The UCC Business Incubator (UCCBI)has opened a series of workshop for applicants of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan (NEIP) on campus.

The UCCBI has been selected as one the hubs to train businesses in the Central Region for the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan (NEIP).

The workshop which is being funded by the Ministry for Business Development is aimed at providing structured Entrepreneurship and Business Training for all the applicants of the NEIP Business Support Programme. Participants were also expected to get a business support services in areas such as capacity building, marketing, branding and other management skills.

Delivering a presentation on “Building an Entrepreneurial Mindset (Creativity and Innovation)”, Prof. Rosemond Boohene, told the participants to approach their businesses with passion. She said they could only succeed as entrepreneurs if they apply innovation and creativity to their businesses. “You become creative by thinking outside the box otherwise you cannot exhibit creative behaviour,” she noted.

Prof. Boohene advised the participants to adapt to the business environment based on the feedback and lessons learnt adding that “there’s no straight path in starting as an entrepreneur”. She reminded them that the business terrain was very competitive and urged them to think ahead. She also urged them to develop methods to evaluate options and ideas to determine the best products and services for their business noting that “building entrepreneurship mindset is not easy”.

The Resource Team Coordinator of the workshop, Dr. Edward Nii Amarteifio, said the training programme was designed to build the capacity of participants to help their businesses to grow. He advised them to take the presentations and practical sessions of the workshop serious in order to broaden their knowledge base in Entrepreneurship.

Topics to be treated during the workshop series are: “Building Business Opportunities into Dream Business (Business Concept Development), Starting Your Dream Business, Business Plan Development, Strategies for Surviving in Competitive Environment Networking, Book Keeping: Prime Books of Accounts and Branding and Packaging.

Resource Persons for the workshop are Prof. Edward Marfo-Yiadom, Prof. Boachie-Mensah, Prof. Daniel Agyapong, Dr. Siaw Frimpong, Dr. Kwaku Adjei, Mr. Dominic Owusu.

Others include: Prof. Ismael Mensah, Dr. Francis Armah, Dr. Eric Opoku Mensah, Dr. Daniel Apaak, Dr. Julius Hagan and Mr. Carl Korkpoe.