Supporting the human imagination at work in the Caribbean

Bridgetown, Barbados — The Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export) is supporting the participation of nine CARIFORUM SMEs through funding a collective pavilion at the Innovation Village that forms part of the VIII Americas Competitiveness Forum (ACF) scheduled to be held at the Jean Pierre Complex, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago during October 9-11, 2014.

Following a recent expression of interest that involved video pitches, the Agency selected the nine firms from five Caribbean countries that are producing a range of products and services that range from educational applications to animation and new media production, as well as energy efficient products, thus highlighting innovation as a critical component of the CARIFORUM economy.

Executive director of the Agency, Pamela Coke-Hamilton, stressed that “innovation can be a catalyst for growth and development across CARIFORUM and it is part of our mandate to support firms that use creativity and innovation in their products and services because it’s a great stimulus for achieving global competitiveness”.

Integral to CARIFORUM’s transition to an innovation driven economy is the nurturing of a culture of creativity and transformation of the business climate so that innovation drives competitiveness.

Through their participation at the Innovation Village it is hoped firms will gain access to new markets and potential investment opportunities from the visitors to the exhibition over the three days. The theme of this years’ ACF is “The Human Imagination at Work: Driving Competitiveness, Powering Innovation” and the attending firms will be among some of the best local, regional, and international companies in the fields of information and communications technology (ICT), health and safety, environment, defense and security, and will be exposed to a unique opportunity to interact with a diverse audience from across the Western Hemisphere.

Participating firms include BrainStreet Group from Guyana; EZLearner Inc., Dyslexia Tool Kit and Caribbean LED Lighting Inc. out of Barbados; Paywise Limited, IXanos Ltd and Tentative Studios from Trinidad and Tobago; Avantilles from Martinique and Alcyone Animation Limited from Jamaica.