Pitch to Save the World – it's a pretty impressive title, isn't it? That's exactly what the finalists of the competition held on July 6th at the British Council space in Accra, Ghana are doing: saving the world by mitigating the effects of climate change, starting from their own communities. Ten finalists were selected from over 100 applications, spanning green energy, sustainable agriculture, recycling and upcycling, and other innovative solutions. Applicants were asked to demonstrate how their business contributed to the UN's Sustainability Goals, specifically goals 6,7,11,12, and 13 focusing on environmental impact. The three winners received cash prizes to support the growth of their businesses and impact.

AgroCold Ghana is an IOT cold storage company aimed to extend the freshness of produce and reduce post-harvest losses for small-scale farmers. AgroEmpire operates a climate-smart, innovative farm harvesting snails year-round as a sustainable form of protein. BidiGreen, Ltd., a female-led company, has developed a natural, green alternative to traditional charcoal briquettes, which are a main source of cooking fuel in Ghana despite the respiratory issues they cause. We would like to thank the Challenges Group Ghana for their partnership in the implementation of this event, as well as the British Council for the use of their space and their collaboration in the judging of finalists, and to our many engagement partners for the promotion of the event in their networks.

This competition is the second PTSTW competition developed by Idea Foundry. The first competition was held virtually in Uganda last year, with equally impressive, impact-driving companies. The winners from last year have gone on to make great strides in their development, securing additional investment, launching new products, and receiving international support for their development. We hope that this years winners are also able to use this recognition as a spring-board for continued growth.

The PTSTW competitions are not only beneficial to the winners, but also an excellent way for all the finalists to raise awareness and gain traction for their emerging businesses on an international scale.