Ghana Digital Centres Limited (GDCL) in partnership with the University of California, Los Angeles has announced Esther and her start-up Spine as the winner of the pilot GDCL-UCLA Early-Stage Entrepreneurship Training Programme, following an intensive six-week training course and final pitch competition held on December 15, at the MLAB of the Accra Digital Centre.
The programme, delivered in partnership with the UCLA Capacity Building Center, attracted 58 applicants from across Ghana’s entrepreneurship ecosystem. Forty-six candidates were invited to an entrance assessment, with 25 taking the assessment. The cohort stabilised at 18 participants who underwent six weeks of intensive training in business development, market validation and investor-ready pitch preparation.
Following the training, all 18 participants delivered pitches on Friday, 13 December, demonstrating their acquired business development and presentation skills. From these presentations, five finalists were selected to deliver public pitches at the graduation ceremony before a distinguished panel of judges comprising Dr Juliette M Tuakli, globally respected physician-leader and public health innovator; Isaac Kodom, Chartered Accountant with extensive experience in corporate finance and risk analysis; Ekow Quandzie, communications executive with 15 years of experience in public relations and media and Papa Arkhurst is a transformative leader and connector.
Addressing participants and guests at the finals, the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Digital Centres Limited, Dzifa Gunu, emphasised the transformation witnessed over the programme’s duration. “Six weeks ago, we started with ideas. Some rough, some polished, all of them full of possibility. Today, we are here to witness something remarkable. Not just pitches, but proof. Proof that when you combine Ghana’s talent with the right support, with the right partners, with the right commitment, transformation happens,” he said.
Dzifa Gunu praised all 18 participants for their commitment and growth throughout the programme. “Last Friday, I watched every single participant in this cohort stand up and pitch with confidence, with clarity, with conviction. These were not the same people who walked into this programme six weeks ago. You have grown. You have evolved. You have turned uncertainty into strategy, ideas into executable plans, and hope into something tangible.”
To the five finalists, Dzifa Gunu said, “This is your moment. You have earned this stage. What you do today matters. You are showing Ghana and showing Africa what becomes possible when talent meets opportunity.”
The rigorous selection process and programme structure reflected GDCL’s commitment to identifying and developing serious entrepreneurs ready to build scalable ventures.
He also acknowledged the contribution of the judges, stating, “Your insights, your questions, your guidance, all of this shapes not just their pitches but their thinking as entrepreneurs. We are deeply grateful for your commitment to this programme.”
Dzifa Gunu expressed particular gratitude to UCLA and Dr Azeb Tadesse, Deputy Director of the UCLA Capacity Building Center. “Thank you for believing in this partnership from the beginning. Dr Azeb, your passion and your leadership have been extraordinary. The transformation we have witnessed in these founders is a direct result of your dedication,” he said.
Dr Azeb Tadesse, Deputy Director of the UCLA Capacity Building Center, delivered remarks highlighting the partnership’s significance and the calibre of participants. “Rooted in UCLA’s School of Education and delivered through the Capacity Building Center, this programme reflects our belief that education and skills development must be practical, equitable, and closely connected to real world opportunity. Over six weeks, we worked with founders to rigorously test ideas, strengthen business models, and build investment ready ventures. Through our partnership with Ghana Digital Centres Ltd, we are intentionally developing an early stage startup pipeline that equips Ghanaian entrepreneurs to build and scale solutions that respond to local needs whilst competing in regional and global markets,” she said.
The programme was delivered by a team of experienced facilitators who guided participants through business model development, financial planning, market research and pitch refinement. Latif Abubakar, a Ghanaian playwright and chief executive director of Globe Production, and Hiwot Turuneh, an entrepreneur and founder of Adey 365, led the training sessions.
Dzifa Gunu thanked the facilitators, saying, “Thank you for pouring your knowledge and experience into these founders. Your guidance through each session, your patience, your ability to challenge and support at the same time, this has been invaluable. You have shaped not just their businesses but their mindsets as entrepreneurs.”
Looking ahead, GDCL announced plans to expand the programme significantly. “This is a pilot programme and we are absolutely coming back. Next year, we are expanding. More programmes with UCLA. More founders. More impact,” Dzifa Gunu confirmed. He further revealed that GDCL is working closely with the Ministry of Communication and digitalisation to operationalise regional centres across Ghana, ensuring programmes of this nature become accessible to entrepreneurs in every region including Tamale, Kumasi, Takoradi and Ho.
“GDCL is here for all Ghanaians, irrespective of where you are,” Dzifa Gunu stated. “Programmes like this one, the GDCL-UCLA Early-Stage Entrepreneurship Training Programme, will become accessible to founders in every region. Tamale, Kumasi, Takoradi, Ho, across the entire country. Because talent is everywhere and opportunity should be too.”
He added, “When we return next year, we are coming back bigger. We are coming back with a commitment to reach every region, to support every innovator, to make sure that where you are born in Ghana never limits what you can build.”
The winning venture, Spine, founded by Esther Addu, is a solar powered irrigation system designed to help smallholder farmers, especially women in Northern Ghana, overcome water shortages caused by climate change and unreliable rainfall. By integrating AI driven weather prediction, Spine optimises irrigation schedules to increase crop yields, reduce water waste, and improve farmer incomes sustainably. The venture, along with the four other finalists and all 18 graduates, now joins GDCL’s alumni network with access to continued support and development opportunities. “To this cohort, you are now our alumni. That means something at GDCL. We have plans for you and we will share them in the coming year,” The CEO said.
Ghana Digital Centres Limited, a ten-year-old facility, currently hosts over 60 technology companies with an occupancy rate of over 60 per cent. The centre has created over 3,000 digital and ancillary jobs through ICT and Business Process Outsourcing firms operating at the facility. More than 500 start-ups have received incubation and support services, while over 10,000 young people have participated in digital training programmes.
