cup and the U.S. Department of State to bridge the gap of educating and providing important tools to entrepreneurs in Africa and the world at large.
“In the wake of the rising inflation, high costs of doing business, shortage of funding opportunities, among other challenges that entrepreneurs face in modern times, it is only right that we lead entrepreneurs to overcome such challenges” said Emmanuel Nyame, President & Regional Director for Africa StartUp Cup.
The statement said in July 2015, during the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, United States President, Mr. Barrack Obama, promised the establishment of entrepreneurial centres to empower women in the society. This was a topic that he was really keen on during the summit and is quoted saying:
“Women are powerhouse entrepreneurs. The research shows that when women entrepreneurs succeed, they drive economic growth and invest more back into their families and communities”
His message was an announcement of the new WECREATE Centres (Women Entrepreneurial Center of Resources, Education, Access, and Training for Economic Empowerment), a physical entrepreneurial community center that can be replicated in any community, the statement noted.
This project, the first of StartUp Cup’s major endeavours on the African continent, is a public-private partnership between the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (EB) and StartUp Cup.
Sean Griffin, CEO and Founder of StartUp Cup. StartUp Cup’s Africa regional presence said he is poised to ensure an open environment for entrepreneurs not only strive within the continent but to create a positive impact on the lives of people in other parts of the world. He added that he will also ensure that each individual is empowered to create jobs and provide sustained living through the Africa StartUp Cup.
The event, which takes place on April 29, includes a line-up of key experts with the know-how of entrepreneurship development in Africa. In addition to the summit on Africa’s progress in business, there would also be pitches from selected winners from across Africa, as well as a great deal of networking with investors, business leaders, governments, and the elite in Africa’s growth agenda.
The summit is open to the public who can visit the Africa StartUp Cup Page to participate in program.