By Lydia Kukua Asamoah
Accra, July 29, GNA – Applications have opened for the CircularEconomy4Ghana Innovation Challenge, an initiative aimed at identifying and accelerating scalable, technology-driven circular economy solutions within Ghana’s agriculture and textile value chains.
The challenge invites startups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), entrepreneurs and innovators developing solutions tailored to the Ghanaian context to submit applications by August 8, 2026.
The initiative is led by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT through its Accelerate for Impact Platform (A4IP) and is being implemented in collaboration with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)/ITPO Italy and E4Impact.
It is endorsed by the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) and supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
The project forms part of the CGIAR Food Frontiers & Security and Multifunctional Landscapes Science Programmes.
Selected participants will receive technical guidance, business mentoring, investor engagement opportunities, training through a bootcamp and an intensive acceleration programme designed to strengthen technologies, refine business models and improve investment readiness.
Dr Tosin Somorin, a Researcher at IWMI, said waste remained one of Ghana’s growing environmental and economic challenges but also presented significant opportunities for innovation and value creation.
“Across the country’s agriculture and textile sectors, materials that are often discarded can be transformed into products that return nutrients to the soil, reduce pollution, create jobs and support new businesses,” she said.
Dr Somorin noted that many entrepreneurs were already developing innovative solutions but often required the right support and partnerships to scale up their ideas.
Dr Gianpiero Menza, Senior Manager at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, said addressing challenges in Ghana’s agriculture and textile value chains required collaboration among researchers, entrepreneurs, government institutions and industry players.
“The CircularEconomy4Ghana Innovation Challenge creates a platform where these actors come together to identify, develop and accelerate innovations that are scientifically robust, commercially viable, locally relevant and trusted by farmers and industry alike,” he said.
Applications will be evaluated based on criteria including value proposition, sustainability, scalability, scientific relevance and technology maturity.
Eligible solutions must align with at least one of six priority areas: innovative financing and financial access for circular agri-enterprises; digital advisory and knowledge-sharing systems for circular agriculture; waste segregation, collection and valorisation systems; nutrient recovery and circular soil fertility solutions; traceability, data and supply chain efficiency for circular value chains; and inclusive circular business models for youth and women.
Successful applicants will participate in a four-day bootcamp in Accra in October 2026, where they will receive technical and business support, pitch preparation training and field-based learning experiences.
The bootcamp will end with a Pitch Day, during which participants will present their innovations to a panel comprising scientists, investors, industry experts, agribusinesses and institutional partners.
Up to 15 teams will subsequently be selected for an intensive acceleration programme beginning in November 2026.
The programme will combine in-person and virtual training sessions covering business model development, market-entry and growth strategies, financial planning, investor readiness, social and environmental impact, circular and climate-resilient agrifood systems, and research-to-market approaches.
The acceleration programme will culminate in a Demo Day in February 2027, providing participants with opportunities to showcase their innovations to potential investors, partners and decision-makers.
Graduating innovators will continue to benefit from post-acceleration support, including strategic guidance, technological validation and access to partner networks.
The CircularEconomy4Ghana Innovation Challenge was officially launched on June 16, 2026, during the Ghana-Italy Circular Economy Dialogue held in Accra.
Organisers said the initiative was intended not only as a competition but also as a platform to strengthen Ghana’s circular economy and entrepreneurship ecosystems by connecting innovators to knowledge, financing, partnerships and markets.
They said the challenge would support innovations capable of transforming waste into valuable resources, improving the sustainability of agricultural and textile value chains and creating new business and employment opportunities.
The application period runs from July 6 to August 8, 2026.
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Lydia Kukua Asamoah
Email: [email protected]