News

The Caribbean Export Development Agency has completed the full regional activation of the Caribbean Women Entrepreneurs Generating Resilient and Inclusive Trade (GRIT) Project, following the successful activation of the programme across its final three countries — Jamaica, Grenada, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines — in a  succession of activations throughout April 2026.

Funded by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada, GRIT is a four-year, US$3 million initiative running from 2025 to 2028. With the completion of these final three country activations, the programme is now fully operational across all six participating nations: Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The programme directly supports 800 women entrepreneurs across the region, with a further reach of 10,000 through training and capacity building opportunities, market intelligence, and network access. It targets women-led enterprises in fresh produce, agro-processing, artisan goods, renewable energy, eco-tourism, and digital services — with particular focus on women-owned businesses that are youth-led, rural-based, indigenous-owned, or led by women with disabilities.

A Region-Wide Milestone

The implementation of the GRIT programme was initiated in 2025 in Saint Lucia, before activating in Dominica and Belize. The final wave of activations — Jamaica (April 13–17), Grenada (April 21–24), and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (April 27 – May 1) — brought initial sensitisation and consultative phases training to completion in a concentrated country-focused push that underscored both the momentum and ambition of the programme.

Dr. Damie Sinanan, Executive Director of the Caribbean Export Development Agency, described the full regional rollout as a defining moment for inclusive trade in the Caribbean: “GRIT is not simply a training programme. It is a structural investment in the women who are already driving Caribbean economies forward, and in building the ecosystem they need to scale into regional and global markets. Completing all six country activations is a milestone we are proud of — and it marks the beginning of the real work ahead.”

Jamaica: Culture, Community and Enterprise

The GRIT Jamaica activation (April 13–17, 2026) was distinguished by its deliberate reach into rural and indigenous communities. The national launch took place at Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth, a location chosen intentionally to signal GRIT’s commitment to entrepreneurs beyond urban centres. The event opened with a blessing from Kasike Kalaan Kaiman and Kasikeiani Ronalda of the Kasike Yamaye Guani Council, Taino People, a moment that set a powerful cultural tone.

 The launch featured a fireside chat — Rooted in Culture, Leading the Future — with Queen Mother Tamica Taylor, Minister of Security, Accompong Town Maroons; Lacey-Ann Bartley, CEO of Bartley’s All in Wood; and Antoinette Davis, CEO of Ettenio. His Excellency Mark Berman, High Commissioner of Canada to Jamaica and The Bahamas, was among the dignitaries in attendance. Addressing the gathering, the High Commissioner spoke directly to the programme’s rationale: “Canada firmly believes in inclusive trade, where the benefits and opportunities of trade are shared equitably among all members of society.” He went on to outline what that means in practice — that “trade, when designed to be inclusive, can be a powerful catalyst for development,” but only when entrepreneurs have real access to skills, finance, information, markets, and networks. GRIT, he noted, is designed to build exactly those pathways.

The week extended well beyond the launch itself, with enterprise visits to Bartley’s All in Wood, a fair-trade woodcraft enterprise built on a legacy of craftsmanship, and the Source Farm Foundation, a regenerative organic farm and ecovillage in St. Thomas. The team also travelled to Accompong Town, engaging directly with Maroon community leaders and women entrepreneurs.

Grenada: From Local Roots to Global Markets

The GRIT Grenada activation (April 21–24, 2026) was held in partnership with the Grenada Investment Development Corporation (GIDC) and brought together women entrepreneurs from across the island — including, participants from Carriacou and Petite Martinique.

The national launch at the Radisson Grenada Beach Resort was addressed by Hon. Senator Gloria Ann Thomas, Minister of Social and Community Development, Housing and Gender Affairs, reflecting strong government engagement at the ministerial level. The fireside chat — Rooted in Grenada, Growing to the World — featured Dr. Judlyn Telesford-Checkley, CEO of Grenada Grows Limited, whose circular economy venture converts organic waste into products that support food security and climate resilience, and Ms. Afia Joseph, an Agribusiness and Value Chain Specialist with the Food and Agriculture Organisation.

The week included a two-day Exporting to Canada workshop, a stakeholder consultation with women-led enterprises, and an enterprise visit to Auga Model Farm in St. Andrews, run by Anichell Thomas — farmer, student, mother and community advocate — whose farm serves as a living demonstration space for sustainable agriculture and community food security.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: From Dialogue to Results

The GRIT activation in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (April 27 – May 1, 2026) was launched at the Beachcombers Hotel in partnership with Invest SVG. The launch was addressed by Hon. Lavern Gibson-Velox, Minister of Gender Affairs, who welcomed GRIT as a critical investment in national development, noting that women’s economic empowerment is essential for reducing poverty and increasing community resilience.  Anna Young, CEO of Invest SVG, called for a shift from dialogue to measurable results — affirming Invest SVG’s commitment to connecting local enterprises with global opportunities.

