The award-winning Master of Business Creation (MBC) program at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business is now global.
Following years of growth in the U.S., the unique program for entrepreneurs is now being offered around the world with the new MBC Global option for founders who are living in other countries. The global option enrolled its first 20 founders from Africa starting in the fall 2024 semester.
“This is a major development for the best program for entrepreneurs anywhere,” said Kurt Dirks, dean of the David Eccles School of Business. “The unique feature is that founders in the MBC program focus entirely on their business while they learn. They graduate with an accredited master’s degree and a startup ready for growth. Soon, founders everywhere will have the opportunity to participate in this amazing program.”
See the listing below to learn more about the 20 founders who enrolled from Africa and their startup companies.
The MBC program was first introduced in 2019 as a first-of-kind program, and over 200 founders have enrolled in the program since then. It matches the best of a business accelerator with a top-ranked university to provide entrepreneurs with the information and resources they need to grow and scale their companies. The program is offered in partnership with the Department of Entrepreneurship & Strategy and Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute at the Eccles School.
“We are working quickly to expand the MBC Global option to every continent,” said Jeff Davis, director of the MBC Global program and a professor in the marketing department at the Eccles School. “We want entrepreneurs everywhere to have the opportunity to participate in this unmatched program for working entrepreneurs. Within a couple years, we expect to have founders from every corner of the world participating.”
The MBC Global program features all of the core elements of the successful U.S. program. The founders in the global program will have access to one-on-one mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs in their location, an applied and highly relevant curriculum, networking opportunities and more. They will also join a growing, international network of MBC alumni, founders, faculty and mentors.
Residents in the U.S. can enroll in two formats of the MBC program. They can enroll online in a flexible, three-semester format or an in-person, full-time, two semester option. The MBC Global option is offered online, and founders join a cohort with other entrepreneurs from their region.
“We offer the MBC Global program in the online, three-semester format to give the founder options that work best for them,” Davis said. “Many founders prefer the flexible online option that allows them to stay in their home country and participate at times they prefer, while working on their startup or at a different day job during business hours.”
Entrepreneurs everywhere are invited to apply now or request information about the MBC program. Options to learn more include regular virtual information sessions and one-on-one meetings with admissions advisors. Apply and learn more here.
Founders living in the U.S. can apply now to enroll in the MBC Online program starting in January 2025, while founders in U.S., Africa, and a growing number of global locations can apply now to enroll in August 2025. All candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, because space is limited. The price for the program is the same in all locations and designed to be very affordable and a high value for entrepreneurs so they can put most of the time and resources into their business.
“We invite entrepreneurs to connect with us and learn about the MBC program,” Davis said. “Founders will not find a more effective and rewarding program to grow their business, while also earning a U.S. accredited master’s degree. The MBC program offers a very unique opportunity by combining a premier accelerator experience with a nationally ranked university.”
Samuel Quansah, founder of Createch Motives Afrika
Samuel Quansah is one of the first founders to enroll in the MBC Global program. He lives in Cape Coast, Ghana, and is the founder of Createch Motives Afrika. The company nurtures Africa’s next-generation problem-solvers by improving equitable access to hands-on, problem-solving education for hundreds of K-12 school children.
“By improving access to hands-on, problem-solving STEAM education for even just 10 percent of this talent, we can collectively transmute Africa’s problems into viable solutions, creating lasting social impact and upward socio-economic mobility,” Quansah said.
He enrolled in the MBC program to gain the skills he needed to advance his business and achieve his goals.
“From day one (in the MBC program), you are a doer — there’s a direct application of the modules to your venture,” Quansah said. “Every step, along with the faculty’s support, is personalized to challenge your thinking and question assumptions holistically and innovatively.”
Caroline Pomeyie is another one of the first founder in the MBC Global program. From Accra, Ghana, she is the founder of OceansMall, which connects small-scale fishers to profitable urban markets through its digital supply chain services. The company aims to reduce post-harvest losses.
“I have experienced the challenges local fishers face as I come from a fishing community in Ghana,” Pomeyie said. “However, I identified that I could make a major impact while creating wealth. The fisheries sector is a vibrant sector very often overlooked.”
She explained why she enrolled in the MBC program.
“The MBC program provides a unique opportunity for me to study and gain new insights to running or even starting a business,” Pomeyie said. “It will light my path on this entrepreneurial journey, and I already love how much transformation I am seeing in my business after the first few weeks.”
Dr. Emmanuel Egbroko started the MBC Global program from Johannesburg, South Africa. He is the founder of Inocul8, which uses technology to increase access to preventive healthcare products and services. They offer laboratory test services, immunization services, online doctor consultations and more.
“I left the hospital after being hospitalized for five days due to a typhoid fever infection,” Egbroko said. “On leaving the hospital, I began a mission called Inocul8 to help Africans prevent infectious diseases. Inocul8 is my life, my purpose and the platform I use to tell the world in action that prevention is better and cheaper than cure.”
He expects the MBC program will help him actualize that mission.
“I was searching for a program to guide me in building Inocul8, making our business model sustainable and scalable,” Egbroka said. “The MBC program is very rich in content and practical. The facilitators are doers who are knowledgeable and experienced in their specific areas of specialty.”
