The Caravan Africa Entrepreneurship Program at caravan africa

The Caravan Entrepreneurship Program (CEP), the flagship program of Caravan Africa Project, is an initiative that provides a comprehensive framework to accelerate industrialization and create mass employment for young people on the African continent by interlinking local value chains to create cross-border ecosystems of STEM capacities and micro-entrepreneurial skills which through synergies can CREATE JOBS, DRIVE TRADE & BOOST INTEGRATION for GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS.

Project Scope

• The Caravan Entrepreneurship Program (CEP) is being pioneered by Afrochampions Initiative with funding from the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA). CEP will create the necessary capacity building support for micro-entrepreneurs to develop STEM-focused value chains to address challenges and opportunities in strategic industries – agriculture, textiles and manufacturing - within Ghana.

Caravan Entrepreneurship Program (CEP) Objectives

• Accelerate the entry and growth of new entrepreneurial STEM related businesses and expand the stem-capable workforce (and broaden the participation of women and minorities in the workforce).
• Equip young African entrepreneurs to form local value chain clusters for trade growth and access to capital.
• Create regional and continental trade ecosystem support for micro entrepreneurs to develop local value chain products.
• Facilitate the creation of access to regional markets for micro-entrepreneurs within the local value chain clusters.
• Create mass employment for young people within the selected African countries.

Selected & Focused Value Chain

• Palm
• Plastics
• Coconut
• Wildcard - The fourth is given for applicants outside of the stated value chain clusters.

Who Can Apply

The program is open to the following selected categories of applicants;

• Entrepreneurs
• Aspiring Entrepreneurs
• Consultants: Ghanaian consultants with expertise in market access, design, public sector engagement, product design, auditing, logistics, accounting and business development.
• Freelancers: Self-employed individuals with expertise in marketing, PR, Graphic design, technical writing and coding.
• STEM Researchers: Local Researchers with expertise in low-toxicity preservation, natural emulsification, processed food formulation, skincare formulation, organic and inorganic chemistry, polymer research and the plastics space in general.
• Wildcards – teams or companies outside of the selected value chains.

Eligibility Criteria

Entrepreneurs and Aspiring Entrepreneurs

• Applicants must be Ghanaian and be older than 18years of age.
• Business ideas proposed in the application must be feasible.
• Applicants must have knowledge and understanding of the proposed value chain product, the market, customers and competitors for their idea/business.
• Applicants must understand the basic financial requirements of operating a business, costs and revenues.
• Applicants must demonstrate potential for replication and growth of their value chain product or service to create jobs and wealth.
• Applicants must demonstrate leadership potential, capable of attracting people, customers and resources.
• Business ideas must be for profit and must be the original work of the entrepreneur making the submission.
• Ability to allocate time and resources to participate in the program, including attending periodic meetings, and implementation of field testing/pilot project in Ghana and other African countries.

Consultants

• Applicant must be a Ghanaian citizen and not under the age of 18years.
• Applicant must have a minimum of 5years consultancy experience with work experience in Ghana or any sub-Saharan African country.
• Applicant with consultancy experience in the stated value chain an asset.
• Applicant must have with expertise in market access, design, public sector engagement, project management, product design, auditing, logistics, accounting and business development.
• Applicant must know how to work effectively with a team and be ambitious.

Researchers

• Applicant must be a Ghanaian citizen and not under the age of 18years.
• Applicant must have a minimum of 5years research experience with special focus on Ghana or any sub-Saharan African country.
• Applicant with market research experience in the stated value chain or STEM is an asset.
• Applicant must have expertise in low-toxicity preservation, natural emulsification, processed food formulation, skincare formulation, organic and inorganic chemistry, polymer research and the plastics space in general.
• Applicant must have the skills to utilize research to assist interested stakeholders to make evidenced-based decisions.
• Applicant must know how to work effectively with a team and be ambitious.

Freelancers

• Applicant must be a Ghanaian citizen and not under the age of 18years.
• Applicant must have a minimum of 5years self-employed experience.
• Applicant must be an expert in one these - marketing, PR, Graphic design, technical writing or coding
• Applicant must know how to work effectively with a team and be ambitious.

How Does the Program Work

• Source: We launch call for applications for market-oriented entrepreneurs and innovators from Ghana with market relevant solutions to apply to join the program.
• Training: The selected applicants will receive tailored training and comprehensive support to understand how they can use their STEM skills and knowledge to develop scalable local value chain products through entrepreneurship.
• Value Chain Cluster: Selected entrepreneurs will form teams (clusters) with other entrepreneurs interested in similar value chains to develop innovative and market-focused products.
• Selection: With the support of a network of expert advisors, we select high-performing cluster of entrepreneurs, via pitching and product demos, with innovative value chain products to move into our incubator program.
• Incubator: The incubator program offers entrepreneurship capacity support for fellows to form clusters to work on identified agriculture value chain products. Entrepreneurs will be supported by consultants, researchers, freelancers, government agencies, etc Fellows will have access to working spaces and receive world-class training, network and mentorship. Entrepreneurs will be trained in product development, marketing strategy, business model development, Market Value Proposition, etc. Successful clusters enter the Accelerator program.
• Accelerator program: Successful clusters will receive seeding funding to develop prototype of their products They will receive intense training which includes, but not limited to; Growth, product iteration and investor readiness Corporate structuring and governance Intellectual Property assessment and strategy.
• Post-Accelerator: Successful clusters will receive support for market expansion of products and client acquisition.

What We Offer

• Selected applicants will form clusters to work on an industry base value chain product
• Selected applicants will work with research institutes and other experts to refine their products and business models.
• Selected applicants will obtain market access and branding support.
• Selected applicants will ride on the “Caravan” meta-brand to tap positive consumer sentiment.
• Selected applicants will have access to high-level support network in private & public sectors
• Selected applicants will have access to funding and mentoring support to pilot and scale value chain products.
• All costs related to this program will be covered by Afrochampions Initiative and its partners.