The Caribbean Innovation Competition (CIC) 8.0 will have the following priorities this year, including, (a) Adaptation and (b) Mitigation with a Special Focus on Sargassum and Natural Disasters. It is also an opportunity to invest in the Future of Business, Technology and Youth Employment in the Caribbean.
CIC 8.0 will run parallel with the Talent and Innovation Competition of the Americas (TIC Americas), and it will host its Finals at the 50th OAS General Assembly. By connecting CIC with the OAS General Assembly, young people from the Caribbean will have the opportunity to prepare, debate, and present their recommendations and plans of action to the governments attending the General Assembly, having a direct impact in decision making processes for policy and priorities definition.
Citizens or legal residents of the Caribbean between 18 and 34 years, are encouraged to apply. A US$5,000 prize is awarded to the winners at the Finals of TIC Americas 2020, and a full scholarship to attend the finals event will be provided to the finalists, among other incentives such as further training and mentoring throughout the programme, as well as international visibility of their businesses during the Finals of CIC.
As part of the Caribbean Innovation Competition 8.0 entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to present innovative solutions, tools, and mechanisms that will help the Caribbean region adjust to the realities of Climate Change, while creating economic opportunities and sustainable businesses in the following categories:
- Adaptation: Developing innovative solutions that will allow citizens and businesses in the Caribbean to adjust to the new realities of climate change, by creating new social and economic opportunities.
- Mitigation: Developing tools and mechanisms that will allow the Caribbean to reduce or eliminate the social, economic and environmental impact of climate change in the Caribbean.
In addition to presenting a Special Focus on the following topics:
Sargassum: Entrepreneurs in the Caribbean will have an opportunity to present innovative and sustainable solutions to respond to the diverse threats and opportunities that Sargassum presents for the Caribbean. We also want to raise awareness on the occurrence of sargassum across the Caribbean as part of the programme.
Natural Disasters: Entrepreneurs can also present their innovative ideas and solutions to strengthen the Caribbean disaster management systems in the region, and thus help to reduce the negative impact of hurricanes, floods, or other natural disasters that occur.
For more information about the Caribbean Innovation Competition and to register, enter now at https://ticamericas.net/cic/
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Background: The CIC started in 2012 as a part of the Youth-IN Initiative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Barbados and the OECS, designed and implemented, since its creation, by the Young Americas Business Trust (YABT), an International organization that promotes economic and social development of young people through entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership and active participation. YABT works in collaboration with the Organisation of American States (OAS) registered as a 501 c 3 non-profit in the District of Columbia.
Submitted by St Andrew Development Organisation – SADO