Learn more about the Master of Business Creation Global program and apply at eccles.utah.edu/mbc/global. Learn about all MBC program options at eccles.utah.edu/mbc.
MBC Global Founders Fall 2024
Here are the startups and founders enrolled in MBC Global program starting fall 2024 (in alphabetical order by company):
- Anidaso Eye Centre (Bright Okyere, of Ghana) – A health social enterprise and a multi-specialty eye-care center in Ghana established to be a sustainable and innovative solution.
- Createch Motives Afrika (Samuel Quansah, of Ghana) – Creates mobile-first digital infrastructure to help schoolchildren access expert-led STEAM modules, join “live” interactive sessions and personalize STEAM learning with AI.
- Dudu Masters Limited (Jannifer Muthike, of Kenya) – An agritech company that is producing a soil enhancer through waste conversion by insects called black soldier flies.
- Ecovon (Isaac Brenya, of Ghana) – Developing sustainably sourced, newly engineered wood made from coconut husk and sugar cane bagasse, supplying the global market with a formaldehyde-free, bio-based wood alternative that are better for people and planet.
- FarmIT (Allan Coredo, of Kenya) – An agritech startup that offers precision advisory services, including market linkages and microfinance, to smallholder farmers in Kenya.
- Healthmates Nutrition (Joseph Danquah, of Ghana) – A social enterprise fighting malnutrition among Africa’s under-five population through innovative social business models.
- Inocul8 (Emmanuel Egbroko, of South Africa) – Provides access to infection prevention solutions in the most convenient and affordable fashion, saving users time and money, while offering them good health and wellbeing.
- JGrand Commodities, Juki Nuts (Justice Ganaku, of Ghana) – Focuses on ethical cashew sourcing in Ghana. Their flagship product, Juki Nuts, addresses the exploitation of smallholder cashew farmers during peak seasons.
- Lenzvision Optical Company (Raphael Kyei, of Ghana) – Provides comprehensive eye examinations, eyewear and treatment.
- Lift Design (Eric Nana Yaw Amissah, of Ghana) – A marketing services company providing printing of posters, banners, stickers, newspapers, brochures and invitations, as well as business advice, recruitment and more.
- Nasco Foundation (Banasco Seidu Nuhu, of Ghana) – A technology company with a mission to bridge the digital divide in Africa. They provide IT services to businesses globally, generating employment opportunities for young people.
- Netsor Company Limited (Eric Edze, of Ghana) – Uses interactive web and mobile applications for booking on-demand medical courier services connecting delivery service providers to medical sector
- OceansMall (Caroline Pomeyle, of Ghana) – Improving fisher livelihoods through digital supply chain services
- ProSect Feed (Kwabena Tufuor, of Ghana) – Harnesses organic waste streams, insect technology and internet-of-things to produce affordable but high-quality alternative proteins and feed for local poultry, pig and fish farmers.
- Rabbit Empire (Francis Akporh, of Ghana) – Rabbit farming and meat processing.
- Riwe Technologies (Promise Chigozirim Israel, of Nigeria) – Offers tailored, mobile-accessible, inclusive and affordable weather insurance and climate insights through satellite data, artificial intelligence and deep learning.
- Siklitë Desserts (Beatrice Addy, of Ghana) – Chocolate dessert company dedicated to crafting exquisite treats that celebrate the rich flavors and cultural heritage of Ghana. Founded on the principles of sustainability, social responsibility and culinary innovation.
- Suku Technologies (Tsonam Akpeloo, of Ghana) – Technology consulting firm delivering tailored software and digital solutions to help businesses and organizations achieve their goals.
- Supretec Roofing (Ademola Osho, of Nigeria) – An eco-friendly roofing company that produces durable, affordable and quality with clear aesthetics roof tiles from plastic, cellophane and soft sand using a locally fabricated machine.
- WASHKING (Dieudonne Kwame Agudah, of Ghana) – A sanitation social enterprise in serving low-income and underserved communities with safe, sustainable and climate-resilient sanitation solutions.
About the David Eccles School of Business
The Eccles experience provides a world-class business education with a unique, entrepreneurial focus on real-world scenarios where students put what they learn into practice long before graduation. Founded in 1917 and educating more than 6,000 students annually, the University of Utah David Eccles School of Business offers nine undergraduate majors, four MBAs, eight other graduate programs, a Ph.D. in five areas and executive education curricula. The School is also home to 12 institutes, centers and initiatives that deliver academic research and support an ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation. For more information, visit Eccles.Utah.edu or call 801-581-7676.
About the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute
The Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute is a nationally ranked hub for student entrepreneurship and innovation at the University of Utah and an interdisciplinary division of the David Eccles School of Business. The first programs were offered in 2001, through the vision and support of Pierre Lassonde, an alumnus of the Eccles School and successful mining entrepreneur. The institute now provides opportunities for thousands of students to learn about entrepreneurship and innovation. Programs include workshops, networking events, business-plan competitions, startup support, innovation programs, graduate and alumni programs, scholarships, community outreach and more. All programs are open to students from any academic major or background. The Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute also manages Lassonde Studios, a five-story innovation space and housing facility for all students. Learn more at Lassonde.Utah.edu.
