PRESS RELEASE
GDCL and Make-IT in Africa to launch the Tertiary Digital Innovation Program (TDIP)
Accra, 19 May 2022: Ghana Digital Centres Limited (GDCL) is excited to announce the launch of the Tertiary Digital Innovation Program (TDIP), aimed at equipping tertiary graduates with the knowledge, skills, and tools to transition from school to industry in response to the growing youth unemployment in Ghana. This is with support from Make-IT in Africa, a programme implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmBH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Corporation and Development (BMZ).
The Tertiary Digital Innovation Program (TDIP) is an initiative of the GDCL designed to foster digital innovation and entrepreneurship by providing support for tertiary students/recent graduates to grow technology-driven projects /research works into innovative startups and solutions that addresses national developmental challenges.
Honourable Kwadwo Baah Agyemang, CEO for the Ghana Digital Centres Limited in his remarks indicated that as a company owned by the Ministry of Communication, GDCL is positioned to bridge the gap between academia and industry towards digital skills development and job creation and is thus pleased to partner with GIZ to make the TDIP an important program in Ghana’s digital innovation ecosystem.
The program will select and onboard graduates, who at the point of completion from the participating Universities, have developed a concept for a technology startup which they have the desire to pursue with the needed support.
To be eligible for the program, participants must be a final year student or a recent graduate of (University of Ghana (UG), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana Communication and Technology University (GCTU) or Academic City University College (AUCC). Applicants must also have a concept/idea for a digital/technology or a tech enabled startup that has the potential to contribute to the SDGs and have 2-3 co-founders with a passion to develop their idea. For more info on the selection, visit the GDCL website to learn more.
Successful applicants will be formally onboarded by the Ghana Digital Centres Limited to enable them develop their innovations during the mandatory National Service period. Thereafter, innovators will be provided with an additional six-months of support to further assist with the development of their businesses. To ensure inclusivity, the program will target at least 30% female participation, with a preference for all-females and female-led teams.
The Tertiary Digital Innovation Program will run over an 18-month period, helping participants build viable business models, product prototypes, market testing and a full launch plan.
About GDCL
The Ghana Digital Centres Limited (GDCL) was incorporated in July 2017 to lead the development of technology parks and digital centres across the country by providing the required infrastructure, facilities, environment, services and programs that foster the growth of the ICT and IT-enabled Business Process Outsourcing industry.
As an agency under the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation (MOCD), GDCL is mandated to harness the digital potential of Ghana by creating the right environment for digital innovation and entrepreneurship.
About Make-IT in Africa
Make-IT in Africa believes in the catalytic power of African innovation and digital technologies for green and inclusive development. In close collaboration with digital visionaries like start-ups, innovation enablers and political partners, the project empowers African innovation ecosystems. Together, an environment in which the full potential of African digital innovation can unfold is strengthened. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH implements this project on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
About GIZ
As a provider of international cooperation services for sustainable development and international education work, GIZ is dedicated to building a future worth living around the world. GIZ has over 50 years of experience in a wide variety of areas, including economic development and employment, energy and the environment, and peace and security. We work with businesses, civil society actors, and research institutions, fostering successful interaction between development policy and other policy fields and areas of activity. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is our main commissioning party.
Currently, GIZ promotes sustainable development in Ghana via about 50 programmes and projects. Our activities currently cover three priority areas: Energy and Climate, with a concentration on renewable energy and energy efficiency; Training and Sustainable Growth for Decent Jobs, and Peaceful and Inclusive Societies, which looks at good governance.
For more information, please visit: www.giz.de/ghana
