Weeklong celebration to mark Global Entrepreneurship Week 2023

Jamaica’s première business development agency, the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC), will roll out a week of activities to celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2023.

The global celebration of entrepreneurs will run from November 13 to 19, as JBDC, in association with Sagicor Bank, joins under the theme GEW D.R.I.V.E. – Developing Rich Industry Value Chains for Exports.

Harold Davis, deputy chief executive officer at the JBDC says, “The agency has a responsibility to create new opportunities for MSMEs by facilitating industry development through value chain creation to ultimately boost exports”.

With the one-week GEW activities, JBDC will continue to highlight and stimulate emerging and existing manufacturing industries, particularly those served by its Incubator and Resource Centre (IRC), including craft, fashion, essential oils and agro-processing. These industries stand to contribute immensely to gross domestic product (GDP) and Jamaica’s export agenda.

The church service will mark the launch of the GEW activities and celebrate the 60th anniversary of the JBDC’s Things Jamaican™ brand at the Portmore New Testament Church of God on Sunday, November 12 at 8:45 a.m.

The JBDC’s IRC will come alive on Monday, November 13 with a Business Dialogue Forum and Agro-Processing Exhibition panel discussion under the topic, ‘Going Global: Planting and Packaging Brand Jamaica for Export’. The event features a panel discussion among experts in the field, and an exhibition of agro-processors, including participants in the Jamaica Harvest Specialty Food Challenge, who are vying for awards in innovation of products using pumpkin as the main ingredient. Attendees will also have a chance to view live demonstrations of equipment inside the newly renovated agro-processing incubator, an initiative funded by the European Union (EU), managed by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), and implemented by the JBDC. The project aims to boost production and export in the industry.

Entrepreneurs may join on Tuesday, November 14 for the Essential Oils Opportunity Hour and Demo Day, a spinoff of the JBDC’s Opportunity Evening event to highlight the services of the recently constructed Essential Oils incubator, as well as showcase the oil extraction process and the different uses of the oils in the production process.

INDUSTRY VALUE CHAINS

Davis says that “the establishment of both the essential oils and agro-processing incubators represents the achievement of the JBDC’s strategic objective to drive new business opportunities along industry value chains by establishing two industry specific incubators by 2023.”

The fashion and artisanal showcase on Wednesday, November 15 is inspired by the popular ‘GRWM’ social media trend. The JBDC has trained over 100 artisans in the art of Jadire. The word Jadire is coined from combining ‘Jamaica’ with the Yoruba word ‘’Adire’’, meaning ‘tie and dye’, an indigo-dyed cloth made from southwest Nigeria by Yoruba women using a variety of resist-dyeing techniques. Several local producers have since commercialised.

Pieces from these producers will be on full display. The aim is to demonstrate how fashion and craft industries complement each other through shared production and retailing. Attendees will also see a demonstration of jewellery-making techniques using metal, dubbed ‘Metal Beats’.

Entrepreneurs will gather for the Raising Capital Mini-Business Expo on Thursday, November 16, at 10 a.m.

The event will feature one-on-one consultations with exhibitors, including JMMB, TAJ, Bureau of Standards, EXIM Bank and First Heritage Credit Union. Presentations and a panel discussion on financing will also be held.

Over 60 producers and sellers of authentic Jamaican products will gather at the JBDC Corporate Office (14 Camp Road, Kingston 4) in a display of products in the following categories: Food, Fashion, Fashion Accessories, Aromatherapy, Home & Home Accents and Souvenirs on Friday, November 17 at the 60th Anniversary Early Christmas Trade Show. The event will run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and will also feature product samples, discounts and give-aways. The day will include a special edition presentation of the JBDC’s B.O.S.S Awards where four stellar entrepreneurs in manufacturing will be awarded.

All activities for November 13-16 are being held at the JBDC Incubator & Resource Centre, Unit 10a, 76 Marcus Garvey Drive, Kingston 13. All sessions commence at 10 a.m., with the exception of Monday (November 13), whichbegins at 12:30 p.m. Registration is required at no cost.

Visit https:// www.jbdc.net/gew2023/ for more information.