Five blue economy entrepreneurs each get $10,000 in seed funding

FIVE Bahamian entrepreneurs each received $10,000 in seed funding after emerging as winners of the inaugural Blue Economy Accelerator Pitch Competition, as the Small Business Development Centre (SBDC) and the Nature Conservancy (TNC) seek to strengthen businesses while protecting the marine resources underpinning the country’s economy. The competition, hosted through a partnership between TNC and SBDC, forms part of the Impact Funding for Bahama Reefs programme, supported by the Global Fund for Coral Reefs.

The five winners are Aston Symonette, owner of Escape Bahamas; Charles Johnson, owner of Island Bey Coastal; Allison and Dino Longley, owners of Blue Quest Bahamas; Melissa Cartwright, owner of Spa Chicks on the Go; and Alex Pearson, owner of Bahama Mineral Company.

The competition marked the culmination of an eight-week accelerator designed to help Bahamian entrepreneurs develop commercially viable businesses while incorporating conservation and reef-positive practices into their operations.