Building Bytes: Fostering Innovation Through In-Person Collaboration at "Demo Friday."
Ghana has one of the most sound startups ecosystems in Africa. Ranking 4th in West Africa alone, one key factor contributing to this success is the country's refined entrepreneurial talent. Building bytes, a startup podcast hosted by software entrepreneurs Caleb Lamptey, founder of Landlord, Poga Kuofie and Yaw Antwi Owusu, co-founders of Ubadi, is one such space where new and existing talent is recognized and nurtured.
One such venture they’re engaging in is Demo Fridays, where they hold candid in-person conversations with various stakeholders in the ecosystem. This allows for live interactions between veteran product managers and newbies, where lessons can be acquired and feedback can be offered explicitly. Additionally, given that its tailor-made to the Ghanaian market, these conversations outline ways to develop solutions that will be a true product market fit.
In the vibrant landscape of Ghana’s tech ecosystem, Building Bytes stands out as a platform where it's founders share their journeys and foster meaningful conversations about startup building.
Demo Friday
Recently, Building Bytes hosted their debut in-person event, "Demo Friday," a night dedicated to nurturing innovation and collaboration among tech enthusiasts and industry experts.
The Essence of Demo Friday
The goal of Demo Friday was to create a home-brewed club atmosphere, a space where ideas could flow freely and organically. The event was designed to
allow innovators to showcase their products, engage with early adopters, and gather valuable feedback from seasoned industry professionals. This authentic setting aimed to strip away the formalities and foster genuine interactions.
Founders’ Reflections
Poga Kuofie, one of the founders of Building Bytes, expressed his excitement about the success of their first event:
"It’s been an amazing experience, staying true to the essence of Building Bytes. The conversations were genuine and organic. Attendees openly shared their experiences in building their products, and the feedback we received was both frank and honest. Overall, the event was authentic, without any unnecessary bells or whistle."
Voices from the Crowd.
The attendees echoed Kuofie’s sentiments, highlighting the event’s impact and the value of in-person engagement:
"It was wonderful. First of all, I want to say I’m very proud of the organizers. I listened to the podcasts featuring all the panel discussion members before coming, so hearing them engage in discussions live was very insightful. I’m not a product manager or a tech person, but I’ve learned a lot—a lot. I even want to become a tech enthusiast now! I encourage everyone to listen to the podcast and, if possible, attend the next session."
Another attendee reminisced about the early days of tech meetups:
"I think this is great; we need more of these conversations going forward. We used to have similar events like the Cyber Series back in the early internet days of 2001-2002, but they’ve kind of faded because everyone feels everything has to be online. In-person events bring a different energy. People are more relaxed and willing to share their experiences. As an ecosystem, we’ve come a long way, and now is the time to bring in those who have been on this path for decades. They can share what worked and what didn’t in settings like this."
Watch full video here;
