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Sixteen high-potential technology ventures have been officially selected to face top-tier judges and investors at the upcoming Caribbean STEM Startup Challenge.
Hosted by the Caribbean Science Foundation in collaboration with the Government of Barbados, through the Ministry of Innovation, Industry, Science and Technology, the high-stakes pitch event is the premier highlight of the inaugural Caribbean STEM Engine for Economic Development (SEED) Summit.
The summit and pitch challenge will take place at the Accra Beach Hotel from June 25 to 27, positioning Barbados as the temporary epicentre of regional technological innovation.
Interim Executive Director of the Caribbean Science Foundation and Professor of Electrical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Professor Cardinal Warde, said the Caribbean STEM Startup Challenge is designed to assemble and guide teams that are ready to build the next generation of regional technology powerhouses.
Professor Warde said that by cultivating a robust ecosystem for technology-driven enterprises, the challenge aims to fundamentally shift the region from being a consumer of global technology to a producer, diversifying Caribbean economies and aggressively stimulating foreign investment.
Following a rigorous selection process, the applicants were whittled down from a competitive pool of 28. The final 16 start-ups will pitch disruptive solutions across six strategic, forward-looking categories, including biotech and health, govtech, software and AI, business services, and STEM education.
