A Review of TANCon Ghana 2008

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The African Network inaugural conference on the African continent, called TANCon Africa, was held on Saturday August 16, 2008 at the La Palm Beach Royal Hotel, Accra, Ghana. The conference was well attended and featured exhibitions by some local as well international companies and organizations residing in Ghana and other African Countries. The conference speakers included heavy weight entrepreneurs like Patrick Awuah, Founder and President of Aseshi University; Estelle Akofio-Sowah, Managing Director, Busy Internet; Craig Calfee, Founder of Calfee Design; Jonathan Porter of WAASP Aviation Development; William Guyster, Founder and Chairman of Good Morning Africa; Conrad Coyanda-Parkzes, President and CEO of Access Point Africa, and host of others.

The theme of TANCon Ghana 2008 was “Next Frontier in Business: Propelling Africa to New Heights”. This was chosen to reflect the growing number of African entrepreneurs in business today, and to showcase to the world Africa's limitless intellectual and economic capital. The topical panels were chosen to be in line with the theme of the conference and included Impact of Future Technological Development in Africa, Raising Capital, Entrepreneurship in Informal Sector, Infrastructure Development, Creative Partnership Strategies and others.  The attendees included seasoned, as well as first-time entrepreneurs, business leaders, public policy leaders, venture capitalists and investment bankers interested in learning first-hand how to successfully invest in technology, open up businesses and maintain existing businesses in Africa. TANCon Ghana 2008 attendees did some networking with the big wigs in entrepreneurship, business, government policy makers and politicians.

To showcase the relevance of the conference with respect to technological innovation and development in Africa, one of the keynote speakers at the conference was the director general of Ghana’s Kofi Anna - Indian Advance Center of Excellence in Information Technology, Mrs. Dorothy Gordon. Ms. Gordon challenged conference attendees, especially, the upcoming entrepreneurs, to follow the lead of their counterparts in India and China with respect technological innovation.

Organizations and corporations exhibiting at TANCon Ghana 2008 included the Ghana Internet Café giant, Busy Internet; Good Morning Africa (GMA); WAASP Aviation Development; Ghana Chartered Institute of Bankers and Access Point Africa (APA).