A number of young business-minded Grand Bahamians will have the opportunity to hone skills in entrepreneurship, arts and heritage, maritime innovation, the environment, and technology, through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology’s newly-launched Young Innovators Club.
The eight-week pilot program is backed by an Innovation Fund of $50,000, with participants between the ages of 15 and 25 competing for a first place prize of $25,000, second place prize of $15,000, and a third place prize of $10,000.
During the program’s launch last Thursday, Minister of Education, Science and Technology Chester Cooper said that the program was specifically created with Grand Bahama’s innovation in mind, to equip young residents with the skills needed to build businesses and develop technology to help improve the island’s economy.
Program participants will be expected to identify local issues and come up with creative ideas to tackle those problems.
“The process is practical,” Cooper said.
“You will identify a problem or opportunity, research it, develop an idea, test whether it works and then convince other people that it has value.
“Over eight weeks, you will work towards a prototype, ...