Innovation spurring new business in the twin islands

A person who sees a problem is a human being; A person who finds a solution is visionary; And the person who goes out and does something about it is an entrepreneur.

– NAVEEN JAIN, INDIAN ENTREPRENEUR

From the shantytowns of New Delhi to the shiny offices in Silicon Valley, people around the globe are seeking solutions to the world’s problems and needs, be they large or small. Those that solve them through developing a product or service are what we call entrepreneurship and have built the world as we know it today. Without entrepreneurs, the world would be a bleak one, with little creativity, innovation, or even social and economic development. History has repeatedly demonstrated that crises and unpredictability are pivotal in shaping societies and bringing new entrepreneurs and innovation to the fore. As the saying goes, “necessity is the mother of invention”. And with the recent pandemic unearthing problems and needs that we never even imagined existed just a year ago, a consequent surge of new entrepreneurs has emerged.

But, while its undeniable that finding solutions to human needs is at the heart of starting a business, we cannot lose sight of the fact that entrepreneurship is a horse of a different colour depending on where in the world it’s happening. In some more developed nations, the overwhelming majority are the educated elite, in others, so-called necessity entrepreneurs abound, purely due to a lack of employment and human’s basic need for survival. Whatever the reason for starting a business, entrepreneurship is a driver of societal health and wealth. There is good reason why it is considered to play a key role in the attainment of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

However, for entrepreneurship to have a maximum positive impact, it can’t happen in a vacuum. A good ecosystem is increasingly necessary to allow ideas to flourish and dreams to become reality. A slew of incubators and accelerators have sprung up around the globe to support young businesses and help them avoid the small-business curse of 30 percent of new businesses failing during the first two years. Antigua & Barbuda also has an emerging start-up ecosystem, with entities like Antigua & Barbuda Science and Innovation Park, the StartUp Huddle, the Business Circle and the Prime Minister’s Entrepreneurial Development Programme, spurring a new generation of innovators with creative initiatives and ideas.

Consequently, a wave of local entrepreneurs have set up new businesses and are seizing opportunities that have arisen from a change in the economic makeup of the twin islands. International collaboration with entities like the UNOPS Global Innovation Centre (GIC), the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN), the GARD Center, the Caribbean Climate Innovation Center (CCIC), the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI), and Spark Niagara, a business incubator in Canada, also helps unlock regional and international opportunities.

“All our dreams come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” Walt Disney

Local and regional “hackathons” and international incubator programmes have become potential launching pads for interesting start-ups. Additionally, public-private partnerships are enabling experts from the world’s leading technology, media and renewable-energy companies, together with local innovators and entrepreneurs, to develop real solutions for climate and environmental issues. Numerous new projects are materialising on the islands’ shores. Worth mentioning, are a few of the start-ups that are being incubated within the UNOPS GIC, including NADIS, an information system which will track and predict sargassum seaweed deposits and other natural disasters, and Dadli Yellow, which hopes to take the sargassum and convert it for sustainable use within the fashion industry. There is also Custom Corals, a coral-reef restoration start-up, and the LocalApp, a digital destination guide for residents and travellers which has global aspirations. Another interesting initiative is Simple Support, a charity app which helps to connect those who want to assist people in need. There is no doubt that Antigua & Barbuda has a myriad of local talent and inspiring ideas; some that will find their place in the island’s evolving economy, and others will be implemented internationally as solutions to environmental and social challenges around the globe.

A thriving start-up ecosystem has multiple layers of impact and plays a significant role in economic growth. The increasing number of people brought to the shores of Antigua & Barbuda through the Citizenship by Investment Programme, the Nomad Digital Residence visa and the returning diaspora, who have come to realise that there is no place like home, can all do their part to help boost the ecosystem through mentoring, supporting and investing in local ventures. If everyone pulls together, the twin islands have every potential to become a new regional, ecosystem hub for entrepreneurs.

To get involved, contact:

Entrepreneurial Development Programme (EDP)

The Prime Minister’s EDP is for the creation of new business entities which generate revenues, employment and innovation and is essential for the development of a vibrant micro and small business sector. www.antiguabarbudaedp.com

Antigua and Barbuda Science and Innovation Park (ABSIP)

ABSIP is a business incubator that aims to improve the survival and growth prospects of new start-ups in Antigua. It is also one of the first UN Offices for Project Services Global Innovations Centres (UNOPS-GIC). www.absip.gov.ag

UNOPS Global Innovation Centre (GIC)

UNOPS GIC’s community brings together corporations, institutions, and academia, as well as innovative start-ups, to solve global challenges with new insights and build the future. The goal of the community is to give everyone the power to contribute with their unique skillset, perspective, or opportunity to build real action towards achieving SDGs. www.unops.org/innovation

StartUp Huddle Antigua & Barbuda

A start-up programme of Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) that is designed to help one entrepreneur at a time, while strengthening the local ecosystem. It offers a unique programme designed to educate, engage and connect entrepreneurs. www.startuphuddle.app

The GARD Center

Provides entrepreneurship training programmes with special focus on agriculture as a business while advocating for an enabling environment that promotes a competitive edge. www.gardc.org

GEN GLOBAL

The Global Entrepreneurship Network fosters cross-border collaboration and initiatives between entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, policymakers and entrepreneurial support organisations to help start ecosystems that create jobs, educate individuals, accelerate innovation and strengthen economic growth. www.genglobal.org