Representing the High Commission of Canada, Second Secretary for Development Ms. Thu Trang Nguyen reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to ensuring women across Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have access to the tools, skills, and financing they need to grow. The programme aligned directly with SVG’s development priorities in agribusiness, tourism, food security, and digital services.

The launch transitioned immediately into a week of specialised activities, including export readiness workshops, digital marketing sessions, and business development training for local women entrepreneurs.

Canada’s Commitment to Women’s Economic Empowerment

Canada’s investment in GRIT reflects a deep and sustained commitment to women’s economic empowerment as a pillar of Canada’s international development policy. Through its Feminist International Assistance Policy, Canada has made gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls a central organising principle of its development investments globally — and GRIT is a direct expression of that commitment in the Caribbean. By funding a programme that targets the structural barriers preventing women from fully participating in trade, Global Affairs Canada is investing not only in individual entrepreneurs but in the broader architecture of inclusive economic growth across the region. That investment carries with it a clear expectation: that women across the Caribbean are not just included in trade but are fully equipped to lead within it.

What Comes Next

With all six country activations now complete, GRIT enters its full implementation phase. Caribbean Export and its national implementing partners will work directly with the 800 women entrepreneurs enrolled in the programme to deliver capacity building, export readiness support, market access opportunities, and ecosystem strengthening across the participating countries through to 2028.

Republic Financial Holdings Limited and the Caribbean Export Development Agency collaborate on a
landmark initiative to strengthen MSME export readiness and financial resilience across the region.

Republic Financial Holdings Limited in partnership with the Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export), have successfully completed Phase 1 of Project THRIVE – an impactful capacity-building initiative designed to unlock the export and finance potential of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across the Caribbean.

A total of 420 MSMEs participated in the programme, representing Anguilla, Barbados, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Maarten, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

Business Capacity Building 1.0, the first phase of Project THRIVE, equipped participants with practical skills, tools, and knowledge to enhance their operational resilience, improve access to finance, and enhance export readiness in an increasingly competitive global environment.

Women‑owned and women‑led enterprises accounted for 66% of the participants, highlighting both the programme’s strong appeal among female entrepreneurs, and their commitment to growth and developmental. The cohort also reflected a diverse cross-section of industries, including professional services, agriculture, agro‑processing, manufacturing, retail, and technology.

The Programme delivered by Cloud Vision Academy, featured five core modules:

• Business Strategy and Planning
• Grant Proposal Writing
• E‑commerce Essentials
• Export Marketing
• Cost and Financial Accounting

Each module was facilitated by subject‑matter experts and delivered through three interactive virtual sessions, enabling participants to apply learnings directly to their businesses.

Participant feedback underscored the programme’s impact, with strong engagement levels and positive responses to the quality of facilitation and the relevance of the content. Following this successful Phase 1 completion, 50 of the top 108 participants will advance to Phase 2: The Access to Finance Accelerator – a six‑month, in‑depth development programme offering personalised mentoring, one‑on‑one coaching,
and deeper business‑development interventions designed to accelerate growth and export potential. Eligible participants will be contacted by the Project THRIVE team in the coming week with further details on the next phase.

Commenting on the programme, Richard S. Sammy, Group Vice President, Republic Financial Holdings Limited, stated: “Project THRIVE embodies our commitment to elevating our MSMEs. We are deeply
encouraged by the outstanding participation and congratulate all participants on their success. When MSMEs thrive, entire economies thrive, and together with our valued partner Caribbean Export, we look forward to advancing Phase 2 and delivering tangible impact across the region.”

Damie Sinanan, Executive Director, Caribbean Export Development Agency, added: “Project THRIVE is precisely the kind of transformative, private-sector-led partnership that Caribbean Export was created to champion. The breadth of participation across territories – and the remarkable representation of women entrepreneurs – affirms that Caribbean businesses are ready to compete on a regional and global stage. We are proud to stand alongside Republic Bank in equipping the next generation of Caribbean exporters.”

The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) and RevUP Caribbean Limited (RevUP) have formalised a strategic partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), aimed at advancing entrepreneurship, innovation, and private sector development across the Caribbean.

The MOU was signed during the Caribbean Women Generating Resilient and Inclusive Trade (GRIT) Project activation week in Jamaica, marking a significant step towards strengthening support systems for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), particularly those led by women and youth.

