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2013 Innovation Week launched

The Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (AITI-KACE) has launched the eighth Innovation Week (i-Week) 2013 celebrations in Accra.    

The annual event, which is considered Ghana’s biggest ICT forum is scheduled for June 25– 29 and aimed at promoting ICT innovation in Ghana and the ECOWAS sub-region through a combination of seminars, interactive presentations case studies, hands-on training, as well as an exhibition of innovative products. 

More than 2,000 participants are expected to participate nationwide and many more globally through web-streaming, twitter and other social media platforms, with a line-up of internationally recognised speakers. 

Organisers said the i-Week allows businesses, institutions and people to think around innovation.  

Popular AITI-KACE Innovation Challenge (i-Challenge) that recognises the talent of Ghana’s mobile application developers would also be featured during  the i-Week. 

Through the i-Challenge, developers compete for top prize for the most innovative solution for an identified social challenge. 

There will be cash prizes this year and categories include the most innovative solution for health and environment, business, government, education, entertainment, culture, media and social inclusion.  

The Director-General of the centre, Ms Dorothy K. Gordon said this year’s i-Week would also see the official launch of the AITI hacker space, a sub-project of the AITI innovation hub. 

“The hacker space code-named AITI iSpace, is an online community space where people with common interests in computers, technology and, science among others can meet, socialise and or collaborate.”

“The AITI iSpace provides an online peering and development platform for developers, start-ups and other interest groups to interact, pitch, share and develop innovative ideas to help solve social challenges,” she explained. 

She said members of the innovation hub will have access to the Online Knowledge Centre, code hosting facilities for collaborative development, online test tools, online simulators, test web services of API hosting and access to vast resources of scientific and business information located within the AITI knowledge management system. 

The AITI hacker space will also host periodic events including seminars, hackerthons and hackerfests.  

Again, Ms Gordon noted that at this year’s i-Week, 25 promising start-ups will have the opportunity to exhibit their innovative products, services of solutions. 

“These companies will be those to watch in the near future as their solutions and or business models are innovative and have a lot of potential,” she said.      

Meanwhile, registration for i-Week has opened to organisations, institutions and groups, as well as individuals. There are special packages for past i-Week participants and tickets qualify participants for the chance of winning prizes each day of the event. 

By Ama Amankwah Baafi  


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