Innohub

The Tullow AgriVentures Programme (TAP) is an initiative by Tullow Ghana, in partnership with Innohub Foundation, designed to foster sustainable growth and job creation within Ghana's agricultural sector. Launched in February 2024, TAP is a multi-year partnership that provides training, funding, and strategic guidance to both new and existing agribusinesses. The program operates through two main pathways: 'New Venture Creation' for idea-stage entrepreneurs and 'Venture Growth' for established small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) looking to scale. The initiative aims to address youth unemployment and diversify Ghana's rural economies beyond subsistence farming.

The program is implemented by Innohub Foundation, a Ghanaian business accelerator and impact investment platform co-founded by Nelson Amo, who serves as the CEO. Amo, inspired during his studies at the London School of Economics by social enterprises tackling development challenges, established Innohub to help startups become scalable, profitable businesses with a social impact and to connect them with investment capital. The Tullow AgriVentures Programme is a key part of this mission.

Participants in the program receive business development training, technical assistance in specific agricultural areas like aquaculture and crop farming, and access to low-interest loans. For instance, in its second edition, the program awarded a total of GH¢2 million in smart investments to 20 agribusinesses. The business model emphasizes sustainability through a revolving financial vehicle that reinvests funds to support more entrepreneurs over time. By its second year, TAP had supported over 400 new ventures, expanded 10 existing ones, and disbursed over $600,000, creating more than 500 direct jobs. The long-term ambition is to launch 600 new ventures and support 30 existing ones, creating over 1,500 direct jobs.

Keywords: agribusiness accelerator, Ghana agriculture, impact investing, SME support, youth entrepreneurship, sustainable farming, job creation, venture capital, agricultural value chain, rural development, business incubation, social enterprise, agro-processing, climate-smart agriculture, enterprise support, economic development, startup funding, technical assistance, mentorship, food security