Winners have emerged in the just concluded Business Pitch Competition organised by Ekiti Enterprise Challenge.
Ekiti Enterprise Challenge (EEC) is an annual Social Impact Driven Community based enterprise Pitch competition organized to Identify, Discover, Support, Mentor and Fund brilliant, creative, talented and innovative young Ekiti entrepreneurs who resides and are established in Ekiti communities with business ideas that have potentials to create decent work and sustainable jobs, grow exponentially and scale beyond Ekiti local market to a national and global market.
The competition which targeted Ekiti Young Enterpreneurs between the ages of 18 to 35 have 5 days of Residential Enterprise Development Bootycamp Program for the 15 finalists who made it to final stage of the business pitching competition.
The business pitch competition which took place on Friday December 4th, 2020 had its grand finale on Saturday December 5th 2020.
Each competing entrepreneur pitch their business ideas to panel of judges comprising of Mrs. Hellen Oni (Founder,You Can Business Academy), Barrister Michael Olaniyan (Founder, Thinking School Nigeria) and Engr. Dare Ojo (Chairman Board of Trustees, Ekiti Enterprise Challenge & President Ekiti Parapo Lagos).
The jury reviewed the businesses pitches in key areas such as potential to scale and grow beyond the local market, viability potential, market strategy, business model, and financial turn over.
The winners of the pitch were Odumuyiwa Titilayo CEO of Freedom Shoes who won the Grand Prize of N1,000,000. He was closely followed by Ogunlade Ayobami Olawale of Delivery Now Ng who was the first runner up and won prize of N500,000, Osualale Victor of Ekiti Market who came in as second runner up and won a cash prize of N300,000 and Fadele Grace came in as third runner up and won a cash prize of N200,000.
The Executive Chairman , Board of Trustees of Ekiti Enterprise Challenge, Engr Dare Ojo while welcoming guests said Ekiti Enterprise Challenge is aim at raising the next generation of Ekiti Enterpreneurs that can complete anywhere in the world.
He said “The 5 Days Residential Enterprise Development Bootcamp and Pitch Competition is one of the many Social Impact Philanthropy activities of Ekiti Enterprise Challenge aimed at raising the next generation of Ekiti young entrepreneurs with sustainable businesses that are made in ekiti which have potential to scale and grow beyond ekiti local market to a global market that also have potential to sell, compete and be patronized anywhere in the world”.
The Executive Secretary, Board of Trustees/ Team Lead for Ekiti Enterprise Challenge, Michael Peculiar Ekiran congratulated the winners stating that, “access to capital and lack of capacity to scale are two major issues affecting young entrepreneurs that Ekiti Enterprise Challenge hopes to solve.
“Many young businesses in Ekiti have not been able to scale up to explore national and global opportunities despite having very brilliant and innovative ideas”.
“The emphasis of EEC on Ekiti based business by Ekiti people is intended to Identify, Groom, Fund and Mentor young entrepreneurs whose business may be hampered by lack of skills and capital.
“This annual event beyond the competition will provide ongoing support to small businesses with potentials and link them to wider opportunities. It is envisaged that EEC will promote employment generation, reduce poverty and increase gender participation in entrepreneurial activities” He said.
The Bootcamp event was held in the premises of Fountain Hotel, Trade Fair Complex Ado Ekiti.
The Grand Finale Event was attended by Ekiti State Honorable Commissioner for Trade, Investment & Industry, Aare Muyiwa Olumilua; Director General, Ekiti State Micro Enterprise Development Agency Otunba Kayode Fasae; SSA to The Governor on SDGs represented by Executive Secretary SDGs Mr. Dele Ogunsemoyin; The State Coordinator of NDE represented by Mrs. Ajiboye Folasade.
Others are Rev Tope Popoola (a Busines Coach and one of the facilitators of the 5 Days Residential Enterprise Development Bootcamp), Mr. Isaac Adekunle Ojo (Project Coordinator Project 160,000 Entrepreneurs) amongst others.