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New Business Challenge 2015

Project purpose

Ghana is a country of great potential and it is seeing strong growth. As a result, Ghana is an interesting market for foreign businesses. But a lack of knowledge about the country, and lack of experience, make many entrepreneurs reluctant to investigate the opportunities.

With the New Business Challenge Ghana we  want to challenge a young generation of Dutch and Ghanaian students to explore sustainable business cases for Netherlands investment in and trade with Ghana (and vice versa) thereby stimulating the development of private industry and the development of the Dutch business world in Ghana.

With the New Business Challenge we aim to:

  • Investigate (innovative) business opportunities (trade and investment) for Dutch companies in Ghana and vice versa;
  • Activate cooperation and sharing of knowledge between Dutch and Ghanaian students;
  • Cooperation with local communities to stimulate local entrepreneurship;
  • Get Dutch and Ghanaian companies (in Ghana) in contact with potential highly educated employees
  • To make Dutch students and entrepreneurs aware that Ghana as Emerging economy has investment opportunities
  • Enable the Dutch and Ghanaian young experts to build a network that is relevant for their future employment or entrepreneurship;
  • Set-up the Challenge as Holland Branding and highlight the Dutch ‘from aid to trade policy’.

Project results

  • Increased (emerging market) innovative and entrepreneurial skills and knowledge and relevant network for core group 40 Ghanaian and Dutch students and young experts;
  • Dutch and Ghanaian young experts have built a network that is relevant for their future employment or entrepreneurship and several have been offered internships or other opportunities by companies involved;
  • Participating Dutch and Ghanaian companies have gained   fresh ideas for (new) business and better projects;
  • Ghanaian and Dutch Companies have built a new network to develop new business, recruit talent, showcase services and products;
  • Better network between educational institutes and private sector in Ghana and the Netherlands enabling the recruitment of talent and practice oriented education;
  •  Through the involvement of students and companies and through media attention, business opportunities in Ghana have been promoted as well as the Dutch ‘from aid to trade policy’;

Location

Accra, Ghana and The Hague, The Netherlands

Executor

Sustainablemotion VOF

Budget

€ 188.543

Project status

Closed

Project activities
 
A tender will be organised for the organisation of the New Business Challenge 2015. The tenderers will be challenged to suggest the best method of approach for the organisation of activities within the framework of the NBC that lead to the envisioned results, incorporating at least the following:

Agreement on project approach
The tenderer with the best offer will be contracted by RVO for the project implementation. The implementing team is requested to discuss the detailed implementation plan including means of reporting, roles and responsibilities and financial aspects with UPSA and the Netherlands Embassy in Accra. After written approval of the proposed project implementation plan, the project can be implemented.

Recruitment and selection of companies to provide the business cases
Recruitment and selection of Netherlands companies to provide the business cases. In addition it will also be explored if Ghanaian companies can provide a business case that is related to business with the Netherlands. The subjects of the business cases will be further defined with the participating companies. Business case must preferably be in line with priority sectors as described in the Multi Annual Strategic Plan, Accra2014-2017: WASH, food security and health. At least 3 different cases for 3 different companies must be identified. The companies will be asked to contribute actively to the NBC by being present during the project meetings, providing guidance to the students and offering internships or coaching to the students (of the winning team).

Recruitment and selection students in the Netherlands
In principle the recruitment of students in the Netherlands will not be related to one specific university. The contract partner will promote the NBC (through a network of contacts and via the social media and so on) and students and young professionals can apply directly at the organisation of the Challenge. The tenderer will propose how exactly the promotion and selection will take place and is challenged to come up with a creative way of approach that is also an inspiring experience for the students and young professionals that are not selected. Also it will be described how the different parties, such as the companies that provide the cases, will be involved. In the end 20 students are selected.

Recruitment and selection students in Ghana
TheUniversity of Professional Studies Accra (UPSA) will be the counterpart in Ghana in organising the Challenge. Half of the Ghanaian students participating in the Challenge will be students at this university. The other participants will come from other universities. Also involving young professionals could be explored. The tenderer is asked to propose a promotion and selection approach and further discuss this with the UPSA. Also it will be described how the different parties, such as the companies that provide the cases, will be involved. In the end 20 students are selected.

The project budget will make a reservation for promoting the NBC through a website and other promo material and for practical costs for the recruitment and selection process such as catering during a selection day.

Working on the business cases
During a period of at least 2 months, mixedteams from Ghanaian and Dutch students and young professionals will work on the business cases.

Tenderer will propose how the cases are introduced to the (aspiring) participants, how the teams are formed and introduced to their counterparts abroad, how expert input is given to the participants in Ghana and the Netherlands, how the companies will be involved in the process in both countries and how the participants will be supervised and coached.

During these process, project meetings are organised in Ghana and the Netherlands, moreover two study trips take place.

Study trip to the Netherlands

A study trip to the Netherlands will be organised for the participating students and at least one staff member of UPSA. During these study trip the teams will get to know each other, work on the cases and learn more about the cases and the context of the cases in the Netherlands. The study trip is planned in the summer holiday of the Ghanaian and Dutch students. The project budget covers the tickets, ho(s)tel and some living costs of the Ghanaian participants as well as costs to organise a programme for the teams.

Final case work and presentation in Ghana

Several weeks later, the Dutch participants will come to Ghana. The teams will learn more about the Ghanaian context of the cases,  finish working on the cases and present the results to the companies, a jury and a larger audience. The budget covers the tickets, ho(s)tel and some living costs of the Dutch participants as well as costs to organise a programme for the teams

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