Caribbean Export, the regional trade and investment promotion agency of CARIFORUM, and RevUP, a leading virtual business incubator, share a common vision of fostering a more resilient, competitive, and inclusive Caribbean private sector.

Through this partnership, both organisations will collaborate to expand access to finance, build entrepreneurial capacity, and strengthen market linkages for businesses across the region. Key areas of cooperation include startup support programmes, capacity building and technical assistance, investor engagement, innovation challenges, and export readiness initiatives.

“This partnership with RevUP Caribbean represents a strategic alignment of efforts to support the growth of innovation-driven enterprises in the region,” said Dr. Damie Sinanan, Executive Director of Caribbean Export. “By combining our networks, expertise, and platforms, we can create stronger pathways for Caribbean entrepreneurs to access financing, scale their businesses, and compete globally.”

RevUP Caribbean, known for its immersive incubator programmes and focus on early-stage ventures, will work alongside Caribbean Export to identify and support high-potential startups, facilitate connections with investors, and deliver targeted training and mentorship opportunities.

“We are excited to partner with Caribbean Export to deepen our impact across the region,” said Sandra A. C. Glasgow, Managing Director of RevUP Caribbean. “This collaboration will help accelerate the growth of startups and MSMEs by connecting them to the resources, networks, and capital they need to thrive.”

The MOU also provides a framework for joint initiatives such as pitch competitions, accelerator programmes, investor forums, and cross-border partnerships, all aimed at catalysing sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to building a dynamic startup ecosystem in the Caribbean – one that empowers entrepreneurs, drives innovation, and unlocks new opportunities for regional and international market access.

The agreement will remain in effect for an initial period of two years, with opportunities for expansion through jointly developed programmes and initiatives.

Written by: Steven Williams (Originally published in Barbados Today)

On the evening of Thursday, 16 April, the ballroom at Wyndham Grand Barbados Sam Lord’s Castle filled with the usual faces from across the regional economy: exporters, diplomats, development officials, and beneficiaries. They had gathered to mark thirty years of the Caribbean Export Development Agency and the release of its 2025 Annual Results Report.

It was, by every measure, a good-news evening. The agency reported another year of strong financial recovery, expanded partnerships, and a clear line of sight from the closing 2021-2024 strategic cycle into the 2025-2028 plan that succeeds it.

It was the right note to strike, and it is the note this column wants to pick up.

Because the more revealing question, for any business owner who was in that room and for the thousands who were not, is not whether Caribbean Export is doing its job. The report makes a confident case that it is. The real question is whether Caribbean enterprises, particularly Barbadian ones, are digitally transformed enough to catch the opportunities now being placed within reach.

The honest answer, in April 2026, is not yet.

The Beharry-Amber moment

The clearest illustration in the report comes from the Caribbean Investment Forum held in Montego Bay in 2025. There, Dushyant Savadia, founder and CEO of Jamaica’s Amber Group, delivered a session on digital transformation and artificial intelligence. In the audience was Anand Harilall, Chief Strategy Officer of Guyana’s Beharry Group, an 87-year-old family-owned conglomerate with interests across multiple strategic sectors.

Having attended every CIF since its inception, Harilall recognised the alignment immediately. Within a month, Savadia was in Guyana. Within weeks, Beharry-Amber Technologies was agreed, a joint venture to deliver advanced technology and cybersecurity solutions across Guyana, Suriname, and the wider Caribbean. Its mandate is twofold: accelerate Beharry’s internal digital transformation and take those services to market across Guyana’s public and private sectors. A flagship AI-powered call centre is already on the drawing board. That is the speed at which regional deals now move when both parties arrive digitally ready.

What “ready” actually means

Nothing about Beharry’s moment was accidental. You do not deliver a minute-and-a-half pitch on technology ambitions unless the strategy is already written. Beharry’s 2030 horizon treats digital transformation as a core pillar of growth, not a line item in the IT budget. Amber, for its part, arrived with a productised AI stack, live reference deployments, and a partner-first operating model that made cross-border collaboration feel like plumbing rather than diplomacy. Two digitally mature organisations met in a room, recognised each other, and moved.

Which raises the uncomfortable diagnostic question Minister Husbands was circling on Thursday evening: what does “digitally mature” actually look like in a Caribbean business in 2026? It looks, in my reading, like six layers sitting on top of one another.

The Identity layer is the foundation a proper domain, a website that is more than a Facebook page, branded email (not a Gmail address on a business card), verified Google Business and LinkedIn profiles, and consistent presence on the channels customers actually use. Without this, a business is invisible to search engines, procurement systems, funding agencies, and regional partners who screen before they shake hands.

