Director of STA representing SMILE Wyb Meijer and Programme Manager of Caribbean Innovation Challenge 2019 for MicroMentor Ariana Aldapa.
PHILIPSBURG--Global humanitarian organisation Mercy Corps and Bacardi Limited are awarding 15 innovative local businesses up to US $5,000 each and access to free mentoring through Mercy Corps’ MicroMentor initiative.
MicroMentor is a social platform that enables the world’s largest community of purpose-driven entrepreneurs and business mentors to create connections, solve problems and build successful businesses together.
The Caribbean Innovation Challenge is accepting submissions through September 30. Local entrepreneurs who have registered businesses through the St. Maarten Chamber of Commerce and Industry, are of legal age and live in the country can submit their applications through the Challenge website: cic2019.org.
Free access to the MicroMentor platform is available to all entrepreneurs from St. Maarten who are seeking to strengthen their business strategies and improve their chances of winning. Studies have shown that entrepreneurs who received mentoring on MicroMentor go on to create an average of two new jobs, it was stated in a press release. Mentored entrepreneurs experienced nearly a 40% increase in revenue, as well as a significantly higher survival rate for their businesses beyond the first year of operations. Entrepreneurs are invited to create their profile by visiting: https://micromentor.org/caribbean.
Applications will be evaluated by a panel of judges, including local personalities Edsel Gumbs from Qredits, and Loic Bryan from the St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA). Winners will be selected to receive cash prizes of up to US $5,000 each to implement their business strategy.
The final results will be announced at an awards ceremony on October 26, together with the St. Maarten Innovations, Initiatives and Industries Link-up Event (SMILE). This will be the second edition of the SMILE tradeshow, the island’s main event that brings together entrepreneurs and business owners focused on innovation and sustainability.
The Caribbean Innovation Challenge is part of a larger initiative between Mercy Corps and Bacardi to support 200 small businesses in St. Maarten and aid recovery and rebuilding efforts in the region. The Caribbean Innovation Challenge is also supported by CC1, Bacardi’s distributor partner in St. Maarten.
