Incubators sponsored by COSME set to transform St. Maarten’s economy
PHILIPSBURG, ST.MAARTEN – 22 May, 2018 – COSME, a European Union funded programme, has launched the online business incubator CaribConnect in four of the Caribbean Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) Bonaire, Curacao, Aruba and Cayman.
CaribConnect.net, is simple to use and is currently free to anyone conducting or wishing to conduct business in the Caribbean. There are three profiles for registration in CaribConnect.net, Entrepreneurs, Mentors and Investors. CaribConnect has over 500 registered businesses and over 70 mentors in its Caribbean database.
On 24 May, the launch for CaribConnect will take place at Produce Wealth Revolution Agency also known as “The PWR Agency”, St. Maarten’s first incubator, located at 137 Union Road, above Subway, in Cole Bay.
Leslie Abell, part of the original development team from the Netherlands will present CaribConnect to a network of administrators and to the business community. This event is for leading educators and entrepreneur support individuals in St. Maarten. Those who participate in this workshop will learn how to register and use CaribConnect.net. Once registered, CaribConnect offers entrepreneurs and business owners online tools such as templates for business plans and financial plans and educational opportunities. Interested persons should register on the COSME Facebook page.
COSME has provided business planning support to founder Ms. Ife Badejo for The PWR Agency, which provides a variety of services to help entrepreneurs achieve success in addition to its meeting and co-working spaces.
The PWR Agency space promises to be an energizing location for entrepreneurs to rent a private office, collaborate, hold meetings or just drop by to connect and work with other like-minded people for the day. The PWR Agency also offers front desk service and ample parking. Research has shown how physical incubator space helps entrepreneurs stay connected and motivated to achieve even greater success.
“Incubators have the potential to help transform economies. This is the aim of The PWR Agency, to help transform our economy one entrepreneur at a time. Each entrepreneurial idea is a building block of wealth, solutions, and social change. To build a resilient, innovative, and thriving economy we need incubators to provide the ecosystem of much needed support, expertise, and services for the entrepreneur.” Ife Badejo, Founder and Chief Experience Officer of The PWR Agency.
The Caribbean is home to many resilient and successful entrepreneurs. Incubators such as the PWR Agency have the experience and resources to help these driven entrepreneurs to reach their potential.
“Access to resources and expertise provides entrepreneurs with needed skills and knowledge for business operations. Incubators are a way to accelerate growth. However, in the small Caribbean Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) physical connections are not always possible. CaribConnect is a way to access resources such as mentors and investors outside of St.Maarten.” said Hans Verschoor, COSME Key Expert on Business Incubation.
CaribConnect.net was designed to empower and to connect entrepreneurs and business owners through information sharing and business matching of mentors and investors. Critical to its success is the promotion and registration of this online incubator. Business persons who are interested in accessing resources such as mentorship, suppliers and or investors and growing are encouraged to register to attend the CaribConnect event on COSME’s Facebook page.
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The COSME programme specialises in the development of the micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in the 12 Overseas Countries and Territories, and was launched on April 1, 2014 on Tortola, BVI. The overall objective of the programme is to contribute to the sustainable economic diversification and prosperity of Caribbean Overseas Countries and Territories by improving the competitiveness of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises in the participating Territories.
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Photo caption: Ife Badejo, Chief Experience Officer (CEO) of The PWR Agency in St. Maarten.
