The Trust for the Americas, Citi Foundation and ILE Celebrate the Success of the Entrepreneurship World Cup Finals in Jamaica

Kingston, Jamaica, August 4, 2024 – The Trust for the Americas, Citi Foundation, and the Institute of Law & Economics (ILE) celebrate the successful conclusion of the Entrepreneurship World Cup (EWC) Finals, held on Wednesday, July 24th at the Altamont Court Hotel in Kingston. This event, organized through the DIA Urban Lab for Youth Innovation, highlights the Trust’s commitment to fostering innovation and resilience within underserved communities.  

The EWC is a global platform that champions entrepreneurs at various stages of their business journeys. Since 2019, it has been instrumental in bolstering Jamaica’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, offering invaluable opportunities for participants to present their innovative ideas, engage with mentors and investors, and compete for prestigious awards. This year, the competition drew tremendous support from local partners, including the Consular Corps of Jamaica and the Global Entrepreneurial Network (GEN) Jamaica.  

In a dynamic talent showcase, eight contestants—five women and three men—competed fiercely for the top honor, with five participating in person and three joining virtually via Zoom. Despite the challenges brought by Hurricane Beryl, these entrepreneurs demonstrated exceptional resilience and commitment to their ventures, a testament to the unwavering spirit of the Jamaican entrepreneurial community.  

Shauna Todd, Project Coordinator of the Trust’s DIA Urban Lab, lauded the participants’ journey by saying, “The growth of the participants over the last month is remarkable and is a testament to the remarkable partnerships which give local entrepreneurs access to a rich ecosystem of support that fosters growth and development of innovative businesses.” Ms. Todd continued by highlighting the fact that “despite the challenges posed by Hurricane Beryl, the contestants demonstrated remarkable resilience and dedication to their projects.”  

The competition included extensive preparation, featuring two information sessions and a four-week pitch training and mentorship program led by Robert Scott, Dean of the Consular Corps of Jamaica. Esteemed judges, including Jason Clarke, Chairman of GEN Jamaica; Ann Marie Francis, Regional Sales Manager of LASCO Micro Finance Limited; and Tanketa Chance-Wilson, Executive Director of the Barita Foundation, lent their expertise to evaluate the contestants.  

Representing Jamaica at the next level of the competition is Jermaine Bryan, who hails from Montego Bay, St. James, with his project Blueprint Farms Ltd., which aims to provide revolutionary vertical farming technology for more efficient food provision. Mr. Bryan shared his joy at taking the top spot, “Congratulations to all who entered the competition, as this journey taught us a lot about ourselves and our businesses. I’m thankful to the ILE, The Trust, and Citi Foundation for the opportunity, and I am excited to see where all my hard work, passion, and dreams for this project will take me next.”  

The Trust for the Americas remains committed to supporting innovative projects like Blueprint Farms Ltd. and is eager to see the continued success of all participants as they contribute to the economic and social development of their communities. 

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About The Trust for the Americas:       

The Trust for the Americas is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization affiliated with the Organization of American States (OAS). It was established in 1997 to promote public and private sector participation in social and economic development projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. Our initiatives, implemented through local partner organizations, seek to improve access to economic opportunities as well as to foster innovation in vulnerable communities in the hemisphere. To this end, The Trust also promotes social inclusion and good governance. The Trust has offices in Washington, D.C., Colombia, and Canada.        

More information: www.thetrustfortheamericas.org         

About Citi:  

Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments, and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management.    

Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com | Twitter: @Citi | YouTube: www.youtube.com/citi | Blog: http://blog.citigroup.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/citi | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/citi.    

About Citi Foundation:  

The Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. We invest in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant communities. The Citi Foundation's "More than Philanthropy" approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfill our mission and drive thought leadership and innovation. For more information, visit www.citifoundation.com.