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The 2025 GSTEP Finalist Support Stage: What to Expect

The Ghana Science and Tech Explorer Prize (GSTEP) Challenge is entering an exciting new phase. After weeks of hard work and creative problem-solving by 105 semi-finalist teams to complete the required semi-finalist materials; Business and Team Canvas, Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and Pitch Video, 50 finalist teams have been selected to advance to the Finalist Stage, where they will refine their ideas, develop prototypes, and gain valuable real-world experience.

This stage, running from March to May, is designed to give our young innovators the skills, mentorship, and resources they need to bring their STEM-based solutions to life. Here’s a look at what’s ahead for these talented teams.

 

Kickoff: The Finalist Induction Ceremony

The journey begins with an Induction Ceremony, where teams will gather to prepare for the next phase of the challenge. This event is a chance for finalists to gain critical knowledge and skills to help shape their projects.

Key sessions will cover:

  • Marketing & Communications: How to present and promote an idea effectively.
  • Intellectual Property & Patents: Understanding how to protect an innovation.
  • Business Plan Development: Learning how to structure and plan a project for long-term success.
  • Hands-on STEM Explorations: Engaging in practical activities to strengthen technical skills.

By the end of this induction, finalists will be equipped with the tools and confidence to take their projects to the next level.

Mentorship: One-on-One Support 

Each finalist team will be matched with a  Business Mentor to help refine their project’s business potential and a Technical Coach to guide the development of their prototype.

These experienced professionals will work closely with the teams, providing personalized feedback and support to ensure their projects are as strong and impactful as possible.

Seed Funding

To help bring their ideas to life, GSTEP will provide seed funding to all finalist teams. This financial support will allow them to purchase the materials and resources needed to build their final prototypes.

Teams will be encouraged to use their funds strategically to create high-quality, working models of their innovations.

Community Support

At this stage of the challenge, finalist teams are required to engage their community for additional support. They are encouraged to actively seek out people who can provide them with technical guidance, materials, or services for example artisans, tradesmen, tailor, blacksmiths, and local community leaders such as MPs, Assemblymen, Chiefs, Parent Teacher Association members among others.

Industry Visits

A major highlight of the Finalist Stage is the opportunity for teams to participate in industry visits to leading academic and corporate institutions. These experiences will:

  • Expose finalists to real-world STEM applications in Ghana.
  • Offer insights from professionals working in science, technology, and business.
  • Provide inspiration for how their projects can have a lasting impact beyond the competition.
  • These visits are a rare chance for young innovators to connect with experts, explore career paths, and see how their ideas could fit into Ghana’s growing STEM landscape.

The Finalist Stage is a crucial step on the road to the Pitching and Judging events as well as the 2025 GSTEP Exhibition and Awards Ceremony, where teams will showcase their projects to industry leaders, and the public. 

As the finalists embark on this journey, they will be challenged to think creatively, work collaboratively, and push the boundaries of what’s possible with STEM.

The GSTEP consortium, along with its partners and funder, are excited to support these young innovators. We anticipate  the development of their ideas in the coming months and will continue to provide updates as the competition progresses.

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