Women entrepreneurs in Dominica can access financing, technical support and a US$100,000 grant through the SheTrades Caribbean Tech It Up programme.
Dominica: The new SheTrades Caribbean Tech It Up Facility programme will provide women entrepreneurs in Dominica access to financing and technical assistance. It is focused on increasing and strengthening clean energy innovations.
The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) announced that the SheTrades Caribbean Tech It Up Facility programme is expected to run for a period of three years, from 2026 to 2028. It is being delivered with the help of Canadian-funded Supporting Resilient Green Energy (SuRGE) Programme
Dominica, along with seven other Caribbean countries, will be qualified to participate in the initiative. The other nations are Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Suriname.
This project aims to assist women with their technology projects connected to renewable and efficient energy. Support services will be provided to companies depending on different stages. These include early research and product development, testing, piloting, and early commercialization.
Another significant component of the programme is the SheTrades Tech It Up R&D Grant, which will provide US$100,000 to an eligible business that is owned by women.
It targets businesses, scientists, and technologists working on science and technology projects that can produce commercially-viable solutions in areas of energy efficiency, renewable energy or smart energy.
Various elements will be taken into consideration in evaluating the applications. Some of them include the novelty of the idea, the technical feasibility of the plan, the marketability of the concept, environmental benefits, and overall economic impact.
The project chosen will be both financed and assisted in its development as a business. It will be advised on technical and business coaching. The selected business will also learn ways to protect their intellectual property and guidance to prepare the product for the market.
Moreover, they will be introduced to other institutions that work in the area of clean energy and are based in both the Caribbean and Canada.
Isaac Solomon, CDB Vice-President of Operations, stated that the new center would assist women entrepreneurs to develop their technologies from the developmental stage to the market stage.
High Commissioner of Canada to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Brenda Wills, highlighted the importance of the initiative. She described it as a part of their efforts to increase women's economic empowerment and strengthen climate resilience and sustainable development.
The initiative also aims to increase the number of women in the field of STEM entrepreneurship. It will promote university-business collaborations and create more opportunities in the growing green economy of the region.
The applications for the grant of US$100,000 will be opened in 2027 via the CDB’s Submittable Portal. Further information regarding qualification criteria and application processes will be available prior to the commencement of the application process.