Facilitating Innovation in Technology Startups in Ghana : A Multiple Case Study of the Technology Entrepreneurship Ecosystem in Ghana

Thesis purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate which circumstances technology entrepreneurs believe facilitate innovation, in the context of developing countries, and in Ghana in particular. Additionally, to explore the institutional and environmental factors that enable or prevent innovative activity from taking place in the technology startup ecosystem. Methodology: Multiple case qualitative research study of the Ghanaian technology entrepreneurship ecosystem. Data collection by conducting semi-structured interviews with 20 technology entrepreneurs in Accra, Ghana. The data collection and analysis process is inspired by the phenomenography approach. Theoretical framework: Theoretical concepts found in the literature on entrepreneurship and innovation. The institutional pillars of the entrepreneurship ecosystem, developed by GEDI (Global Entrepreneurship and Development Institute), are discussed and applied in the analysis of the interview results. Conclusions: This paper identifies a number of areas where the majority of the entrepreneurs reported having similar experiences and challenges. Many of the challenges are related to institutional factors such as regulation and bureaucratic processes. Despite this, the technology entrepreneurship system in Ghana is growing, and the country offers a lot of opportunities for entrepreneurs. Ultimately, to facilitate innovation further, the institutional environment requires change in a number of areas, in order to better support technology entrepreneurs, and to create an enabling environment in which they can act on and take advantage of the opportunities that exist.