Ghana raised $127 million in startup funding last year. Fintech took 43% of it. Edtech, climate tech, and healthtech? A tiny fraction. In this honest conversation, Prince Asare-Boateng of STEMAIDE Africa asks the uncomfortable questions we rarely hear: - Why are we still chasing investor attention instead of building for the problems that actually affect Ghanaians? - Who is writing AI policies when the people who truly understand AI aren’t the ones at the table? - How do we expect these policies to work when most secondary schools still don’t even teach coding? - What happens to the millions of young people in rural communities that “developing region” STEM programmes completely ignore? We keep talking about “Africa rising” and “innovation ecosystems,” but the hard truth is: if the funding, policy, and education systems are designed to replicate Silicon Valley rather than solve Ghanaian (and African) realities, we will keep building beautiful demos that disappear and policies that never get executed. Prince has been on the ground for nearly a decade teaching kids coding and robotics with their hands because the infrastructure and language barriers are real. His experience shows the gap between the narrative and the reality. This is the kind of conversation we need more of not hype, but clear-eyed reckoning. What do you think? Should our innovation agenda be driven by what investors want to fund, or by the problems we actually need solved?Full clip on TikTok: [link] #GhanaTech #AfricanInnovation #EdTech #STEMEducation #PointOfInflection

Zimbabwean entrepreneur Strive Masiyiwa, widely regarded as one of Zimbabwe’s leading billionaires, is advancing a significant initiative through his company Cassava Technologies. The firm has outlined plans to develop five AI hubs often described as “AI factories” across Africa. Reports indicate that Cassava intends to invest approximately $720 million in these projects. The company is partnering with global technology leaders, including Nvidia, to supply advanced computing power through high-performance GPUs and supercomputers. Rather than building entirely new facilities from the ground up, the hubs will integrate with Cassava’s existing data centres and fibre optic networks across the continent. While Masiyiwa is the driving force, the strategy relies on broad collaboration: partnerships with international tech companies, local infrastructure development, and investment from multiple stakeholders. This matters because AI data centres are extremely energy-intensive. A single large-scale facility can consume as much electricity as tens of thousands of homes. Africa continues to face a substantial power deficit, with unreliable grids in many regions limiting large-scale digital and industrial growth. Major energy projects, such as Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), could contribute to meeting some of these needs. However, political complexities, regional tensions, and the challenge of expanding and strengthening transmission grids remain real obstacles. The central question is whether Africa can build the domestic infrastructure and capacity to shape its own AI future or whether it will remain primarily a consumer of technologies developed elsewhere.

Business mogul Mr. Ibrahim Mahama has expressed his intention to support the innovation journey of young Ghanaian AI developer Naamgwinaa Samuel.The announcement was made by his Special Aide, Rafik Mahama in a Facebook post on July 4, 2026, who said: "On behalf of Mr. Ibrahim Mahama, I reached out to express our intention of supporting his remarkable innovation journey."He praised Samuel's AI-powered innovations, adding: "We believe this support and encouragement will empower him to advance his work and create technologies that make a lasting impact in Ghana and beyond."Samuel recently unveiled a humanoid-inspired AI phone stand that responds to users in a conversational, human-like manner. The prototype creatively features Ibrahim Mahama's name as part of its design.

Selected participants will take part in a fully funded in-person training workshop in Gaborone, Botswana (22–26 February 2027), where they will gain practical skills in IP, business planning, marketing, social media strategy, and market access. The program then continues for a year-long mentoring phase (until February 2028), where each participant is paired with experts for personalized guidance and support in applying IP tools to their business. Only 20 women will be selected from countries including Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. At least one participant per country will be considered where possible. WIPO will cover travel, accommodation, and subsistence costs for the training phase. Applicants must be able to communicate in English and should ideally have basic knowledge of intellectual property (free WIPO online courses are recommended before applying). 📌 Application deadline: 12 July 2026 📌 Apply here: https://surveys.wipo.int/s3/Application-Form-forthe-WIPO-Training-Mentoring-and-MatchmakingProgram-on-Intellectual-Property-for-WomenEntrepreneurs-from-Indigenous-Peoples-and-LocalCommunities-from-African-Countries-2026 📩 Enquiries: [email protected] This is more than training—it’s access to global networks, expert mentorship, and tools to protect what your community has built for generations. #WIPO #WomenEntrepreneurs #botswana🇧🇼tiktok #Botswana #Fyp

Top Early & Seed Stage Investors in Ghana Here are the top 5 seed & early stage investors in Ghana, you can apply for funding as a startup founder. 4DX Ventures - These guys are serious about fund startups in not just Ghana but all of Africa, and they are part of almost every successful startup making it big. Flutterwave, AutoChek, Andela, mPharma, Jetstream. They are open to all industries. Golden Palm Investments – These guys are more Ghana-oriented VC investing in technology and scalable ventures. They also backed some of the big names & they have an office at East Legon Kosmos Innovation Centre – Pre-seed support and small capital grants for startups, often in agritech/food MicroTraction - These are one of the very active seed & early stage investors on the continent. They are one of the backers of Achieve Capital & Lemfi. But I’m not sure they had office in Ghana though Venture Capital Trust Fund - This is a VC firm that is backed by the Ghanaian Government. They are mostly focused on small & medium scale businesses rather than tech startups. Here are a few firms in Africa & areinvesting in Ghana as well: EchoVC Partners Ingressive Capital TLcom Capital Savannah Fund Pls note that each of these investors may have specific industries & criteria you must meet for them to invest in you so make sure you check thoroughly & you are not wasting your energy applying for where you are not welcomed.