The Department of Youth and Sports announced today the launch of its Innovate to Lead (i2L) Boot Camp and Pitch Competition.
Coordinator of the Youth & Sports Development Programme Lyston Skerritt said they were pleased to collaborate with entrepreneurship coach and mentor Nerissa Golden to design an event which is in line with the department’s youth business initiative.
The i2L Boot Camp and Pitch event will be held as part of the Youth Week activities slated for November 19 to 25. The Boot Camp will be on Monday, November 19 and the public is invited to attend. Featured speakers will include CEO of the Caribbean Centre of Sustainable Livelihoods (COESL) Dr Marcia Brandon, Head of the Antigua & Barbuda Association of Small Business Owners Sandra Baptist and Richard Pummell, CEO of Workonnex, an HR software development firm and Aloe Montserrat.
The pitch competition is open to youth between the ages of 13 and 35. To enter, each participant or company must submit a pitch deck and record a 60-second pitch on video promoting their business and why they need investment. Successful entries will be invited to participate in the mentorship programme leading up to the pitch event.
Special focus will be given to entries which are technology-driven, involve green energy, and incorporate culture and heritage. Entries can be made as a startup (in business less than three years) or as an ideation (concept for a new business).
Ten finalists will compete for thousands of dollars in startup cash, prizes and ongoing mentorship support through the Youth & Sports Development Programme.
Deadline for submitting the Pitch Deck and Video is Monday, November 12, 2018 at midnight.
Full details are available at www.discovermni.com/i2L/
