Two Vincentian entrepreneurs selected for exchange visit to Qatar

Two green entrepreneurs from St Vincent and the Grenadines are among eight business owners selected under the Eastern Caribbean Green Entrepreneurship Initiative to participate in a one-week study exchange to Doha, Qatar.

The Vincentian entrepreneurs are Gordon Shallow, owner of The Plant Doctor and Ricardo Boatswain, owner of solar service company – Solife Inc. Shallow was the top performer, winner of the best video pitch and recipient of US$10,000 seed grant funding in cohort 2 of the Eastern Caribbean Greenpreneurs Incubator programme which concluded in May this year. Boatswain is one of only two entrepreneurs to be awarded an interest-free loan under the Eastern Caribbean Greenpreneurs Accelerator Programme.

The “Greenpreneurs” are scheduled to visit Qatar from October 26 and return on November 3. The main objective of the study exchange visit is to provide new perspectives, showcase green innovation and ideas, and to share knowledge and experiences across green businesses from Qatar, the Pacific, and the Caribbean regions.

The exchange visit to Qatar will provide a unique opportunity for the Greenpreneurs to connect with each other, in addition to networking with relevant market actors from Qatar, to exchange knowledge and to inspire their fellow green entrepreneurs from the respective countries to reach new heights.

The business owners will be accompanied by Kristin Deason and Laurah John from the Caribbean Office of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI).

The Eastern Caribbean Entrepreneurship Initiative is funded by the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) and is being implemented by GGGI in partnership with the OECS Commission and business support organisations (BSOs) throughout the OECS. The Centre for Enterprise Development Inc. is the partner BSO for St. Vincent and the Grenadines.