Call for projects organizer
The Young Americas Business Trust (YABT) is a nonprofit corporation, that works in cooperation with the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) to promote social and economic development among young people in the western hemisphere and around the world.
Description
The Caribbean Innovation Competition (CIC) is an international support programme and business start-up accelerator for entrepreneurs in the Caribbean. Organized by the Young Americas Business Trust (YABT), in collaboration with regional and national partners, the CIC helps transform intellectual ideas into profitable business models through the commercialization of Intellectual Entrepreneurial Assets (IEAs).Introduction
The Caribbean Innovation Challenge (CIC) is an international entrepreneur competition and business start-up accelerator for young people in the CARICOM Member and Associate States. The CIC differentiates itself 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, visibility and promotion opportunities.
The CIC started in 2012 as a part of the Youth-IN Programme of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Barbados and the OECS, designed and implemented, since its creation, by the Young Americas Business Trust (YABT); the CIC follows the ten-year hemispheric model of the Talent and Innovation Competition of the Americas (TIC Americas). In 2015, in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and The University of the West Indies, the CIC operated as part of the Caribbean Regional Entrepreneurial Asset Commercialization Hub (REACH).
Since its inception, the CIC has had an exclusive and special focus of creating support networks for entrepreneurs in the Caribbean, the 2017 – 2018 edition, supported by the World Bank, will take place, for the first time, as part of the VIII Summit of the Americas youth-focused events: the V Young Americas Forum and its implementation component, TIC Americas.
To date, the CIC has supported the creation of 447 business proposals in 18 CARICOM countries.
CIC participants and finalists benefit from the program through of access to:
• Business network
• Content and knowledge
• Development markets
• Finance sources and angel investors
• International visibility and recognition
• Mentors and technical support
Rewards
The CIC winning team
$5 000One trophy will be presented to the winning Team as the recipient of the CIC Award.
A Certificate will be presented to each registered Team member of the winning teamas the recipient of the CIC Award.
Other networking and leadership opportunities will be presented to the winning participants by rendering them eligible to showcase their business in future YABT and international events, follow-up mentoring, training, and promotional activities.
Priority to participate at YABT’s events and be nominated to other international expos, conferences, symposium.
Six-month follow up through YABT’s Nex Links Centers
Timeline
Submission starts
Submission ends
Ceremony starts
Ceremony ends
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