Falling Walls Lab Ghana 2024, a business and innovation contest for graduates and students at the tertiary institutions, has been held at the University of Ghana. It was organized by the German Academic Exchange Service Information Centre Accra in partnership with StartUp Lounge Africa and supported by the Federal Foreign Office of Germany.

The event featured a series of three-minute pitches from participants, each presenting groundbreaking research, business models, and initiatives aimed at solving global challenges. The aim was to identify the most promising ideas that could potentially “break the walls” of existing knowledge and practices.

At the end of the pitches, Vanessa Dodoo from the University for Development Studies Tamale, emerged as winner of the contest. She was recognized for her exceptional project aimed at reducing post-harvest loss, a significant issue in agriculture in Ghana through a solar-powered mechanised drying machine which significantly reduces drying time for food crops especially grains. She would represent Ghana at the Global Falling Walls Lab Contest in Berlin in November 2024.

The second place was grabbed by Abdul-Wahab Ibrahim also from the University for Development Studies, Tamale. He pitched his innovative work on Eco-cob Bioplast, a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics using degradable materials.

Wisdom Torkornoor Boadu from FreshLine Post Harvest Solutions took the third place for working on a solution to address post-harvest losses by producing tomato powder and other organic ways of preserving foodstuff.

The Deputy German Ambassador to Ghana, Ms. Sivine Jansen, highlighted the importance of fostering innovation and supporting young talent. She praised the participants for their ingenuity and the positive impact their projects could have on society.

Mr Felix Barnes, Programme Officer at the German Academic Exchange Service in Accra said the Falling Walls Lab Ghana 2024 event not only showcased the exceptional talent and creativity within the country but also reinforced the importance of innovation in addressing global challenges.

Source: Conrad Kakraba