BRANSON CENTRE WELCOMES 15 NEW ENTREPRENEURS INTO ITS BUSINESS ACCELERATOR PROGRAMME
Branson Centre Caribbean recently welcomed 15 new entrepreneurs into its business accelerator programme; selected entrepreneurs are seeking to develop as leaders, increase revenue and break into new markets.
Branson Centre accelerates the growth of businesses through three intense months of business training, mentorship and access to funding opportunities. Over 300 businesses submitted applications. After a rigorous vetting process, 15 entrepreneurs through the following businesses were selected:
Naturalis Limited
Allen’s Better Foods Distributors
“This 3-month programme will not be a walk in the park – it will challenge our entrepreneurs on many levels,” said Branson Centre’s CEO, Lauri-Ann Ainsworth. “We always strive to build a dynamic cohort”, she added. “Each entrepreneur was selected because we saw that they have the potential to be business leaders across a wide cross-section of industries,” she added. Ainsworth said that “agility is crucial to survive and thrive in today’s new normal” which is a core principle entrepreneurs will take away from this programme; “it will help them step out of their comfort zone and attempt to do what they thought was not possible”.
Clare Bailey, Branson Centre’s Head of Programmes and Strategic Partnerships, speaking at the virtual welcome session offered words of encouragement to the latest cohort: “You must embrace this opportunity and hold firm to your dreams. You must work tirelessly, daily reaffirming your commitment to creating something far beyond yourselves; to build and create wealth – leaving a rich legacy for the next generation; always being kind to humanity while positively impacting the environment and the world”.
Branson Centre has been able to consistently produce results that directly impact the issue of growth in the Caribbean for over a decade. In addition to welcoming a new cohort, Branson Centre has recently set in motion its business acceleration consulting model. “We want to make an even bigger impact on the Caribbean entrepreneurial ecosystem, so we are taking our proven results and methodologies developed over the years to support other incubators, accelerators and business enablers”, said Ainsworth. Under this new offering, Branson Centre has been supporting Unite BVI’s training and mentorship programme to accelerate the growth of startup entrepreneurs in the British Virgin Islands.
Are you a Caribbean entrepreneur interested in growing your business? Click HERE to apply for Branson Centre’s Summer cohort!