The Vice-Chancellor’s Business Innovation Award Scheme 2020

Background

The UDS Business Innovation and Incubation Centre (UDS-BIIC) seeks to develop the business acumen of students, alongside academic training, to enable them take advantage of business opportunities available to them under the supportive environment provided by the University for Development Studies (UDS). The Vice-Chancellor’s Business Innovation Award Scheme is part of efforts by the UDS-BIIC to identify and support potential entrepreneurs among students of UDS. The award emphasizes the need to give students an early start to participate in opportunities provided by domestic and global markets. The specific aim of this award scheme is to nurture potential business leaders among students of the UDS. Specifically the scheme seeks to: identify viable business ideas among students; provide the necessary support to enable students realize their business ideas; and provide financial support to enable students actualize their ideas.

This year’s award will focus on the theme ‘the use of standards and packaging in marketing’. The award will therefore, consider entries under the following sub-themes irrespective of the product or service:

• Standards
  • Quality
  • Certification
  • Weights and measures
• Packaging
  • Labelling
  • Materials (Environmentally friendly materials, preservation, etc.)
  • Design

Benefits

Awardees will have the benefit of:

• Business incubation services from UDS-BIIC
• Access to experienced mentors
• Workspace
• Additional support from experts in the UDS
• Cash award of between GhC 15,000.00 and GhC 20,000.00 (this is not meant to cover all budget cost)
• Support to access finance

Who should apply?

• Students (individuals or groups) currently enrolled in any programme of study in the UDS
• Students with demonstrable innovative business ideas in relation to the use of standards and packaging in marketing

Mode of application

Applicants must submit a concept note of not more than 3 pages, with font 12pt, times new roman, 1.5 spacing, clearly highlighting the following:

• The business idea
• The problem your idea seeks to solve
• Innovativeness of the idea
• Market potential
• Potential for growth and sustainability
• Job creation opportunities

All applications must be submitted electronically to biic@uds.edu.gh not later 20^th October, 2020. Any application which does not follow the instructions will not be considered.

Selection

The selection process shall be conducted in four phases:

• Shortlisted applicants shall be notified by 26^th October, 2020
• First pitching for shortlisted contestants will be on 5^th November, 2020
• Second pitching for selected first-round contestants will be on 19^th November, 2020
• Final pitching for successful second-round contestants will be on 26^th November, 2020

For further information please visit our website at biic.uds.edu.gh or contact the office on 0372099676 or 0244601064 or by e-mail: biic@uds.edu.gh.

Click to view/download the poster for The Vice-Chancellor’s Business Innovation Award Scheme 2020.