Total Petroleum Ghana PLC has officially launched the 3rd edition of its ‘Startupper of the Year Challenge’ to encourage entrepreneurship and career development among young people.

The project is open to entrepreneurs aged 35 and below whose projects are innovative, have developmental potential, societal impact, and feasible.

Speaking at the launch, the Managing Director of the company, Olufemie Babajide, explained that the initiative is intended to serve as major support for business development in African countries and the rest of the world by giving assistance to innovative entrepreneurs to actualize their projects.

He said three winners will be announced on May 22, 2022, to receive financial support of GH¢ 210,000, extensive publicity and one-year coaching from industry experts.

Additionally, the ultimate winners will have the opportunity to compete at the regional level, going against their peers from other countries.

“This 3rd edition is to further establish TotalEnergies’ commitment to local entrepreneurship, encourage start-ups to integrate the dimensions of sustainable development and also promote female entrepreneurs. The first edition launched in 2015 included 34 African countries and had 102 winning projects.”

Mr. Babajide said Total Petroleum Ghana PLC will continue to champion projects that are linked directly and indirectly to the socio-economic enhancement of the livelihoods of people and boost the growth of the country.

Eunice Kloe, the winner of the Second edition of Startupper of the Year, is the founder of Project Bidigreen which solves the problem of deforestation in rural urban communities through the production of charcoal from crop waste instead of the cutting down of trees. The product is smokeless and burns 2 to 3 times longer, and is produced in 2 hours, as against 2 weeks for the other methods.

Women entrepreneurs and initiators of projects that promote sustainability are encouraged to take part when this year’s registration opens on November 4, 2021.