By Millicent Senava Mannah
The Ignition Hour Programme of ‘Craving for Development’ ,a Non-Governmental Organization, is a discussion programme aimed at searching for ten entrepreneurs to tackle issues that are related to disrupting innovation within the agribusiness ecosystem in Sierra Leone.
A selected team commenced listening to the programme on the 26th October, 2023 at the Creative Hub Africa at Lumley in Freetown geared towards assessing ideas portrayed by Sierra Leonean innovators.
It must be noted that the Ignition Hour Venture Building Program is a 24- month initiative that will take ideas pitched by innovators to high growth and Value Company.
In an interview with the CO- Founder and the CO- Director for Craving for Development, Aminata Kane, the ignition started in 2018 with the aim of supporting entrepreneurs.
According to her, this is the fourth season after successfully conducting three sessions. “What we are hoping to achieve is that entrepreneurs will pick up business opportunities that we would share in their sectors and then start businesses,” she said.
She continued that the format of the Ignition Hour before this one wasn’t for them to automatically collect the business ideas but pointed out that with this one, “we want them to be generated organically, by getting them naturally here and get their business ideas.”
“So we want to just have the show where entrepreneurs will come in and share their business ideas, like business opportunities and also build their skills,” she said.
Aminata Kane said entrepreneurs are more focused on accessing finance than starting businesses that can help them contribute to development.
She revealed that upon the twelve ideas presented six were invalid as they are looking for business ideas that can enhance the ecosystem.
“We want something that would give solution to the logistical issues, that will grow very safely and very securely for twenty-four months and at the end of those twenty-four months they will be able to raise One Hundred Thousand Dollars,” she said.
She added that they are looking for ten vibrant ideas, those that are capable of disrupting the agricultural sector and we have already identified the problems. “We are looking for ideas that are bringing solutions to the whole ecosystem,” she stated.
She said $20,000 will be given to each of the ten entrepreneurs whose ideas will be deemed fit to solve agribusiness ecosystem challenges.
Prior to the pitching of ideas by the innovators a panel discussion was held on agriculture by three panelists.
