SWMA HOLDS BUSINESS FORUM AND PITCHING SESSION AS PART OF COCOA CITY EXPERIENCE FESTIVITIES

The Sefwi Wiawso Municipal Assembly has successfully organized a Business Forum and Pitching Session as part of the 2025 Cocoa City Experience festivities, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders, and youth innovators from across the Municipaliity

The event, held at the Municipal Assembly Hall, formed a key component of the Cocoa City Experience’s objective of promoting economic empowerment, innovation, and entrepreneurship within the Municipality. It offered a strategic platform for start-ups, small businesses, agripreneurs, and cocoa value-chain actors to showcase their ideas, receive expert guidance, and connect with potential investors.

In his opening remarks, the Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Dominic Gyasi, emphasized the Assembly’s commitment to supporting local businesses by creating opportunities that drive job creation and sustainable development. He noted that the Cocoa City Experience is not only a cultural and tourism celebration but also a catalyst for economic growth.

According to him, the business forum provides a practical avenue to nurture ideas, inspire innovation, and support young entrepreneurs who are seeking to transform their concepts into viable enterprises. He encouraged participants to take full advantage of the platform to build partnerships and secure mentorship.

The forum featured presentations from financial institutions, business development consultants, and government agencies, who shared insights on funding opportunities, market access, branding, business formalization, taxation, and digital transformation. Participants were also coached on proposal writing, product packaging, customer engagement, and leveraging technology to scale operations.

A key highlight of the event was the business pitching session, where selected young entrepreneurs presented their business ideas to a panel of judges made up of industry experts, representatives from the private sector, and development partners. The pitching segment showcased innovative proposals in areas such as cocoa processing, agro-based products, creative arts, ICT solutions, and environmental sustainability.

Outstanding participants received commendations, mentorship offers, and potential investor engagements, with the Assembly pledging to support the most promising ideas through its Business Advisory Centre (BAC) under the Ghana Enterprise Agency.