THE first ever “Get in the Ring” Competition in St. Lucia, hosted under the aegis of the Global Entrepreneurship Week St. Lucia, moved into full gear on Thursday and Friday March 15th and 16th at the Ministry of the Public Service Training Centre at Union with Participants Training.
“Get in the Ring” is a Pitching Competition set in a Boxing ring where Start-Up Companies, (firms operating for no more than eight years) compete to showcase their business and its potential with, in this instance, vying for a place in the Global Finals in Cascais, Portugal in May 2018.
Host of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) is the St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, through its two Entrepreneurial Programs, Junior Achievement and the St. Lucia Youth Business Trust.
GEW joins the global community in celebration of the innovators and job-creators, who launch startups that bring ideas to life, drive economic growth and expand human welfare.
During that one week each November, GEW inspires people everywhere through local, national and global activities designed to help them explore their potential as self- starters and innovators.
Get in the Ring and DECA Challenge are two of these activities which start at the national level in St. Lucia and go on to the international level.
Earlier this year, the Gros Islet Infant School won the Elementary Grade prize in the internationally competed DECA Challenge from among some 2,000 entries.
A two day training programme aimed at preparing the participants in the Get in the Ring for the Grand bout on Wednesday the 21st March 2018 at Caribbean Cinemas, Screen # 1 Choc Estate, where the gloves of ideas and their jabs of plans and strategies will all be on display.
The Get in the Ring Committee includes Johnathan Allain of the Small Business Development Unit, Egbert Stevens and Emmanuel Gerard from the Department of Commerce, Natasha Walcott – Invest St. Lucia, Vela Samuel-Frederick of the German Savings Bank International Foundation, Pauline Wolff – Private Business Consultant/Junior Achievement Director, Dr. Maria Lashley – Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, Agnella Joseph of Junior Achievement and Wilton Jeremie of St. Lucia Youth Business Trust.
A number of GEW Partners also are supporting through finance and technical contributions towards the event including: the German Savings Bank International Foundation St. Lucia, the Department of Commerce, Invest St. Lucia, 1st National Bank, CIBC/First Caribbean International Bank, Caribbean Cinemas, WLBL, Renwick & Company, Fineline Graphics, Calabash TV, Kerwin Peter, FLOW, Webster Joseph, Patrick Chester and PCD. Bernard Fanis has been one of the main drivers of the programme who has been working with the St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce Industry and Agriculture and GEW to bring Get in the Ring to St. Lucia.