KIC Center of Excellence Opens Its Doors to Stakeholders and the Public, Showcasing Opportunities for Innovation and Enterprise Development

KIC Center of Excellence Opens Its Doors to Stakeholders and the Public, Showcasing Opportunities for Innovation and Enterprise Development

The Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC)  opened the doors of its Center of Excellence in Kumasi to stakeholders and members of the public for a Demo Day held on Friday, 30 October 2026, showcasing the facility's capabilities and opportunities for innovation, product development and entrepreneurship. The event was also held as part of public engagement for KIC’s 10th anniversary of operations as an organisation committed to job creation and youth skills training.

Held under the theme "From Ideas to Impact " the event provided an opportunity for participants to explore the Center's specialised facilities, interact with technical teams and learn how its infrastructure, equipment and expertise can support individuals, startups, businesses and institutions in transforming ideas into practical solutions.

The Demo Day was preceded by a stakeholder engagement activity that brought together representatives from key institutions, including the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Directorate in the region, KNUST Senior High School, Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, KNUST,  and representatives of relevant regulatory and certification bodies such as the FDA, among other stakeholders. The engagement provided an opportunity to introduce the Center's facilities and services, share its vision and explore areas of collaboration that could strengthen technical skills development, innovation and enterprise support.

The engagement also underscored the importance of building strong institutional relationships to expand access to technical resources, promote practical learning and ensure that emerging innovations are developed with consideration for relevant industry standards and regulatory requirements.

During the public showcase, visitors were taken through the Center's multidisciplinary facilities, comprising the Food Innovation Lab, Electronics and Mechatronics Lab, Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Lab, Metal Fabrication Workshop, and Woodwork and Fabrication Unit.

Through guided demonstrations and interactive presentations, the various units illustrated how entrepreneurs, innovators and businesses can leverage the Center's equipment and technical expertise to undertake product development, improve existing products, develop prototypes and explore new business opportunities.

The Food Innovation Lab, for instance, provides opportunities for food product development, processing and improvement, while the engineering and fabrication facilities support the design, development and prototyping of mechanical, electronic and other practical solutions. The CAD Lab further enables innovators to translate concepts into technical designs that can inform product development and manufacturing.

On the day, Food and Innovation unit showcased processed dry mango product, fruit juice and dried food packaging that was done from the unit using its equipment and machinery. 

The Mechatronics and Electronics unit demonstrated  laser printing machines. The wood work unit showcased wood carving and engraving products produced using the wood cutting and finishing equipment at the unit. At the Computer Aided Design (CAD) unit, participants were introduced to how the unit facilitates concept designing and prototyping process with the equipment of the unit.

Beyond providing access to infrastructure and equipment, the Center of Excellence is designed to serve as a resource hub for practical training, technical advisory services and innovation support. Through its in-person and online learning opportunities, the facility seeks to make relevant technical knowledge and skills more accessible to young people, entrepreneurs, businesses and other interested institutions.

The event also reinforced KIC's broader commitment to promoting entrepreneurship, innovation and job creation, particularly by providing young people with the tools and opportunities to develop commercially viable solutions to real-world challenges.

Speaking at the event, on behalf of the Executive Director of KIC,  Stanley Amamu, Programs Manager for KIC said: “The Center of Excellence reinforces our belief that supporting entrepreneurship requires not only ideas and business training, but also access to the practical tools, technical capabilities and enabling infrastructure that allow those ideas to progress”. 

“The KIC Center of Excellence is open for business, open for innovation and open to partnerships that help turn ideas into practical solutions,” he added.

Supported by the Mastercard Foundation, the Center of Excellence forms part of KIC's efforts to strengthen the innovation ecosystem and create pathways for young people to participate meaningfully in enterprise development and emerging economic opportunities.

The Demo Day represents another important milestone in KIC's journey of supporting youth-led innovation and enterprise development, while opening new avenues for collaboration with educational institutions, regulators, industry players and development partners.

Through the Center of Excellence, KIC is strengthening the connection between ideas, technical capabilities and enterprise opportunities — helping innovators move beyond conceptualising solutions to developing products and businesses that can create value, generate employment and contribute to economic transformation.