The Operations layer is a cloud-first stack. Accounting in QuickBooks or Xero, documents in Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, HR on SaaS, communications in Teams or Slack held together by an integration fabric of APIs, webhooks and workflows so data moves between systems instead of being re-keyed by a clerk.

The Customer layer is where Caribbean enterprises most often fall short. The digitally transformed business lets its customers find it, transact with it, and support themselves without picking up a phone. Digital payments, online booking or ordering, CRM-tracked relationships, WhatsApp and email and chat on parity. In our region, payment rails and shipping logistics remain real constraints but they are constraints to be designed around, not reasons to opt out.

The Data layer is where Caribbean Export’s own framing AI readiness, innovation, competitiveness starts to bite. The transformed business treats data as an asset, not exhaust: structured transaction and customer data, dashboards that inform decisions, and increasingly AI layered on top, whether for productivity, prediction or retrieval of institutional knowledge. If an enterprise cannot answer “how did we do last month?” in under five minutes, it is not yet operating digitally.

The Trust layer is the one most Caribbean commentary under-covers, and it is the one Harilall himself flagged in the report the region is highly exposed to cyber threats, and private-sector resilience now depends on serious cyber posture: MFA, endpoint protection, tested backups, incident response, alongside a lawful data-protection footing under the Data Protection Act 2019-29 and contractual hygiene with every processor. Without this layer, everything above it is liability waiting to crystallise.

The People layer closes the loop, and it is the layer, Minister Husbands reached for on Thursday evening. Digital skills, remote-capable workflows, and a leadership culture that treats technology as a first-class strategic concern rather than something the “IT guy” handles. The modern digital business does not have a digital transformation project. It has digital fluency as a condition of employment.

Caribbean Export has spent thirty years and this past year with particular intent building the runway. The 2025 report is a catalogue of that work: investment fora that convene capital and ambition in the same room, digital accelerators that link regional firms to European and Latin American partners, co-financing facilities for smart and green investments, capacity-building programmes for MSMEs and women-led enterprises, and a new institutional spine in the Caribbean Digital Transformation Institute. That runway is long, paved, and lit.

But a runway does not fly aircraft. The Beharry-Amber joint venture flew because both organisations had already built the plane. Minister Husbands’ intervention the call for a sharper skills-gap diagnostic was really a call for more Caribbean enterprises to finish building their aircraft while the runway is clear.

In 2026, the competitive Caribbean business is no longer the one with the biggest office, the longest payroll, or the oldest Rolodex. It is the one that can show up in the room physically, digitally, or inside a procurement portal already carrying the six layers. Regional growth capital, cross-border joint ventures, and diaspora markets will keep finding the enterprises that have done that work. The rest will fight over a shrinking domestic pie and wonder where the opportunities went.

Caribbean Export has done its thirty years. The next move belongs to the enterprise.

Landmark accreditation positions the Agency as one of only four regional Direct Access Entities in the Caribbean and opens the door to millions in climate finance for transformative private sector investment across the region

Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) welcomes its accreditation by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), marking a defining moment for the institution, a major achievement for the Caribbean, and a bold new chapter for private sector-led climate action in the region.  In securing this milestone, Caribbean Export becomes one of only four regional Direct Access Entities in the Caribbean accredited by the GCF, a major step that significantly elevates the region’s ability to access, shape, and deploy international climate finance through institutions rooted in Caribbean priorities and realities. 

For Caribbean Export, this is far more than a credential. It is a game-changing platform for action. In its 30th year of operations, the Agency enters this role not as a passive conduit for funding, but as an active regional force with the mandate, private sector expertise, and trusted partnerships to convert climate ambition into investable programmes and projects that can transform businesses and economies across the Caribbean. 

As a regional institution focused on private sector development for the past 30 years, Caribbean Export’s accreditation represents a major breakthrough for the Agency and wider region.  It strengthens its ability to help develop and implement climate-related projects and programmes that respond to the needs of Caribbean countries and businesses. It also positions the Agency to play a stronger role in creating pipelines of investment-ready initiatives that help Caribbean businesses build resilience, modernize operations, adopt cleaner technologies, and compete in a rapidly changing global economy. 

The Green Climate Fund works through Accredited Entities to develop funding proposals and manage projects and programmes that help countries turn climate priorities into action, with financing instruments that can include concessional loans, equity, guarantees, lines of credit, and grant-based capacity building. As a Direct Access Entity, Caribbean Export is now strategically positioned to help open the door to these resources and to crowd in the scale of capital the region has long needed. The opportunity is transformative: to unlock millions of dollars for Caribbean businesses, mobilise new partnerships, and support a new generation of commercially viable climate investments that the region has not previously been positioned to pursue at this level through a regional private sector-focused institution. 

