One key importance of being an entrepreneur is your ability to articulate your product, service, project or idea to customers or clients and most importantly to an investor. Most entrepreneurs are able to pitch (sell) to customers, what we call sales pitch. However not many are able to articulate the importance and value of their brand in a short time for investment.
Pitching to an investor i.e. elevator pitching, is an act every entrepreneur seeking to scale his/her brand must learn and be articulate about. It is worrying that not much entrepreneurs in Africa are able to raise fund even though in the past five years the desire to be an entrepreneur and the entry into the entrepreneurial space has been motivated by some governmental commitment as well as unemployment.
According to Mfonobong Nsehe, a contributor for Forbes, in 2017 only 159 African tech startups were raised funding totalling almost US$200m. this number was 146 in 2016 and 125 in 2015. Research has shown that the reason why most African entrepreneurs are unable to raise global funding is their inability to clearly articulate their value, impact and brand before target audience.
It is no fluke that most investors are looking at the African startup space to maximise their investment, it is because the continent holds major opportunities looking at the population being youthful and the challenges that can easily be turned into opportunities. The likes of Bill Gate, Jack Ma, Akon and many other investment institutions have directed their investment focus on Africa. The question is, are Africa entrepreneurs ready to seize the opportunity? Or are we going to let some foreign entrepreneurs enter to take away these opportunities?
Tentmaker Ghana (www.tentmakergh.com) is an entrepreneurship hub where ideas are turned into global brands and entrepreneurs are developed to build scalable and sustainable businesses. Over the last two years, the hub has associated with networks, brands and ecosystem enablers to maximise the value given to entrepreneurs and the community. The affiliation with the Ghana hubs network, AfriLabs, West Africa Creative hubs among others gives the hub a wider network to connect its community of entrepreneurs and innovators.
The hub has recently been licensed to organised the Ghana version of a global pitching even dubbed ‘Get In The Ring Accra’ to select entrepreneurs to participate in the global Get in the ring event expected to take place in one of the world’s biggest startup hotspots, Berlin from the 17th to the 19th of June, 2019.
Get in the Ring Accra (https://getinthering.gribb.io/event/get-in-the-ring-accra) is slated for the 20th of April 2019 in Accra, Ghana.
The concept emulates that of a boxing bout where two entrepreneurs/startups of equal caliber enters the ring to pitch in turns about their teams, model, product among other brand profiles in rounds in the presence of audience, judges and investors. The event apart from being a pitch program gives the founders the opportunity to market their brand to prospective customers, partners and for other collaborative support.
Entrepreneurs in Ghana who find this interesting can register and stand the opportunity to win several supporting grants. There are over 150 events around the world every year. The event brings together hundreds of innovators and business leaders to listen to your solution. These events occur in over 100 countries. You won’t find another pitch competition that will move mountains to come all the way to you – wherever you are. This is your chance to become part of the Get in the Ring community and connect with like-minded entrepreneurs, investors and corporates. By winning a local Get in the Ring event, you automatically win a place at the Global Meetup 2019 in Berlin – Germany, where the world’s most promising startups are invited together for a 3-day retreat and business networking opportunity.
Apply here if you are an entrepreneur (https://getinthering.gribb.io/get-in-the-ring-accra/submit/498). You can also apply as a visitor to attend as part of the audience here (https://getinthering.gribb.io/get-in-the-ring-accra/submit/499)
Institutions are also invited to partner this global event to leverage the value this event gives to brand association. Reach to Tentmaker Ghana on +233(0)303969135 or email contact@tentmakergh.com to partner.
This is the time to promote your brand and attract investment if you believe you are working on an amazing solution. Don’t be left out of the funding and brand building cake.