BRIDGETOWN — The Young Americas Business Trust (YABT) has announced the launch of the fifth annual Caribbean Innovation Competition (CIC).
The Caribbean Innovation Competition is an international competition and business start-up accelerator program for young entrepreneurs in the CARICOM member and associate states.
The CIC believes it is different from other existing business model competitions by incorporating “before and after“ stages, focusing on training and mentoring as preparation for the competition, and providing follow up services that include access to finance, networking activities, internships and promotion opportunities, among others.
The CIC is organized and developed by the Young Americas Business Trust (YABT) with the support of the World Bank (WB).
This year, entrepreneurs can register their innovated ideas and business to be part of the CIC 2018.
CIC will run parallel with TIC Americas and it will host its finals at the Young Americas Forum, the of special participation platform for young people at the Summit of the Americas.
By connecting CIC with the Summit of the Americas, young people from the Caribbean will have the opportunity to prepare, debate and present their recommendations and plans of action to the heads of state and government attending the summit, having a direct impact in decision making processes for policy and priorities definition.
Timeline is as follows:
- Registration: Nov. 1-Jan. 10, 2018
- Capacity Building: October 2017-January 2018
- Evaluation: January-February 2018
- Announcement of Finalists: Feb. 20, 2018
- Finals: April 10, 11 and 12 in Lima, Peru, at the Summit of the Americas
YABT acknowledges that unemployment is one of the biggest issues for the youth in the Caribbean countries these days. For this reason, YABT seeks actively to support young people in creating their own businesses through the CIC competition that will enable them to improve their business prototypes.
“We are honored to partner with the World Bank’s Latin America and the Caribbean office, for the newest edition of the Caribbean Innovation Competition, a support platform that continues to transform innovative ideas into real businesses benefiting not only Caribbean entrepreneurs and new ventures, but the community at large,” said Valerie Lorena, executive director of YABT with special responsibility for the Caribbean.
Moreover, YABT believes that CIC a unique opportunity to connect national institutions and international organizations as well as youth associations across the Caribbean to invite them to actively take part in the CIC as sponsors, partners, promoters, judges or mentors. For more information, visit www.yabt.net and http://www.ticamer icas.net/cic/index.html.