Silicon Accra project launched

Silicon Accra, an innovation centre where young entrepreneurs would be trained to promote technology entrepreneurship has been launched in Accra.

Silicon Accra is a 60- acre master planned innovation centre located at East Legon Hills, with a mission to create an ecosystem that would empower visionary entrepreneurs to work with governments, academia and industry.

It is also to help develop technologies that would improve and transform the way people live and work in Africa.

The project is an overt nod to Silicon Valley from the United States, which accommodates hundreds of start-ups and global technology companies to become Africa’s global technology gateway.

Mr David Osei, the Chief Executive Officer of Silicon Accra speaking at stakeholder meeting to launch the project, said Silicon Accra would be Africa’s technology innovation centre with the goal of advancing Africa’s economic growth.

He said the aim is for the city to become Africa’s global technology gateway, facilitating the local economy by nurturing ICT industry start-ups and entrepreneurs.

He said it would also drive collaboration by pooling resources, creating business opportunities and accelerating ICT adoption through strategic initiatives and partnerships

He said the project is important to deal with key challenges including sustainable energy, food security and health care that face Ghana.

“The company would invest $10 million in developing the core infrastructure, including access roads, sustainable energy, water and fibre optic lines for internet service, he added.

Explaining the phases of the project, Mr Osei said the first phase of the project, which consist of 20,000 offices to serve as a co-working space, 220-unit residential apartments and $5million as seed money for investment for Ghanaian and African technology start-ups, would be ready in two years.

He said that the second phase of the project would allow partners to invest in infrastructure on a 15-acre land that would be leased to them for 49 years at no cost.

Mr Desi Lopez, Member of Advisory Board of Silicon Accra, observed that it is a great opportunity to foster and to enable all talents to bring prosperity and quality of life to the next level.

He noted that the project would create employment for the youth in the various disciplines.

Silicon Accra comprises three district units; the City, the Fund and the Community.

Source: GNA