Tech Entrepreneurship Forum (TEF) Month to connect students, graduates with industry experts

The Institute of ICT Professionals Ghana (IIPGH), in partnership with AFOS Foundation for Entrepreneurial Development Cooperation and other partners, has earmarked June as Tech Entrepreneurship Forum (TEF) Month.

This month-long event aims to strengthen the cooperation between industry and academia to promote tech entrepreneurship under the theme; ‘Fostering Stronger Collaboration Between Industry and Academia to Promote Tech Entrepreneurship’. TEF Month is designed to facilitate knowledge sharing and connection between students, graduates, faculty, and technical advisors in skills development with industry experts in technology.

By bridging the gap between academia and industry, participants from academia, such as the University of Cape Coast (UCC) and Accra Technical University (ATU), will gain first-hand insights into the operations of businesses, while industry experts will have the opportunity to share their operational and research challenges with academia.

An exceptional highlight of this event is the participation of DigiCAP Junior Consultants (JCs) who will demonstrate their expertise in data analytics and business intelligence. These JCs, carefully chosen from the beneficiaries of the DigiCAP project, will have the opportunity to engage with industry experts and showcase how their skills can enhance business efficacy and profitability.

Kicking off on Monday, June 5, TEF Month will commence with a virtual open day featuring information technology (IT) companies from Germany, providing participants with the chance to engage and learn from international industry experts.

On June 6 a virtual open day featuring information technology (IT) companies from Ghana will take their turn to provide participants with the chance to engage and learn from local industry experts.

Then on June 14, there shall be another virtual engagement tagged ‘Time with Junior Consultants (JCs)’ that seeks to comprehensively introduce the JC programme to industry and how businesses can benefit from their expertise.

Tech Entrepreneurship Forum (TEF) Month will also include the Industry-Academia Tech Dialogue (INDAC-TED). This session seeks to facilitate healthy dialogues between academia and industry to bridge the skills gap and enhance the training of skilled human resources in the IT sector. It comes off on June 15 at the University of Ghana, Legon.

Then the main highlight of the month, the Tech Entrepreneurs Forum (TEF), initiated by IIPGH, will provide a networking platform and workshop for corporate organizations, SMEs, independent consultants, and startups to showcase their products and services. TEF will take place on June 21 at the Holiday Inn, Accra.

The month then ends with the DigiCAP Business Breakfast Meeting on June 28. It shall serve as an evaluation and wrap up of the entire Tech Entrepreneurship Month (TEF). This comes off at the IIPGH office in Accra.

David Gowu, Executive Director of IIPGH, commented on the rationale behind the event, saying, “Encouraging closer cooperation between industry and academia is crucial in advancing the field of tech entrepreneurship. By merging the knowledge and resources of academic institutions with the practical experience and resources of industries, we can establish a nurturing environment for tech entrepreneurs.

This partnership can manifest in different ways, such as collaborative research initiatives, internships, mentorship programmes, and agreements for the transfer of technology. With the introduction of Tech Entrepreneurship Forum (TEF) Month, our objective is to expedite these alliances and cultivate a dynamic tech ecosystem that advances innovation and entrepreneurial endeavours."

Hanna Schlingmann, Project Manager at AFOS Foundation, shared her expectations for the event, stating, "Tech Entrepreneurship Forum (TEF) Month presents a valuable platform for students, graduates, and technical advisors to engage with industry professionals and acquire valuable knowledge. We are confident that this event will enable the exploration of sustainable employment prospects in emerging technology domains and empower young individuals to thrive as accomplished tech entrepreneurs."

The events scheduled during Tech Entrepreneurship Forum (TEF) Month will be delivered through a combination of virtual and hybrid modes to accommodate participants from various locations. Physical events will be organized in Accra, Ghana, while virtual platforms such as Zoom, Facebook, and YouTube will provide online connectivity for remote participants.

TEF Month will bring together experts and businesses from diverse industries that generate and process data. It also welcomes freelancers, DigiCap students/Junior Consultants, digital skills technical advisors from academia, IT hubs/parks, business process outsourcing (BPO) service providers, and remote IT services to join the conversations on opportunities in data analytics and business intelligence for technology entrepreneurs, businesses, and graduates.

By promoting cooperation between industry and academia, Tech Entrepreneurship Month strives to create a supportive environment for tech entrepreneurs, where academia's research capabilities and the industry's market expertise.