NEDCO National Entrepreneurship Awards – Trinidad and Tobago

As the organization mandated to support the development and growth of the Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs), the NEDCO National Entrepreneurship Awards 2024 will shine a spotlight on these amazing and resilient entrepreneurs and provide them with the national recognition and acclaim that they deserve. The theme for the 2024 Awards is Exploring Horizons which would highlight our awesome local entrepreneurs who continue to experience not just growth and success, but continue to provide amazing and innovative solutions to the local and international markets. They deserve to be applauded and celebrated!

Objectives

• To highlight our exemplary entrepreneurs as models of start-up success;
• To provide encouragement to our local MSEs for their successful growth and expansion.
• To encourage the creation of new start-ups, including within youth entrepreneurs, niche markets and emerging sectors;
• To plant the seed of self-employment as career choice within our local society and encourage a culture of entrepreneurship;
• To help drive the entrepreneurial development, sustainability and competitiveness of the micro and small enterprise (MSE) sector.

Award Prizes

Each NEDCO National Entrepreneurship Award will consist of:

• A Trophy
• $TTD 15,000.00
• One NEDCO Ultimate Entrepreneurial Development Package consisting of Four (4) Entrepreneurship Training Workshops, Three (3) Business Advisory Sessions and Three (3) Entrepreneurship Development Webinars

Categories

Minister’s Award – Youth Entrepreneur / Youth in Business

• The Youth Entrepreneur Award recognizes and celebrates persons aged 18 to 35 years who started or own a business and would have achieved a level of business success that belies their age. Entrants would have demonstrated innovative business concepts that create economic opportunities for themselves and others. The youth are truly our future!
• Award Criteria
  • Entrants will need to:
    • Describe their business initiatives or improvements over the last 12 months.
    • Indicate what was the impact of their business initiatives or improvements (via growth in income, clients, job creation or assets /investments in the company).
    • Indicate how their business initiatives or improvements are being sustained.
• NEDCO Client Entrepreneur of the Year Award
  • The NEDCO Entrepreneur of the Year Award recognizes and celebrates NEDCO clients who would have started or own a business and would have achieved significant growth either via job creation or economic improvement.
  • Award Criteria
    • Entrants will need to:
      • Describe their business initiatives or improvements over the last 12 months.
      • Indicate what was the impact of their business initiatives or improvements (via growth in income, clients, job creation or assets /investments in the company).
      • Indicate how their business initiatives or improvements are being sustained.
• Green Entrepreneur Award
  • The Green Entrepreneur Award encourages micro and small enterprises to adopt environmentally sustainable practices, such as recycling, waste reduction and water, energy and building materials efficiency, which lead to a reduced environmental impact, as well as economic gains.
  • Award Criteria
    • Entrants will need to:
      • Describe their green initiatives or improvements over the last 12 months.
      • Indicate what was the impact of their green initiatives or improvements (via decrease in environmental impact or economic gains).
      • Indicate how their green initiatives or improvements are being sustained.
• Innovative Entrepreneur Award
  • The Innovative Entrepreneur Award recognizes and celebrates MSEs which extol the virtue and benefits of innovative thinking in both emerging and traditional industries. Whether its new products, services, processes or markets, the innovative initiatives would have led to job creation or economic improvement.
  • Award Criteria
    • Entrants will need to:
      • Describe their innovative initiatives over the last 12 months.
      • Indicate what was the impact of their innovative initiatives (via growth in income, clients, job creation or assets /investments in the company).
      • Indicate how their innovative initiatives are being sustained.
• Technology-Driven Entrepreneur Award
  • The Technology-Driven Entrepreneur Award recognizes and celebrates MSEs in which technology played a significant role in the growth and achievements of the company. Whether its new products, services, processes or markets, the technology-driven initiatives would have led to job creation or economic gains.
  • Award Criteria
    • Entrants will need to:
      • Describe their technology-driven initiatives over the last 12 months.
      • Indicate what was the impact of their technology-driven initiatives (via growth in income, clients, job creation or assets /investments in the company).
      • Indicate how their technology-driven initiatives are being and sustained.
• Female Entrepreneur Award
  • The Female Entrepreneur Award recognizes and celebrates women who have demonstrated leadership, innovation and excellence in business that led to economic growth or job creation.
  • Award Criteria
    • Entrants will need to:
      • Describe their business initiatives or improvements over the last 12 months.
      • Indicate how their leadership, innovation or excellence in business impacted their business (via growth in either income, clients, job creation or assets /investments in the company).
      • Indicate how their business initiatives or improvements are being sustained.
• Male Entrepreneur
  • The Male Entrepreneur Award recognizes and celebrates men who have demonstrated leadership, innovation and excellence in business that led to economic growth or job creation.
  • Award Criteria
    • Entrants will need to:
      • Describe their business initiatives or improvements over the last 12 months.
      • Indicate how their leadership, innovation or excellence in business impacted their business (via growth in either income, clients, job creation or assets /investments in the company).
      • Indicate how their business initiatives or improvements are being sustained.
• Arts and Culture
  • The Arts and Culture Entrepreneur Award recognizes and honors excellences of MSEs in culture and the arts who have promoted the culture of Trinidad and Tobago by setting high standards in achieving outstanding performance in the ‘Creative Class” demonstrated through social impact, creativity and excellence in business that led to economic growth, job creation and /or led to local or global brand recognition.
  • Award Criteria
    • Entrants will need to:
      • Describe their business initiatives or improvements over the last 12 months.
      • Indicate how their leadership, innovation or excellence in business impacted their business (via growth in either income, clients, job creation or assets /investments in the company).
      • Indicate how their business initiatives or improvements are being sustained.

Target Market

The target market for the NEDCO National Entrepreneurship Awards 2024 will encompass the national entrepreneurship landscape to provide continuous developmental support and aid in the diversification of our economy:

• Youth entrepreneurs
• Female business owners
• Technology-driven start-ups
• Innovative entrepreneurs
• Start-ups with environmentally sustainable practices
• Entrepreneurial niche markets, including retail, hospitality, and agro-processing, among others
• Persons working in arts and culture
• The local MSE sector

For more information, visit National Entrepreneurship Development Company Limited (NEDCO).