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This call for applications is launched in the framework of Transcultura: Integrating Cuba, the Caribbean and the European Union through Culture and Creativity, a five years Programme implemented by the UNESCO Regional Office in Havana with the support of the European Union. The overall purpose of the Programme is to deepen cultural integration in the Caribbean and to strengthen people-to-people cooperation and exchange within the region and with the European Union. 

In this context, the Caribbean Creative Lab is an incubator initiative tailored to creative and cultural entrepreneurs in the Caribbean, particularly those interested in applying new technologies and digital solutions to their businesses. During this four-week programme, from February to March 2025, selected participants will engage in a variety of enriching activities designed to scale up their businesses and will benefit from:

• A one-week online business capacity-building (from 17 to 21 March 2025) focused on the impact of new technologies and digital solutions applied to business, including, but not limited to: understanding digital transformation, data analytics for decision-making, cloud computing and business scalability, artificial intelligence in business operations, digital marketing strategies and sustainability through technology. 
• Personalized mentorship for business pitch deck preparation and guidance. After defining the challenges and selected business models, a network of experienced mentors from relevant companies will guide participants in delivering a professional elevator pitch aligned with their business objectives.
• A one-week residency (from 31 March to 4 April 2025) in Havana, Cuba, designed to help participants apply their newly acquired skills and knowledge to their businesses. Participants will learn how to enhance and professionalize their business strategies for competitive environments. Through personalized mentoring, they will engage with European experts who will share their expertise and skills to support startups. Participants will also connect with key industry figures, fostering potential alliances and business opportunities.
• Networking opportunities. The Programme will ensure meaningful engagement between business facilitators, corporations and investors. The initiative will be a place of connection between the different stakeholders and an opportunity to create strategic alliances that will propitiate an exponential growth of Caribbean entrepreneurships, weaving an ecosystem within the cultural and creative industries.

To be eligible for the UNESCO Transcultura Program's Caribbean Creative Lab, you must be between 18 and 35 years old and must be a citizen and legal resident of one of the 17 Caribbean countries within the geographical scope of the Transcultura programme: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. 

A Selection Committee, comprised of experienced professionals, will select a maximum of ten (10) young Caribbean entrepreneurs based on their background and business initiative/project.