Above: Dominica

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Young entrepreneurs in Dominica’s cultural industry are receiving help to develop their business ideas this week through a Cultural Enterprise Business Lab.

The lab is being organized by the Dominica Youth Business Trust in conjunction with the United Nations Development Programme and Mashav, Israel’s Agency for International Development Coooperation.

Following the completion of the business lab, young Dominican entrepreneurs will be able to participate in the regional Caribbean Innovation Challenge, which looks to foster innovation in the Caribbean.

This week’s lab follows a similar event project last year focusing on tourism.

According to Youth Minister Justina Charles, 21 of 31 young entrepreneurs who took part in last year’s lab are “in operation,” or at some phase of development.

“This represents a 68 percent success rate over a 12-month period,” Charles said.

This year’s lab is being coordinated by David Slyper and Rina Yaffe, and will look at the creation of green businesses and the development of the skills necessary to do so.

The Organization of American States is also working with the initiative, Dominica’s government said.