For the Caribbean, where firms and communities face increasing climate-related shocks including stronger hurricanes, drought, coastal erosion, and rising operating costs, accreditation creates a new pathway to structure and scale projects that directly support business resilience and regional transformation. This can include initiatives in renewable energy and energy efficiency, climate-smart agriculture, resilient infrastructure, sustainable tourism, green manufacturing, water security, innovation, and financial instruments that help de-risk private investment. 

Dr. Damie Sinanan, Executive Director of Caribbean Export, said: 

“This is a transformative moment for Caribbean Export and for the region we serve. Accreditation to the Green Climate Fund significantly strengthens our ability to support the development of climate finance opportunities for the Caribbean’s private sector, the engine of jobs, innovation and economic growth. It gives us the opportunity to help businesses access the resources they need to adapt, invest, innovate and lead the region’s transition to a more resilient and sustainable future.” 

He added: 

“For too long, many Caribbean businesses, particularly MSMEs, have faced major barriers in accessing the scale and type of support required to respond meaningfully to the climate crisis. This milestone opens the door to a new generation of projects and partnerships that can help enterprises invest in clean energy, climate resilience, sustainable production, and stronger value chains. The potential impact for the region is profound.” 

Caribbean Export is the regional trade and investment promotion agency focused on building a resilient Caribbean by delivering high-impact support to the private sector. Its mandate and track record position the Agency to play a catalytic role in identifying and advancing bankable climate-related investments that respond to regional needs while supporting sustainable economic development. 

Achala Abeysinghe, Director of the Green Climate Fund’s Department of Investment Services said: 

“We are pleased to welcome the Caribbean Export Development Agency as an Accredited Entity of the Green Climate Fund. This new partnership, with a regional direct access entity, will expand access to climate finance and support private sector development across the small island developing states of the Caribbean.” 

“Partnering with the Caribbean Export Development Agency reinforces GCF’s commitment to collaborate with more regional institutions to increase direct access to climate finance in support of resilient economies. As we move forward, GCF’s revised Accreditation Framework will enable the Fund’s partnership model to become even more transparent, responsive, and efficient, enhancing fairness and country ownership.” 

This development is especially significant because the Green Climate Fund has increasingly emphasized improving access to climate finance and scaling private sector participation, recognizing that private investment is essential to achieving climate-resilient and low-emission development. For the Caribbean, that matters enormously. The region now has an expanded opportunity to move beyond small, fragmented interventions and toward larger, more strategic and more bankable programmes that can channel climate finance to the businesses, sectors, and value chains that need it most.  GCF notes that the private sector has an unparalleled role to play in clean energy, sustainable transport, green infrastructure, and climate-resilient agriculture. 

The next phase is already in sight. Caribbean Export has concepts being prepared and is getting ready to submit them into the GCF process, with a clear focus on building a strong pipeline of high-impact initiatives that can strengthen resilience, improve investment readiness, and expand access to finance for businesses across the region.  

Caribbean Export looks forward to working closely with Caribbean governments, financial institutions, development partners, entrepreneurs, and private sector stakeholders to develop impactful climate projects and programmes that can strengthen resilience, improve investment readiness, and unlock sustainable growth throughout the region. 

This is not simply an institutional milestone. It is a regional opportunity of enormous significance, one that gives the Caribbean a stronger hand in shaping its own climate future and gives businesses a more direct pathway to the resources required to invest, adapt, and grow. 

The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) has formally joined the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) as an International Network Partner, strengthening business and innovation ties between the Caribbean and Europe and opening new channels for both European and Caribbean firms to access partnerships, market intelligence, and investment opportunities.

Caribbean Export marked this milestone through participation at the Enterprise Europe Network Annual Conference 2025, held 26–28 November 2025 at the Aalborg Kongres & Kultur Center in Aalborg, Denmark, where the Agency engaged EEN partners and stakeholders from across the globe to establish strategic linkages that will translate into concrete opportunities for enterprises from both geographic regions.

The EEN is widely recognised as the world’s largest support network for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with international ambitions, connecting business support organisations and experts to help companies innovate, scale, and grow across borders.

A stronger bridge between Caribbean businesses and Europe

As the regional trade and investment promotion agency for the 15 CARIFORUM member states, Caribbean Export’s participation in the EEN is designed to expand practical support to Caribbean SMEs and startups seeking to internationalise, particularly into Europe, while also helping European companies identify credible partners and investment opportunities in the Caribbean.

