The entrepreneurs of Port-au-Prince are visionaries with great products and services.
According to a Transform Finance report, Haiti requires a host of ecosystem investments in order for entrepreneurs to develop their ideas. The report states: “Challenges such as management capacity and even basic support for incorporation have hindered enterprise launch and growth. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has pushed for SME development with technical assistance and business plan development programs. There have even been a few financing mechanisms for SMEs. Access to these services, however, was uniformly described as “a total nightmare”. As such, there is an opportunity, beyond direct investments into enterprises, to invest more generally in the economic support ecosystem. Funding for collective impact initiatives, such as a co-working space with administrative services, could have a large impact on multiple projects at once.”
Zel (means “Wings” in Creole) is an Entrepreneurship Development Program that will provide 20 Early Stage Entrepreneurs (ESE) a reliable work space, business training, and a supportive network. We partnered with Katalyst Konbit an organization that strives to invigorate Haiti’s entrepreneurial ecosystem through the development of startups and innovation.
We had the honor of implementing Katalyst Konbit’s 32-week entrepreneurship development program consisting of mentor pairing and business workshops facilitated by SMEs with expertise in the following key areas: personal and professional development, business operations, design thinking, user centered design, branding and marketing, legal and financial planning, quality control and storytelling.
Through our first cohort's launch, we empowered 18 early-stage entrepreneurs, of which Castelline Tilus was one of them.
Castelline Tilus is an entrepreneur who was one of the first fellows in our inaugural Entrepreneur Development Program, Zel. She entered our program with a vision of launching Haiti's first Data Science Bootcamp Program. Her company is called Ayiti Analytics; a data-centric lab committed to increasing Haiti's analytical capacity through data science education. The Ayiti Analytics team, in less than 12 months, trained 15 students, created the Ayiti Analytics Health System Dashboard to monitor COVID-19 responses, and provided online corporate training to several companies. Castelline's entrepreneurial journey shows us that everything is possible through a combination of her dedication, community support, and access to the right resources.
We are proud to support the Ayiti Analytics team and are looking for partners to contribute towards the success of this wonderful initiative. Sponsor a Student It take a village to cultivate our community.
In August, through slow internet and many trips to Mrs. Pierre’s house, Jeudy became one of 11 students who graduated from the data analytics bootcamp. “It was worth the pain and the sacrifices I had to make,” said Jeudy, a senior at the Technical Center of Planification and Applied Economics (CTPEA). “Almost all of my friends dream of becoming a big data scientist. The dream is here, the love for it is here but there aren’t enough training programs. When I found this opportunity, I felt extremely lucky.” (Read the full Haitian Times Article here )
Interested in supporting or learning more please reach out. Sponsor a student today, or reach out for something more at partnerships [at] kaytita.org.
I’ve seen that when our community comes together, when we’re vulnerable and honest with each other, great things happen. My aim is to use this fellowship to support the growth of our amazing entrepreneurial community in port-au-prince.
Impact Hub Port-Au-Prince takes an authentic approach to developing community, inspiring members through sustainable practices. Emphasizing progressive inclusivity and transparency, Impact Hub aims to preserve and expand Port-Au-Prince’s creative and thriving entrepreneurial culture. We hope to reach maximum effectiveness with the intentional practice of accountability. Guided by love, respect, honor, and trust, we always seek to refine, elevate, and restore the health of our community.
will direct a training and operations program within Impact Hub called GeoHaiti. GeoHaiti trains adults on geospatial information systems (GIS) that serve to improve community disaster resilience. Training topics include community communications, water and sanitation management, environmental preservation, public health measures, community disease surveillance, sustainable infrastructure, and hazard analysis.
Kay Tita will be the greenest commercial building in Haiti since it will be constructed according to The Living Building Challenge (LBC) standards, considered the most rigorous environmental performance standard. People from around the world use this regenerative design framework to create spaces that produce more energy than they utilize.
MUCE EDUCATES is an organization co-founded by Barthelemy Mervil, David Pierre-Louis’ brother, and utilizes arts promote intercultural exchange and to bring an end to cyclical poverty. MUCE is committed to teaching the visual arts to youth in urban areas so that they may compete in the global market. The organization provides educational workshops and opportunities for the emerging labor force with an emphasis on production in arts and culture.
Haiti Coffee Co. is a U.S. based company that imports Haitian Coffee while working towards infrastructure development that directly benefits the farmers from whom they source. The organization provides solutions that address deforestation, environmental sustainability, agriculture training, and infrastructure development.
Seattle‐based startup, Impact Bioenergy, manufactures and sells bioenergy systems that convert organic waste materials into renewable natural gas and fertilizer with zero waste.
Ambient Water (formerly AWG International) is Washington state based company that uses a patented technology that transforms humidity into an abundant source of safe, clean water.
Startup Week brings entrepreneurs, local leaders, and friends together over five days to build momentum for their vision for change.
The DoSchool develops experiential learning programs centered around innovation and facilitates opportunities for entrepreneurs to move from ideation to implementation.
Yes Baby I Like it Raw helps people tap into their raw potential and “process the unprocessed life” by developing health and wellness programming such as yoga meditation, and nutrition.
Days for Girls puts freedom and opportunity back into the hands of women and girls by providing sustainable hygiene solutions.
