Minister of International Business and Industry, Ronald Toppin, believes that ClimateLaunchPad will be an important step in building bold and visionary companies that are willing to do their part in creating a resilient and green economy in Barbados.
He made the comment as he delivered opening remarks at the ClimateLaunchPad National Finals, held at Bagnall’s Point Gallery, Pelican Centre, Bridgetown, this morning.
ClimateLaunchPad is the world’s largest green business ideas competition, and seeks to unlock the world’s cleantech potential that addresses climate change, creating a stage for those ideas to be grown into global businesses.
Climate Launchpad Barbados, the local arm of the global competition, is being executed by the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC), in partnership with the Caribbean Climate Innovation Center. It is being funded by the Inter-American Development Bank. The programme is part of the entrepreneurship offerings by EIT Climate-KIC, the European Union’s innovation programme for climate change.
Minister Toppin informed the finalists “that their journey does not have to end today or in November. While this is a significant part of a collaborative effort to develop Barbadian cleantech companies, there is more.
“I am pleased to inform you of how my Ministry of International Business and Industry, in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and the BIDC, will be supporting climate innovation start-ups beyond this competition.”
The Industry Minister disclosed that The Barbados Green Technology Cluster, soon to be fully established at the Newton Industrial Estate, would provide a range of incentives to support research and development for qualifying incubator companies.
Minister Toppin thanked the BIDC for inviting him to be a part of the local ClimateLaunchPad finals and told finalists “opportunities like these can be pathways to help Barbadians develop their ideas to become globally competitive businesses, whilst ensuring that the future we want becomes a reality”.
Finalists will present their project/ideas before a panel of judges with expertise in international business, cleantech start-ups and finance and investments. The top two successful teams will advance to the Global Grand Final in The Netherlands in November 2019.