This two-way relationship means that European firms will also benefit from more structured access to the Caribbean market. Through Caribbean Export and the EEN, European companies will be able to connect with vetted Caribbean partners and suppliers, explore nearshoring opportunities, and identify pipeline projects in high-potential sectors such as renewable energy, sustainable tourism, agribusiness and the digital economy. They will be supported with tailored partner searches, sector briefings, and facilitated B2B engagements that reduce risk and shorten the time it takes to build reliable, long-term business relationships in the region.

Dr. Damie Sinanan, Executive Director of Caribbean Export, who attended the conference alongside Wayne Elliott, Manager Technical Programmes, noted that joining the Network is about converting relationships into results:

“This partnership places Caribbean firms closer to European buyers, investors, and innovation partners. Through the Enterprise Europe Network, we will accelerate business matchmaking, strengthen export readiness, and drive new collaborations that help Caribbean companies compete and win in global markets.”

What joining the EEN means for the Caribbean’s private sector

Membership in the EEN gives Caribbean Export and its stakeholders access to a structured platform that supports companies at every step of their internationalisation journey. For Caribbean firms, this translates into:

• Business matchmaking and partner searches to connect Caribbean companies with European buyers, distributors, technology providers, and collaborators.
• Market intelligence and advisory support to help firms navigate standards, regulations, and market entry requirements—particularly for the EU Single Market.
• Support to leverage the EU–CARIFORUM Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) by strengthening firms’ understanding of practical trade facilitation considerations and export strategy.
• Innovation, sustainability, and digitalisation support, helping SMEs adopt stronger business models, greener production methods, and digital tools that improve competitiveness.
• Investment promotion linkages, positioning the Caribbean as an attractive destination for European investment—especially in priority areas such as sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and the digital economy.

How Caribbean Export will deliver EEN services in the region

To ensure equitable reach across the region, Caribbean Export will implement a “hub-and-spoke” delivery model, coordinating regionally while working with national business support organisations, chambers of commerce, and sector partners to take services closer to firms in every CARIFORUM country.

Caribbean Export will also help local businesses develop and promote partnership profiles through EEN channels, and will co-create missions, events, and B2B engagements aligned with the region’s priorities, including agri-food, renewable energy, and digital transformation.

On the European side, the Agency will collaborate with EEN partner organisations to design joint activities, share market intelligence, and support companies seeking to establish or deepen their presence in the Caribbean.

A catalyst for trade, investment and resilience

In a global environment where SMEs face rising costs, new regulatory requirements and rapid technological change, the Caribbean’s competitiveness depends on its ability to connect, innovate and scale. Joining the Enterprise Europe Network is expected to:

• Increase export opportunities through better buyer discovery, improved compliance, and stronger market entry strategies.
• Attract quality investment by showcasing bankable Caribbean opportunities and facilitating investor engagement.
• Build innovation partnerships that support new products, improved production methods, and technology adoption suited to small island and developing economies.
• Improve SME resilience and competitiveness, especially for women- and youth-led enterprises and businesses in smaller territories.

For European partners, the relationship also offers a pathway to diversify sourcing, expand into dynamic emerging markets, and collaborate on solutions that advance shared priorities such as climate resilience, digital transformation and sustainable growth.

Ultimately, the partnership is about more than numbers. It is about embedding Caribbean businesses into global value chains in a way that creates jobs, builds skills, and supports a more resilient and sustainable regional economy.

Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export), in representation of the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator, and Boost Acceleration Camp officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today, marking a significant step toward advancing entrepreneurship, innovation, and private sector development across the Dominican Republic and the wider Caribbean. The signing took place in Santo Domingo as part of the yearly Boostcamp 2025, an event bringing founders, corporate and investors from the Dominican Republic, Latin America and the rest of the Caribbean to forge partnerships and develop collaborative opportunities. This year Boostcamp 2025 was organised as part of the wider programming that took place in the Dominican Republic for Global Entrepreneurship Week 2025.

Under this new partnership, Caribbean Export and the other partners of the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator will work with Boost AC to enable startups and corporates in the Dominican Republic to participate in the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator. Additionally, these organisations will work on expanding access to finance, mentorship, market opportunities, and technical support for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), including high-growth startups, youth-led and women-led ventures, and innovation-driven firms seeking to scale regionally and internationally.

