The University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) has officially launched the E4Impact Ghana Entrepreneurship and Innovation Centre, establishing a permanent hub on its campus to support student entrepreneurship, skills development, and small business growth.
The launch, held on March 27, 2026, brought together entrepreneurs, startups, investors, and student innovators, reflecting a shared commitment to building a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem within the university and beyond.
Vice-Chancellor Prof. John Kwaku Mensah Mawutor described the Centre as a shift from “knowledge acquisition” to “value creation,” saying it would provide students with access to innovation labs, modern equipment, and practical training to enable them to design, prototype, and test ideas in real time. He described the partnership with E4Impact Foundation, the Italian Agency for Cooperation and Development (AICS), and the European Union as “more than a collaboration” and “a bridge between theory and practice.”
Italian Ambassador to Ghana Laura Ranalli said the initiative positions the Centre as a gateway to new opportunities and will help equip graduates with skills needed to participate in a technology-driven global economy.
The Centre is part of the broader I.N.S.P.I.R.E. Project, which stands for Implementing New Solutions for the Professional Integration of Human Resources in the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Ghana. The project aims to create 1,620 direct jobs, with 35% reserved for women and persons with disabilities, provide skills training to 4,615 young Ghanaians, and support the growth of 570 small and medium-sized enterprises across the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Northern, Bono, and Western regions.
A European Union Delegation representative described the Centre as a concrete example of the Team Europe development approach.
The implementing consortium includes UPSA, E4Impact Foundation, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, CRISP Università di Milano-Bicocca, VIS Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo, and Don Bosco Youth Network West Africa, with funding from AICS and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF).
