By James Amoh Junior
Accra, June 21, GNA – Fifteen Ghanaian cultural and creative entrepreneurs have secured grant funding and extended mentorship support under the second edition of the Creation Africa Ghana Incubation Programme.
The Programme is a French Government initiative aimed at strengthening the country’s creative and cultural industries.
The beneficiaries emerged from an intensive four-week incubation process that brought together 30 selected entrepreneurs from across Ghana’s creative ecosystem, including film, animation, fashion, publishing, content creation, music production, design and technology.
The programme, implemented in partnership with Impact Hub Accra, culminated in a competitive pitch session evaluated by an independent jury, which selected 15 entrepreneurs for the next phase of support.
The top-performing ventures, including Bravado, Mills Media, Clockwork Brand, Cinematheque Timtooni and TIISA Technology, received grants of up to €30,000 each to scale their businesses and expand their impact within the creative economy.
Other awardees received grants ranging between €10,000, €15,000 and €20,000 alongside tailored mentorship, technical support and access to international networks to strengthen their enterprises.
Speaking at the awards ceremony in Accra, Ms Diarra Dimé-Labille, Ambassador of France to Ghana, described Creation Africa Ghana as one of the French Embassy’s flagship programmes designed to nurture the next generation of African creative entrepreneurs.
She noted that beyond the financial support, the programme sought to build sustainable businesses capable of creating jobs and generating positive social and economic impact.
“Creation Africa is first and foremost an incubation programme. We are celebrating the conclusion of its second chapter tonight,” she said, commending participants for the quality of their projects and the collaborative spirit that characterised the bootcamp experience.
According to the Ambassador, the initiative had already recorded significant success, with several partnerships and collaborations emerging among participants during the programme.
“You represent all sectors of the creative and cultural industry. What you have in common is a desire to develop your creative project and turn it into a solid and viable business capable of creating jobs and having a positive impact on your society,” she said.
She praised Impact Hub Accra for its role in delivering the programme, describing the organisation as a key partner whose contribution had been instrumental to the success of the initiative.
Impact Hub Accra served as the innovation engine behind the design and implementation of the incubation programme, connecting entrepreneurs with mentors, investors, development partners and industry experts.
The flagship Creation Africa Ghana Incubation Programme was designed as a beneficiary-centred intervention to equip cultural and creative entrepreneurs with the knowledge, networks and capital required to grow competitive businesses capable of succeeding on the global stage.
Participants underwent intensive hybrid bootcamp sessions covering business development, intellectual property, financial sustainability, entrepreneurship, creativity and personal development.
The second edition builds on the success of the inaugural programme, which supported more than 100 project holders and facilitated over 40 mobility opportunities across France and several African countries.
Creation Africa Ghana forms part of a broader continental initiative being implemented in approximately 17 African countries by the French Government to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable growth within the cultural and creative industries.
This year’s programme has also expanded its scope through an Acceleration Programme, which will provide continued support to winning entrepreneurs through mentorship, strategic advisory services, technical expertise and mobility opportunities.
Additionally, a Sectoral Capacity-Building Component is supporting creative professionals to access international markets and specialised training opportunities in sectors such as animation, television production, innovative fashion, virtual reality, video games and sound design.
As part of these efforts, five Ghanaian animation professionals are being supported to participate in the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France, one of the world’s leading animation industry events.
They will be joined by representatives from other animation studios and the Ghana Creative Arts Agency, helping to showcase Ghana’s growing creative talent on the global stage.
Mr. Gideon Aryeequaye, Executive Secretary of the Ghana Creative Arts Agency, said initiatives such as Creation Africa Ghana were helping bridge the gap between artistic talent and entrepreneurship by providing creatives with the resources needed to transform innovative ideas into sustainable businesses.
He said Ghana’s animation industry was gradually taking shape and required a deliberate and strategic approach to enhance its growth and strengthen the country’s presence on the global stage.
He said the Agency would continue to support creatives across the country and ensure that sectors and talents that had received little attention in the past were given greater visibility and recognition.
“We will continue to provide support for creatives and ensure that every domain that has been sidelined in the past is made more visible. We will ensure that we acknowledge the talents we have and create opportunities for them to thrive both locally and internationally,” he said.
Mr Junaid Timtooni Yakubu, one of the top beneficiaries and founder of Cinematheque Timtooni, expressed excitement after receiving the €30,000 grant award.
“I have been over the moon since June 17, when I was presented with a €30,000 award at the residence of the French Ambassador to Ghana to support my business, Cinematheque Timtooni,” he said.
Mr Yakubu said the award was a major boost for the growth of his enterprise and thanked God for the opportunity.
GNA
Edited by George-Ramsey Benamba
June 21, 2026
Reporter: James Amoh Junior
Email: [email protected]