The MOU establishes a framework for cooperation across several key areas, including:

• Collaboration under the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator, an initiative funded by the European Union that promotes bi-regional partnerships between startups and corporates in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
• Entrepreneurial and startup acceleration, through joint events such as pitch competitions, innovation challenges, hackathons, and business development programmes.
• Pipeline development and ecosystem strengthening, supporting the identification and preparation of promising MSMEs and startups.
• Capacity building, with training focused on export readiness, digital transformation, green innovation, scaling, and investor preparation.
• Access to finance and investor linkages, leveraging both organizations’ networks of angel investors, corporate partners, development institutions, and early-stage funds.
• Support for corporate–startup collaboration, catalysing innovation by connecting enterprises with business challenges and technology-driven solutions.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Leo Naut, Deputy Executive Director of Caribbean Export and representative of the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator noted:

“This partnership reinforces our ongoing commitment to build a resilient and globally competitive Caribbean private sector. By working together with Boost AC, especially in initiatives such as the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator, we can strengthen the pipeline of innovation-driven enterprises, support more Dominican and Caribbean startups to scale across borders, and create greater opportunities for access to finance, technology, and new markets.”

Boost Acceleration Camp highlighted the strategic value of the alliance, particularly for early-stage ventures aiming to accelerate growth and expand regionally.

“This collaboration with Caribbean Export allows us to amplify the support we offer to founders and innovators, while positioning the Dominican Republic as a gateway for startup expansion across the Caribbean,” emphasized Santiago Camarena, President of the Board of Directors, Boost AC.

Both institutions affirmed that the partnership reflects a broader vision to enhance competitiveness, foster digital and green transformation, and promote inclusive economic growth across the region.

The MOU enters into force on the day of signature and will guide joint initiatives over the next two years.

The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) joined regional and international partners at the African Caribbean Sustainability & Investment Summit (ACSIS 2025), held from November 21–22, 2025, at Queen’s Gate House in London, UK. The two-day summit, themed “Empowering Futures: Uniting Africa and the Caribbean through Sustainable Innovation and Inclusive Growth,” brought together policymakers, business leaders, investors, and innovators from both regions to advance trade, technology, and investment collaboration.

Representing Caribbean Export, Dr. Damie Sinanan, Executive Director, delivered a keynote address titled “Tech-Driven Transformation: Bridging Africa and the Caribbean Through Innovation and Investment” on the opening day of the Summit. In his remarks, Dr. Sinanan underscored the shared economic challenges and opportunities facing developing regions and highlighted digital transformation as a pivotal tool to drive resilience, competitiveness, and sustainable growth across Africa and the Caribbean.

“Africa and the Caribbean have all the ingredients to redefine the global narrative for developing regions — not as passive participants, but as dynamic co-creators of a new digital frontier,” Dr. Sinanan stated. “Our shared history gives us connection, but it is our shared innovation that must give us momentum.”

During his address, Dr. Sinanan showcased Caribbean Export’s 2025–2028 Strategic Plan, which focuses on improving MSME competitiveness, expanding market access, and promoting regional integration and investment.

He emphasized the agency’s six active economic development programmes valued at USD 20 million, which have already supported nearly 1,000 business professionals in 2024 alone.

Dr. Sinanan also presented the Caribbean Investment Forum (CIF) as a key vehicle to strengthen Africa-Caribbean trade and investment ties. He highlighted CIF’s evolution into the Caribbean’s premier investment platform — with over 2,000 delegates from 50 countries and USD 350 million in showcased projects — and invited partners to participate in the 2026 edition to be held in Barbados.

Among the transformative areas of cooperation identified were FinTech, digital entrepreneurship, logistics innovation, green energy, and smart agriculture. Dr. Sinanan cited success stories such as Ghana’s ZeePay expansion into Barbados and the Caribbean’s WiPay operations in Ghana as examples of mutually beneficial digital collaboration.

ACSIS 2025, sponsored by Afreximbank and held in partnership with the African Union, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), and Caribbean Export, served as a dynamic platform for connecting investors with high-potential projects in both regions.

The Summit reinforced the growing momentum for Africa-Caribbean partnerships that advance inclusive economic development through sustainable innovation.

The Caribbean Export Development Agency, representing the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator, participated in Boostcamp 2025 Founders’ Day, an initiative organized by Boost Acceleration Camp, one of Dominican Republic’s most prominent startup accelerators. In its first day, the event placed the spotlight in the startup community and amassed more than 100 founders, entrepreneurs, and innovation leaders from the Dominican Republic, Central America, and the Caribbean. Under the banner of “Growth Edition” Boostcamp 2025 focused on providing a full day of training, networking, and investment-readiness activities for the bustling startup community in the DR and the wider Latin American and Caribbean region.

Kicking off Caribbean Export’s intervention the agenda was Damie Sinanan, Executive Director, who underscored the importance of entrepreneurship, digital transformation, and expanded access to finance—key themes aligned with his broader Boostcamp message. “The Caribbean’s entrepreneurs are shaping the region’s next stage of economic growth,” said Dr. Sinanan. “By strengthening digital capabilities, improving access to finance, and forging new cross-regional partnerships, we are helping our startups scale, innovate, and compete on the global stage.”

