The McDan Foundation organised the third edition of McDan Youth Connect programme in Kwadaso, Kumasi, this dubbed the Adventist edition, bringing together young innovators from across the country to pitch their business ideas and receive mentorship from industry leaders.
The initiative, which forms part of the McDan Foundation’s commitment to nurturing entrepreneurship and innovation among Ghanaian youth, provided a platform for ten finalists to present their projects before a panel of judges that included Prakash Pine, Ama Gifty Amoah, and two other judges.
The finalists showcased a range of innovative ideas, including a beauty soap for treating pimples and rashes, a Smart Dropbox irrigation system for smallholder farmers, and Faultfinder, a smart grid monitoring system designed to reduce electricity risks across Africa. Other notable presentations featured a sustainable poultry project aimed at cutting down poultry imports, Note Echo, a lecture-recording and transcription app, and AD Natural Juice, a brand producing fresh local fruit juices.
The Tenaso Youth Team emerged as the overall winner with their citronella oil production project, earning a ₵20,000 grant from the McDan Foundation to scale up their operations.
Delivering the keynote address on the theme “From Vision to Impact,” the Founder and Executive Chairman of the McDan Group, Dr. Daniel McKorley, urged the participants to pursue their dreams with discipline, integrity, and perseverance.
He encouraged the youth to see challenges as opportunities for innovation and to focus on building sustainable ventures that create jobs and transform communities. “It is not enough to have a dream,” Dr. McKorley said. “You must act on it, stay consistent, and ensure your success benefits others.”
He commended all the finalists for their creativity and resilience, reaffirming the Foundation’s commitment to supporting young entrepreneurs nationwide. The McDan Foundation, which serves as the corporate social responsibility arm of the McDan Group, continues to champion initiatives that empower Ghanaian youth through education, entrepreneurship, and community development. The Youth Connect programme forms part of the Foundation’s broader mission to create opportunities that inspire innovation, promote self-reliance, and contribute to national growth.
