Join us for a conversation on how Entrepreneurial support organizations can work together to create a more robust ecosystem to address climate change priorities in the region!
Entrepreneurs in developing economies are vital to addressing climate change and promoting sustainable and resilient development. Developing countries will experience some of the worst climate impacts, and they also hold enormous potential for encouraging mitigation and adaptation on local and regional levels. Yet, entrepreneurs in developing economies face distinct challenges and barriers when it comes to addressing climate change.
The ANDE West Africa Collaboration Café on Climate & Environmental Action is funded by the Aspire Coronation Trust (ACT) Foundation as part of the West Africa Capacity Development Series and led by regional experts in Climate and Environmental Action. The session will focus on how Entrepreneurial support organizations can work together to create a more robust ecosystem to address climate change priorities in the region. Please see details below:
Session Goals
1. Develop actionable collaborations to strengthen and support the capacity of local and regional intermediary organizations and discuss solutions to systems-level challenges obstructing progress for ANDE members in achieving SDGs 6, 7, and 13.
2. To discuss how intermediary organizations can better support Small and Growing Businesses (SGBs) to adapt to climate change/environmental sustainability
3. To brainstorm on ways to create more ecosystem supports for entrepreneurs with innovative climate change solutions in developing countries
4. To increase climate consciousness for SGBs.
5. To define the climate change goals that will ensure a collective green transition.
Date/Time: October 21st, 2021 | 1 PM – 2:30 PM (GMT+1)
Session Agenda
- 5 mins | Welcome – ANDE Team
- 15 min | Climate Change in West Africa: Regional Priorities for the Small and Growing Business (SGB) Sector – Ebenezer Arthur, Founder & CEO, Wangara Green Ventures
- 15 mins | Entrepreneurial Journey on Green Transition – Ernest Agyenim-Boateng, Co-founder, Akwaaba Feeds Ltd.
- 40 mins | Panel Session: How Might We Create a Robust Ecosystem to Address Climate Change Priorities in West Africa – John Scicchitano, President, Pangea Ventures (Moderator), Bankole Oloruntoba, CEO, Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre, Ebenezer Arthur, Founder & CEO, Wangara Green Ventures & Serena Shi, Vice President, The Lightsmith Group
- 10 mins | Panel Q & A
About the Panelists
Moderator: John Scicchitano, President, Pangea Ventures
John Scicchitano is the President of Pangea Ventures Inc., a consulting company that promotes African private sector growth and builds bridges between investors and opportunities. In 2019-20, he was an Advisor to Ashesi University’s business incubator, the Ghana Climate Innovation Centre. Previously, he served as a Director at The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, where he built innovative public-private-philanthropic partnerships (PPPP) to invest in solar, efficiency, workforce, and other opportunities generated by New York’s Green New Deal.
Bankole Oloruntoba, CEO, Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre
Bankole Oloruntoba is a social and business tactics engagement specialist with a deep background in corporate communication, entrepreneurship development, business and idea development, innovation management and investment. Currently, he is the CEO of the Nigeria Climate Innovation Center (NCIC), a World Bank and Federal Government of Nigeria assisted innovation center and the Honorary Consul to Lagos for the Finland government.
Ebenezer Arthur, Founder & CEO, Wangara Green Ventures
Ebenezer Arthur is the founder and CEO of Wangara Green Ventures, an impact investment company in Ghana, West Africa, with catalytic capital from the World Bank. Wangara has the objective of catalyzing the growth of the green economy in Africa, starting with Ghana, by providing green SGBs with patient capital and technical assistance for their growth. He co-founded Innohub, a business accelerator, and previously worked with EY, where he provided advisory services to companies across West Africa. He has an MBA (Entrepreneurship) and a Certificate in Climate Change (Financial Risks and Opportunities) from Imperial College London. Ebenezer holds the Responsible Investment Professional Certification (RiA) and is an alumnus of the Oxford Impact Investing Program. He is a 2019 Aspen Ideas Festival Fellow.
Serena Shi, Vice President, The Lightsmith Group
Serena Shi is a Vice President at The Lightsmith Group, an impact investment company that invests in growth-stage companies. Prior to Lightsmith, Ms. Shi was an Investment Analyst at the International Finance Corporation, the private sector investment arm of the World Bank, where she focused on direct equity and debt investments in the telecoms sector in emerging markets. She was previously an Associate at Goldman Sachs, where she worked on structured debt transactions across the renewable energy, telecoms, media, pharmaceutical, and consumer retail sectors.
Entrepreneur Spotlight
Ernest Agyenim-Boateng, Co-founder, Akwaaba Feeds Ltd.
Ernest is the Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Akwaaba Feeds Ltd. He is also the Managing Director of WhiteCap Development Ltd, an Independent Power Producer with 200 MW utility-scale PV solar under development in Savalugu in the Northern Region. He is responsible for driving growth and strategy implementation at Akwaaba Feeds, drawing from his experience in Marketing, distribution and project management. He holds a Bsc. in Management Studies from Central University, a Professional Diploma in Marketing from Charted Institute of Marketing-UK, and a Certificate in Management and Economics (London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UK).