The cornerstone of this activation was the presentation of the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator, a programme financed by the European Union under the Global Gateway Investment Agenda and implemented by an international consortium led by Tecnalia and supported regionally by Caribbean Export. Leo Naut, Deputy Executive Director, explained how the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator creates pathways for startups to collaborate directly with corporates across Europe and Latin America, co-develop digital solutions, and access new international markets through structured open innovation processes.

This Founders’ Day is part of a broader two-day Boostcamp 2025 programme, which also includes Investors & Corporates Day on November 27. Caribbean Export will represent the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator in this Investors & Corporates Day by moderating a panel with top Dominican corporates on corporate venturing, open innovation, and opportunities for startup-corporate collaboration.

Caribbean Export Hosts Live Startup Clinic During Founders Day

As part of its participation, Caribbean Export also hosted a live Startup Clinic, where the EU-LAC Digital Accelerator programme team held one-on-one meetings with local startups, led by Michelle Aybar, Technical Officer for EU-LAC Programmes and Leo Naut, Deputy Executive Director, who also serves as Programme Manager for the Accelerator at Caribbean Export. These sessions enabled startups to provide deeper insights into their capabilities to the Digital Accelerator team with the aim to connect with current corporate innovation challenges that are live within the programme. With this deeper engagement, the Digital Accelerator team at Caribbean Export aims to assist and provide the adequate support to startups to identify the actual business opportunities with corporates across the EU-LAC network.

 

The Caribbean Export Development Agency participated in the 2025 Social Entrepreneurship Symposium, with a delegation composed of Dr. Damie Sinanan, Executive Director; Wayne Elliott, Manager of Technical Programmes; Michelle Aybar, Technical Officer of EU-LAC Programmes; and Leo Naut, Deputy Executive Director, who represented the Agency during the opening of this important regional event.

The Symposium is organized by El Hueco Caribe, in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs (MICM) and the Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE). The event forms part of Global Entrepreneurship Week and gathers social entrepreneurs, public and private sector representatives, academia, and international cooperation agencies to strengthen the social innovation ecosystem across the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean.

Held under the theme “Linking the Impact Ecosystem,” the Symposium provides a regional platform to advance inclusive innovation, promote collaboration, and highlight initiatives that foster social and economic transformation.

EU-LAC Social Accelerator Presentation

As part of the launch of the National Registry of Social Entrepreneurs (RNES), Mr. Leo Naut delivered an institutional presentation on Caribbean Export’s mandate, outlining the Agency’s ongoing work to support innovation, competitiveness, and private sector development in the Caribbean.

During his remarks, Mr. Naut introduced the EU-LAC Social Accelerator, a flagship programme implemented by Caribbean Export and funded by the European Union under the Global Gateway    Investment Agenda.

The EU-LAC Social Accelerator seeks to foster social innovation across Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean by strengthening ecosystem capacities, promoting impactful projects, and supporting a fair, inclusive, and responsible green and digital transition.

The programme is led by CAINCO (Bolivia) and implemented by a consortium of international partners, including:

• Tecnalia Research and Innovation (Spain)
• The International Trade Centre (ITC)
• Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey (Mexico)
• The Confederation of Commercial and Business Associations of Brazil (CACB)
• Caribbean Export Development Agency

Together, these partners collaborate to build and strengthen social innovation ecosystems through the provision of technical assistance and capacity building that supports the development of regional social labs. These labs will create spaces for cocreation and prototyping of solutions. Complementing these efforts will be the preparation of actionable roadmaps designed to address the needs and challenges of social innovators across the region as they work to  solve social and environmental issues affecting our citizens.

The initiative places strong emphasis on empowering women, youth, and vulnerable groups, and providing financial and technical support to organizations working on transformative, community-focused innovations.

“Innovation becomes powerful when it is inclusive. What we are building with the EU LAC Social Accelerator, with the European Union and our implementing partners, is a platform where women, youth and vulnerable communities can shape solutions, access opportunities and create the Caribbean of the future. ” stated Leo Naut, Deputy Executive Director of Caribbean Export.

Caribbean Export’s Commitment

Caribbean Export’s participation underscores its continued commitment to building a more innovative, inclusive and sustainable Caribbean private sector. Through the strategic direction set out in its 2025 to 2028 plan, the Agency is focused on positioning the Caribbean as a leader in smart growth, deepening partnerships that mobilise resources, and developing investment ready projects that create real opportunities for our firms. Supported by collaborative initiatives and EU funded programmes, Caribbean Export remains devoted to strengthening regional competitiveness and resilience while ensuring that development efforts translate into meaningful social impact for the people and communities of the Caribbean.