(Liverpool) – Four women entrepreneurs were today declared winners of
the SheTrades Investment Challenge. The announcement was made following
an intense pitching contest in front of a panel of investment experts at
SheTrades Global, the annual event of the International Trade Centre’s
(ITC) SheTrades initiative.
The four companies – Solution Oasis (Ghana), Brogibro Safaris and Event
Management (Kenya), Annona (Kenya and USA), and Suntri Centre (Ukraine)
were declared winners of the SheTrades Investment Challenge having
convinced the four judges that their ideas deserved investment and
support for their business ideas.
‘What we saw here today were four amazing women entrepreneurs presenting
four amazing business ideas. These four companies will go on to develop
their ideas, in collaboration with new partners,’ said ITC Executive
Director Arancha González. ‘It shows that in addition to talking and
doing business ITC’s SheTrades is also a platform to attract new
investment.’
The panel of judges were made up of May Ali Babiker Elthahir (Islamic
Development Bank), Guido Boysen (Grofin), Douglas Cochrane (Balloon
Ventures), and Betty Yan Lie (Maersk).
Ashley King-Bischof of Annona, based in Kenya and the USA, peaked the
interest of Maersk in her company’s idea for a mobile and web-based
platform that exporters can use to manage their farmers, importers can
use to organize their supply chains, and farmers can use to keep records
and obtain services for their farm.
Francesca Brenda Opuku of Solution Oasis from Ghana won support from
Grofin for her pitch to scale up the company’s manufacturing of premium
skincare products from ethically sourced African butters, oils and
herbs, which would help grow its exports.
Two investors – Grofin and Balloon Venture – committed to support Ruth
Owino of Brogibro Safaris and Event Management from Kenya to expand her
business through pro-bono advisory services with a view to improve the
company’s prospects of gaining access to finance.
Nadiia Vasylieva of Suntri Centre from Ukraine also secured interest
from Maersk in her idea to promote trusted and transparent
interconnectivity across businesses and people using the power of
blockchain and smart contracts.
Striking business deals, growing networks
This year’s SheTrades Global took place in Liverpool as part of the
International Business Festival and more than 650 business-to-business
meetings were held between women entrepreneurs and buyers and investors
during the three-day event, leading to US$ 7.5 million worth of business
leads, so far.
SheTrades Global 2018 attracted more than 450 women entrepreneurs and
business-owners from 56 countries, who had business meetings with
representatives of companies from a range of countries, including
Argentina, China Italy, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.
The three-day event also featured a series of inspirational sessions
covering issues such financing, attracting investors, contract
negotiations and how to use data in decision-making.
On the final day of the event, UPS, the international logistics company,
handed over a cheque providing the SheTrades initiative with funding
and partnership support to step up capacity building and training for
women entrepreneurs, and boost women-led exports. ITC also signed an
agreement with Maersk, the company most known for container shipping, to
scale up the two organization’s collaboration to empower women
economically.
Previous editions of SheTrades Global have been held in Istanbul, Turkey
(2018 and 2011), Sao Paulo, Brazil (2015), Kigali, Rwanda (2014),
Mexico City, Mexico (2012), and Chongqing, China (2010).
For more information on SheTrades Global and ITC’s SheTrades initiative, please visit www.intracen.org/womenandtrade and www.SheTrades.com
Note for the Editor
About ITC
The International Trade Centre is the joint agency of the World Trade
Organization and the United Nations. ITC assists small and medium-sized
enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more
competitive in global markets, thereby contributing to sustainable
economic development within the frameworks of the Aid-for-Trade agenda
and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. For more
information, visit www.intracen.org
Please contact:
International Trade Centre
Jarle Hetland
Media Officer
Office of the Executive Director
P: + 41 22 730 0145
M: + 41 79 582 9180
E: hetland@intracen.org