On January 22, 2022 Entrapov (Entrepreneurs Against Poverty) ran our first entrepreneurial competition called “Shark Pond” in Ghana. We funded 2 poultry farms, a neighborhood cinema, and a snail farm. Here are the 2 individuals I personally sponsored (Solomon and George).
Basically, guest judges appear on the “show” (a Zoom call) with me and hear pitches from a handful of contestants prepared in advance by my friend Bishop Prince Mensah of Accra, Ghana (he is in the black shirt above right).
Here’s how it works: every week for 12 weeks, hopeful contestants (shown below) attend Entrapov’s startup incubator in Accra, Ghana to learn about entrepreneurship and prepare their business plans. At the conclusion of the 12 week training course, the best ideas/plans are invited to pitch their startup to judges (grant providers) for award consideration in the live Zoom show. Here’s the criteria to win funding: (a) startups must require less than $1,000 investment to begin making a profit, (b) they must solve a specific customer need, and (c) contain positive financial projections.
Guest judges help African students start businesses that feed their families and lift them out of poverty. Guest judges gain:
- A friendship with the entrepreneur sponsored as they send pictures and updates about their business
- A tax deductible donation (startup grant) starting as low as $1,000 that brings self reliance, dignity, and ongoing income
- Peace of mind knowing that the seed money is overseen by Entrapov’s local volunteer team in Africa. The local bishop and stake president approve all expenditures so 100% of the gift is used as intended.
- Sponsorship exposure on Entrapov’s website and media for Bengal Solutions as a valued partner (if you’d like)
Entrapov is an organization of 100% volunteers. There is ZERO overhead. 100% of grant dollars go to the entrepreneurs who are sponsored. Here’s a picture of the other winners that were sponsored by 2 other guest judges at the event held on January 22, 2022:
Learn more at https://entrapov.com/guest-judge.