The GCIC is an institute of Ashesi University and national business incubator focused on supporting small and growing businesses with innovative solutions to climate change to ultimately enhance adaptation, mitigation efforts and resilience.
Our services are delivered under three thematic strategic pillars:
(a) School of Sustainable Entrepreneurship
- Women Entrepreneurship Transformation Programme
- Commercial Acumen Academy
- Entrepreneurship Classes
- Market Growth and Access Intelligence Briefs
- Financial and Technical Grant
- Mini MBA Programme (Coursera Learning Management System)
- Climate Smart Technology and Product Development
- Environmental and Social Safeguards - Due Diligence and Audits
(b) Policy Alternatives for a Green Economy (PAGE - Ghana)
- Green Policy Research,
- Advocacy with government on climate issues
- Policy Dialogues, Roundtables and Events
(c) Storytelling and Communication for a Green Economy (STAGE Storytelling)
- Community Engagement through online and offline channels
- National Green Business Roadshows
- The production of Climate Focus Documentaries
- Storytelling
- Alumni Services
The Entrepreneurship Training Program seeks to provide support to entrepreneurs who have developed innovative solutions and businesses that contribute to the mitigation and or adaptation of climate change.
The school achieves this through the following:
- Mini – MBA Program (Online Coursera)
These courses are focused on sustainability, leadership, business and sector-based courses
- Commercial Acumen Masterclasses
Masterclasses include courses in investment readiness, pitching & fund raising, digital innovation & marketing, Investment readiness and tax & insurance
- Climate Smart Technology & Product Development Services
Our TPD workstream also provides environmental & social safeguards assessment support, technical audit and access to technical facilities and access to TPD grants
- Portfolio Management Support
Under this support, the various enterprises are assigned business consultants / coaches who offer general mentorship, business model development / fine tuning and fund raising support.
- Market Growth and Access
Assistance is link enterprises to potential buyers
Development of sectorial level intelligence briefs
If you are a business already greening or hoping to green your operations and service delivery through the adoption of innovative solutions to address climate change impacts, then this programme is for you!
We prioritize enterprises from the following five key economic sectors - energy efficiency & renewable energy; solar power; climate smart agriculture; domestic waste management; water management and purification.
However, businesses that are looking towards transitioning their operational processes into much greener alternatives are also eligible.
The first step is to express interest by visiting https://www.ghanacic.org/expression-of-interest at any time and apply.
The online form will request for answers to the following questions
- Details of business owner
- Records on co-founders if any
- Copy of business registration certificate
- Description of business idea and its impact on the environment
To facilitate building a climate movement that is reflective of gender, women are encouraged to apply.
Female entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply.
Does the application process end with the expression of interest?
To be successfully admitted into the incubator, the following are the stages an applicant must go through.
- An Expression of interest
- A Detailed application
- A Forum
- A Presentation
- Due diligence
To be successfully admitted into the incubator, the following are the stages an applicant must go through.
- An Expression of interest
- A Detailed application
- A Forum
- A Presentation
- Due diligence
While women are starting more businesses than men, they find it harder from the outset to grow due to several impacts and challenges. Our Women Entrepreneurship Transformational Program (WETP) has been designed to respond to the need for gender-sensitive business advisory services, and to amplify the voice and agency of women in the business sector.
The objectives of WETP are to:
- Provide a supportive ecosystem for women in leadership positions.
- Shift limiting mindsets and consciousness of female entrepreneurs.
- Help women entrepreneurs overcome the challenges they face in running their businesses and in their daily lives.
- Empower women to lead.
WETP supports female entrepreneurs address challenges such as:
- Work / life balance
- Family restriction
- Role conflict
- Access to finance
- Lack of persistence
- Mental strength
- Self-awareness and acknowledgement of skills
- Mentorship and role models
The programme is a hybrid of in-person and online trainings. Some of the online courses are mandatory and can be completed in your own time within the incubation time frame whilst others are in-person workshops.
Based on a thorough technical assessment, gaps in business operations, products or services are identified and these gaps are bridged with the provision of various services and grants to support business scalability.
- Attend all mandatory workshops, seminars, and masterclasses.
- Make time for meetings with your portfolio manager
- Avail yourself for any GCIC field exercises you are invited to attend
- Submit reports when requested
- Be available for documentation for storytelling your journey
Our incubation supports entrepreneurs who run businesses, that have factored the adaptation to climate change into their practices, with a blend of in-person master classes and on-line remote courses, that will enhance entrepreneurship and professionalism by not only cultivating and strengthening their focus on sustainable commercial success, but also their contribution to long-term implications of their activity on Ghana, Africa, and the world. This is achieved through.
- High-Value Mini MBA” programs
- Portfolio management
- Market growth and Access
- Climate smart technology and product development
- Environmental and social safeguards (ESS) assessment support
- Opportunities for networking
- Marketing support
At GCIC, we recognize that strategic communications and marketing is key in attaining our organizational objectives. GCIC’s strategic communications is implemented through STAGE Story Telling, i.e., Strategic Communications and Storytelling for a Green Economy, and includes the planning and execution of our internal and external communications, public relations, marketing, digital strategy, content strategy, thought leadership etc. to focus on
- Knowledge sharing for a green, low carbon economy
- Thought leadership for a green low carbon economy
- Ensuring gender diversity and inclusion
- Telling GCIC’s success beyond its entrepreneurs
- Showcasing our cohorts / entrepreneurs’ results
- Advocacy and behavioural change
PAGE is one of the three pillars of the GCIC and stands for Policy Alternatives for a Green Economy. Through PAGE, the GCIC carries out policy advocacy so as to speed up and influence government policies and regulation, that will give room for a climate resilient society driven by innovation, low carbon solutions, and policy plans to meet carbon budgets.
This is done through:
- Green Policy and fiscal Research
- Government advocacy on climate policy issues
- Policy Dialogues, Roundtables and Events.
- International Peer Exchange & Knowledge Brokerage
The GCIC has a robust results management framework that underpins its work and activities. Performance of our institution as well as that of the enterprises we support are monitored and evaluated on a quarterly basis against targets agreed to with our donors.
- Entrepreneurs/Businesses working on innovations aimed at climate mitigation and adaptation
- Entrepreneurs/Businesses exploring the adaptation of more sustainable models and operations
- The Government of Ghana
- The donor community
- International development agencies
- Key players and stakeholders focused on building the green economy of Ghana
- The public
Additional funding is still needed by the GCIC. Offers of support and partnership can be channelled directly to the GCIC at info@ghanacic.org