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KawaMoka emerges winner of Start Up Cup 2015

The Ghana StartUp Cup is an entrepreneurial programme that promotes local innovation internationally by providing end-to-end solutions in the entrepreneurship ecosystems.

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KawaMoka, a local coffee company, has been announced as the winner of 3rd Ghana startup cup competition held at the British council over the weekend.

ECampus App, an innovative e-learning platform and Coliba, a waste management startup took second and third positions respectively.

This year’s event saw the participation of over hundred potential entrepreneurs who was narrowed down to twelve after going through a competitive selection process.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Chief Economic Officer of the U.S. Embassy, Jimmy Mauldin, admonished the youth to take up challenges that provides sustainable and identifiable solutions to the problems around them.

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He reiterated the U.S Government’s support for StartUp Cup Ghana, through the Global Entrepreneurship Program, in spurring growth in entrepreneurship in Ghana, as well as other exchange programmes such as the Young African Leaders’ Initiative (YALI).

“Not all business plan competitions are meant for your business”, the Ghana Deputy Country Director for Technoserve, Mr Samuel Baba Adongo, said, adding that startups should focus on growth as a first step in developing their business while advising them to desist from the habit of moving from one competition to the other.

The twelve businesses pitched their ideas to an expert panel of entrepreneurs, investors and industry experts such as Nancy Glaser of Stanford SEED , Klenam Fiadzo of Yougora Ltd, and Kwaku David of KD Group Global.

Other panelist were Ethel Cofie (Women in Tech, Founder), Yaganoma Baatuolkuu (Wanjo Foods, CEO), Wayne Miranda (Growth Mosaic, CEO), Joyce Okyerewaa Danso (UN Youth Ambassador, Ghana), Mac-Jordan Degadjor (Africa New Media, Cofounder) also formed part of panelists for the selection of the eventual winners.

Speaking on the tough selection process, The Director of Ghana StartUp Cup, Emmanuel Nyame, said it took them a long time to arrive at a decision after witnessing the pitches.

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He said: "There was a lot of deliberations as all twelve of these businesses are so strong. In the end it came down to deciding whether we wanted to give the backing to the best ideas or the businesses that we thought could really succeed."

Finalists with agricultural background received a prize package by kind sponsorship of TechnoServe Ghana, while ultimate winner, KawaMoka would continue the journey to compete with other African countries in the next phase of the competition.

All of finalists will get mentorship prize packages for all twelve finalists starting December this year sponsored by MEL Consulting.

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