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Competition , Ecosystem

Innovation SL positioning Sierra Leone on the Global Stage

Innovation SL on behalf of Orange SL is the proud organizing partner of the Orange Social Venture Prize (OSVP) in Sierra Leone. The OSVP is a competition that awards national and international prizes to new businesses that propose digital technology solutions.

On the 27th of October 2022, Lifeblood – Joseph Koroma from Sierra Leone emerged as the winner of the International Grand Prix (OSVP) 2022. 1370 participants with solution-driven ideas from seventeen (17) countries across Africa and the Middle East competed for the 12th edition of the OSVP 2022 with a cash prize of €25,000.

The Lifeblood system is a digital health platform designed to, among other things; Increase public awareness of safe blood services. Lifeblood aims to increase the level of voluntary blood donation in the population, and improve the operational efficiency of the blood service facilities and the national blood safety service.

How it all started…..

Lifeblood`s journey started with a national challenge; 252 applications were received from 16 districts across Sierra Leone. It was a competitive challenge with four (4) stages that were judged by renowned Professionals from distinguished academic, business, and technological backgrounds.

Eight (8) startups made it to the grand finals; 5 in the grand prize category and 3 in the Tech Queen category. Innovation SL prepared the finalist by offering pitch training to the finalists and a standard pitch deck that could capture their entire business idea.

At the thrilling national finals; Smart Irrigation system won the Grand Prize (NLE, 100,000) and Safe Space won the Tech Queen (NLE, 50,000), and the two runner-up teams were Lifeblood in the Grand prize and Farmrette Salone for the Queen Tech category.

The journey continues, and the 8 finalists were submitted for the Internation competition which would comprise 48 national winners in 17 countries; for the first time in four attempts, a startup from Sierra Leone qualified for the OSVP international stage.

Amazingly two startups, Lifeblood and Farmrette Salone made it to the Top 15 of the International Grand Prix 2022.
Biomass For Gas Low Cost -Mali, and Kamioun from Tunisia joined Lifeblood from Sierra Leone to pitch as the finalists for the 2022 International Grand Prix in the Republic of Rwanda.

Joseph Koroma from Lifeblood followed the script from the prepping sessions in Freetown and won the 12th Edition of the Orange Social Venture Prize for Sierra Leone.

At Innovation SL we are creating the future today and this is a manifestation that Innovation SL is creating the enabling environment for the entrepreneurial ecosystem to strive in Sierra Leone.

Ecosystem , GEN

Global Entrepreneurship Week 2022-14th November -18th November 2022

Sierra Leone joins the world in celebrating Global Entrepreneurship Week 2022 which is a massive campaign marked to celebrate and empower entrepreneurs around the world. The event is geared towards empowering individuals who face structural barriers and may have considered the idea of launching their own startup. Each November, 10 million people take part in tens of thousands of activities, competitions and events that inspire them to act and provide them with the knowledge, experience and connections they need to succeed.

We will be organizing three events this year:

  1. The state of the Ecosystem: The Enabling Environment
  2. Dare 2 Aspire: Women in Entrepreneurship
  3. The Green Economy-Sustainable Fashion

The State of the Ecosystem: The Enabling Environment- The enabling environment discussion will be an opportunity for the Sierra Leone entrepreneurial community to deliberate on the challenges the ecosystem is facing and how policymakers, regulators, International Organizations, NGOs, development programs are addressing these challenges entrepreneurs face in starting and growing their businesses from an enabling environment perspective. Entrepreneurs will get to know and understand the work of these institutions to support entrepreneurs; policies, structures, finance, frameworks, and other aspects of the enabling component of the ecosystem.

Dare 2 Aspire: The aim of this event is to inspire future female entrepreneurs, innovative thinkers and potential investors by putting together a panel of women who are successful entrepreneurs, experienced investors, community development leaders, or corporate partners who support entrepreneurship.

Sustainable Fashion: The show will highlight the benefits of sustainable fashion both to Sierra Leone’s economy and to the environment. The fashion show will promote the work of  Sierra Leonean manufacturers of local textiles, and designers that are promoting sustainability in fashion, skills development, materials, supply chain and CSR in Sierra Leone.

The show will showcase and promote the exceptional work achieved by students of Bluecrest studying courses in textile design, product design and fashion.

For more information visit:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063976002165

 

Competition , News , Pitch Night

SOS Youth Innovation and entrepreneurship Challenge

Innovation SL/ GEN SL and SOS CHILDREN’S VILLAGE formed a partnership at the end of 2021 to design, implement, provide pitch training and technical support for 25 entrepreneurs under SOS Youth Innovation and entrepreneurship Challenge. The process started with Innovation SL through its network of judges and experts judging 170 applicants over a period of 2 months to select the final 25.

SOS Children’s Villages has launched its Covid-19 response intervention which support multiple beneficiaries to build the resilience on the impact of the pandemic on their daily living. As youth care programme is a major programme area for SOS Children’s Villages, SOS Children’s Villages is hosting a Youth Innovation and entrepreneurship Challenge with the aim for supporting 25 winners with financial support to promote their entrepreneurship ideas.

On Thursday April 14th 2022 at the Radisson Hotel in Freetown, the 25 finalist pitched to a group of judges.  In attendance was also the Minister of Youth Affairs, Hon. Mohammed Bangura.