The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), through its SheTrades Caribbean Hub and with support from the Government of Canada-funded Supporting Resilient Green Energy (SuRGE) Programme, has launched the SheTrades Caribbean Tech It Up Facility, a new initiative valued at USD550,000 to support women-led businesses in developing innovative clean energy solutions and accelerating the Caribbean’s transition to a sustainable energy future.

The Facility will provide targeted technical assistance to help women-led businesses in Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Suriname develop and transform innovative clean energy concepts and solutions into commercially viable products and services.

Women-led MSMEs continue to face barriers in accessing technology, financing, technical expertise and business networks, particularly within emerging green economy sectors. The SheTrades Caribbean Tech It Up Facility addresses these challenges by creating pathways for women entrepreneurs to participate more fully in the rapidly growing sustainable energy sector.

Through the project, which is part of the SheTrades Caribbean Programme, eligible Caribbean women-led businesses, including scientists, researchers or technologists will receive technical assistance and financial support over the three-year period from 2026–2028 to increase the adoption of energy-efficient technologies and practices. Areas of focus include developing and commercialising clean energy innovations, building technical and business management skills, accessing financing opportunities, and integrating into regional and global clean energy value chains.

“The transition to sustainable energy presents significant opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship and economic growth,” said Dr. Isaac Solomon, Vice-President, Operations, at the Caribbean Development Bank. “The SheTrades Caribbean Tech It Up Facility is designed to bridge the gap between innovation and commercialisation by providing women entrepreneurs with the skills, mentorship, financing and technical support needed to transform promising ideas into market-ready solutions.”

Under the project, the SheTrades Tech It Up R&D Grant will also provide USD100,000 in funding support for a women-led business operating in the field of science, technology or product development and innovation to develop commercially viable solutions in energy efficiency, renewable energy applications or smart energy systems.

Eligible applicants must be women-led enterprises operating in Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Suriname which demonstrate the potential to develop innovative products, services or technologies that contribute to sustainable energy transition. Applicants may be at the ideation, research, prototyping, testing, pilot implementation, or early-stage development and commercialisation phases.

Projects will be assessed based on innovation, technical feasibility, patentability, commercial viability, environmental impact, and the ability to create scalable and sustainable economic opportunities. The successful applicant will receive funding support, technical mentorship, business development coaching, intellectual property guidance, market readiness support, and must collaborate with Caribbean and Canadian academic institutions engaged in research, collaborative innovation and solution development in clean energy and/or energy transition.

Speaking on behalf of Global Affairs Canada, Her Excellency Brenda Wills, High Commissioner of Canada to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, said: “Canada is proud to support initiatives that advance women’s economic empowerment while contributing to climate resilience and sustainable development. Through the SuRGE Programme, we are helping create opportunities for women entrepreneurs to participate in the clean energy transition and develop innovative solutions that generate lasting economic and environmental benefits.”

The initiative is expected to contribute to the development of market-ready energy solutions, strengthen the participation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) entrepreneurship, foster academic-industry collaboration, and increase women’s participation in the Caribbean’s emerging green economy.  As a central feature of the Regional Hub’s implementation, partnerships between Caribbean and Canadian universities will serve to strengthen research and innovation ecosystems and provide entrepreneurs with access to research commercialisation expertise, innovation labs and facilities for knowledge exchange through technical cooperation.

Applications for the SheTrades Caribbean Tech It Up R&D Grant Facility will open in Q1 2027 through the Caribbean Development Bank’s Submittable Portal. Detailed eligibility criteria, application guidelines and submission requirements will be published ahead of the launch of the call for proposals.

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