By Issah Mohammed
Accra, June 2, GNA – Some 10 young graduates have begun their journey towards building careers in the venture capital/private equity ecosystem under the Venture Capital Analysts Programme (VCAP).
The graduates, who are the third cohort under the programme, are to undergo a year-long intensive training, which entails a one-week orientation, six-month intensive classroom session, and another six months practical attachment, coaching and mentorship sessions.
The programme, a World Bank funded programme under the Ghana Economic Transformation Project (GETP), is being administered by the Venture Capital Trust Fund (VCTF); a government backed entity.
At the beginning of a one-week orientation module for trainees on Monday, Mr Michael Abbey, the Chief Executive Officer of VCTF, said the venture capital/private equity ecosystem had a huge transformative potential for Ghana’s economic development.
He noted that chartering a career path in the ecosystem provided an opportunity to enormously contribute to the economic growth of the country.
“I would be so very much happy if looking back many years from here, where we talk about the big investment deals in Ghana, those who are involved in structuring the deals, those who are involved in top-notch investment analysis, it would be guys from here,” he said.
Mr Abbey said the Trust Fund was committed to making available the needed logistics and expertise to ensure the trainees excelled.
“Venture Capital is a type of private equity financing provided to early-stage and emerging companies with high growth potential. It’s essentially an investment in companies that are still in their development stages, often before they have become profitable,” he said.
Mr Tahir Mahmoud, Specialist for Accelerating Entrepreneurship and Micro Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) growth, GETP, said the idea of an intensive training was to prepare trainees well for a difficult but rewarding industry.
He urged them to be analytical, open minded, precision minded and be willing to adapt to the culture and ethics of the industry.
Mr Prince Nketiah, an investment analyst and beneficiary of VCAP, urged the trainees to work as a team, be always engaged and build a strong network of contacts in the industry.
VCAP was first introduced in 2016 and reintroduced in 2023 as a platform for fresh graduates with a passion to pursue careers in venture capital or private equity.
The programme is structured to offer participants real-life practical skills required for the industry by learning and working with staff at VCTF and other partners.
It is expected that VCAP will build a network of professionals capable of sourcing investments and managing private equities and venture capital funds in Ghana and across Africa.
GNA
Agnes Boye-Doe