Young entrepreneurs from sectors as varied as technology, agriculture, fashion, hospitality and consulting received training aimed at equipping them with the knowledge and tools to harness AI for growth, efficiency and competitiveness. The sessions combined hands-on training with discussions on the future of businesses using AI.

Micah Akati, founder of MidBrew AI Agency and lead trainer for the workshop, took participants through modules that covered AI tools for market research, video creation, continuous learning, presentations, client pitches and managing their digital presence.

“AI is critical for emerging businesses today. Every startup should view AI as a very capable companion that makes up for their shortfalls, whether that’s finance or labour. These young entrepreneurs are seeing how AI supplements their shortcomings, helping them save time and resources while boosting their productivity output,” Micah said.

Godwin Okronipa, co-founder of Flywheel Technologies, an AI-first startup building digital solutions for small businesses, said the sessions gave him fresh insights and sharper perspectives of how his one-year-old business can deploy a wider range of AI tools.

“Since we use a diverse stack of AI tools at Flywheel Technologies, this workshop has given me more clarity on new tools, functions and ideas to integrate into the solutions we provide,” Godwin said. “I was most impressed with the AI tool for creating video assets and how we can use it in our client pitches as we work to scale and become a household name in digital solutions.”

For Telecel Ghana, the workshop reflects a strategic push to support young business owners to integrate AI tools in their business at a time when the advanced technology is rapidly reshaping industries.

Tawa Bolarin, Director of Enterprise Business at Telecel Ghana, said “Our role is to give the next generation of entrepreneurs a head start by connecting them to the tools that enable innovation and competitiveness. AI is no longer optional for most SMEs, it’s central to how their businesses can grow, stand out or survive.”

As part of SME Month, Telecel Ghana launched three tailored connectivity products to help SMEs stay connected, reach customers, and compete in today’s digital economy. It includes the Boss Plan - an integrated voice, data and social media bundle with a digital marketing campaign tool, One Business Mobile - a complete solution for small teams that brings together, competitive sharable data, calls and SMS across all networks, and a reloaded Your Business Online service – a package with unlimited web pages, business email addresses and domain name registration.

Other activities this September include:

• Bold conversations on the Connecting Hustles Podcast 2.0, where young business owners share raw, unfiltered stories of building something from nothing, tackling themes like “Clout vs Clients” and “The Rise of the Digital Hustle.”
• Red Pop-Ups: a live public showcase of the skills of young creative entrepreneurs
• Telecel Business Runway: a gathering of entrepreneurs who will learn practical insights to innovate and scale from experts. At this year’s event, some young entrepreneurs will showcase their products and services.
• The Red Mixer: a high-energy space where entrepreneurs will connect with industry leaders, build partnerships, and spark collaborations that will change their businesses’ futures.

Young entrepreneurs who wish to participate in any of these events or offers can simply text “More” to the short code 1133 for more information.

By the end of the three-day AI workshop, the young entrepreneurs shared their strategies for AI-powered growth of their businesses with a renewed perspective of machine intelligence as a partner in scaling their startups.