Diaspora Engagement Technical Roundtable, Startup Boot Camp and the Caribbean Idea Marketplace Awards Ceremony

February 25-26, 2013
Pegasus Hotel, 81 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5, Jamaica

In terms of migration, the Caribbean represents one of the most dynamic regions in the world. The migration phenomenon is both a challenge and a great opportunity for supporting competitiveness of the region, the entrepreneurial aspirations of Caribbean migrants and the overall development of the CARIFORUM. Migrants are crucial actors that can play a leading role in shaping the future of the Caribbean.

Thus, Compete Caribbean is organizing a Diaspora Engagement Technical Roundtable to bring together key experts on diaspora engagement to generate knowledge and identify potential strategic interventions that can impact the Caribbean. This Technical Roundtable will take place on February 25, and will be followed by a Startup Boot Camp for the 12 finalists of the Caribbean Idea Marketplace Business Competition (CIM) and the live Caribbean Idea Marketplace.

The Diaspora Engagement Technical Roundtable will focus on four thematic areas:

CIM is an initiative that follows the IdEA model, which has been very successful all over the world. It is an effort to give life to the entrepreneurial aspirations of migrant entrepreneurs; and after successful implementation in Africa, it was replicated in 2012 in the Caribbean. DFID and CIDA have donated resources to turn into reality the best and most innovative business ideas developed by Caribbean migrants selected following Compete Caribbean procedures.

Scotiabank, Digicel and the US Department of State have provided technical advice and have supported the dissemination of CIM, while infoDev will guide the group of 12 CIM finalists through their future work and will also sponsor the participation of the best teams to the Global Forum on Innovation and Technology Entrepreneurship in South Africa in May 2013.

On Day One, the 12 finalists will work with the infoDev team to ready themselves for the Startup Boot Camp in an effort to develop effective presentations for the marketplace on day two. The Startup Boot Camp, developed by infoDev with funding from CIDA, is hands-on training to turn an idea into a business success. It will provide the 12 finalists with the opportunity to strengthen their entrepreneurial and business development skills through additional training and mentorship. In particular, infoDev will also coach them on how to access additional opportunities for funding and investment, as well as possible pairing opportunities with a diaspora angel investor network.

At the live Marketplace, the finalists will present their innovative business ideas in front of an audience of potential partners and investors and will receive feedback from a panel of business experts. The presentations will be recorded and, together with interviews with the finalists, will be made available through the Compete Caribbean and IdEA websites for further dissemination and marketing opportunities for the emerging entrepreneurs.

The event will conclude with the CIM Awards Ceremony where DFID and CIDA will announce the winners of the CIM grants that have been made possible through the Compete Caribbean program and also the special CIM Excellence Award; while IdEA and infoDev will announce the winners of the trips to the Global Forum on Innovation and Technology Entrepreneurship in South Africa in May 2013.

The event will be held in English.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT

Caribbean Idea Marketplace Initiative (CIM) Coordinator
E-mail: diasporacim@iadb.org

Press Queries: kmahy@iadb.org