Registrations open for Start-Up Challenge

Open to young people aged 18 to 34, the competition identifies innovative solutions that further new technologies with social impact, building a resilient future alongside this new generation.

The Start-Up Challenge is a special category of the Talent and Innovation Competitions of the Americas Program (TIC Americas), in the Entrepreneurship for Action component toward the VII Young Americas Forum at the X Summit of the Americas, to be held in the Dominican Republic in 2025.

Categories

• Innovation and Development: Business models that respond to strengthening industries using innovation as a vehicle for socioeconomic growth by promoting financial inclusion, human capital, and sustainable business practices that advance equal opportunities and equitable access to resources.
• Digital Transformation, Connectivity, and Emerging Technologies: Business models capable of accelerating and adopting digital transformation by developing solutions based on Artificial Intelligence, emerging and sustainable technologies, as well as the efficient use of digital innovation tools to boost local economies.

Benefits

• The team selected will be named the Competition Overall Winner (“Competition Winner”), and will receive an awards package (“Award”) valued at USD 10,000 each, including:
  • $5,000 Seed Capital cash award. to be used as seed capital for the development/growth of the business.
  • Three (3) months of follow-on business training support.
  • Promotional opportunities in high-level events, such as the OAS General Assemblies, the Summits of the Americas, and other similar spaces.

Eligibility Criteria

• In order to compete and be eligible to win in the Start-Up Challenge, a special category of TIC Americas 2025, competing teams (“Teams”) must meet the following criteria:
  • Be composed of a minimum of one (1) person and a maximum of five (5) people between 18 and 34 years old, with experience in different areas of their business.
  • Participants must be citizens or legal residents of OAS Member States. Multinational Teams may compete. Multinational teams shall register under the country of nationality or country of permanent residence of the CEO. Operate or plan to operate a business in an OAS Member State and be capable of formally registering the business in that country.
  • Each team may register up to two Volunteer Mentors responsible for guiding the team through their expertise (optional).

Ineligibility Criteria

• The following individuals are not eligible to register or compete in the Start-Up Challenge:
  • YABT staff, members of its Board of Directors, and national chapters. TIC Americas judges. Staff, contractors, and members of its Board of Directors and Advisory Council of Banreservas.
  • Entrepreneurs who have already received capital investment and/or financing from Cree Banreservas Program.
  • Organization of American States’ General Secretariat personnel. Immediate family or household members of anyone mentioned above.

For more information, visit YABT.