DIA Dominican Republic Innovation Lab

República Dominicana
Project under implementation

Description

The DIA Lab in the Dominican Republic aims to foster innovation and entrepreneurship among youth who will work to solve socio-economic problems while acquiring skills for the digital age and the future of work. The DIA Lab methodology offers participants the opportunity to receive training in highly demanded professional skills, participate in project incubation experiences, receive funding and mentorship, and access the Lab’s equipment.  

With the DIA Dominican Republic Innovation Lab, The Trust will continue promoting livelihood opportunities by bringing together academia, civil society, governments, the private sector, entrepreneurs, and young innovators and engaging them in collaborative spaces through the DIA Lab regional network. The DIA Labs in Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Dominican Republic will create young innovators working to solve socio-economic problems while acquiring skills for the digital age.  

The results will be more vibrant communities and a brighter future for participants with the creation of micro-enterprises and innovative solutions for problems in their communities. 

Project purpose

Promote innovation and the creation of disruptive solutions in the youth of the Dominican Republic while developing skills through training and access to technology. 

Project goals

Train and empower a minimum of 400 young innovators/entrepreneurs.

Raise awareness among 400 community members through access to technology, mentorship, and awareness activities.

Provide $20,000 USD in seed funding to support disruptive and innovative projects.

Main achievements

4
innovation labs in La Vega, Bonao and Baní Municipalities.
671
youth trained.
443
community members sensitized through workshops, sensitization sessions, networking opportunities and events.
102
individuals developed innovation projects or startups.
60
individuals received funding for their entrepreneurship projects through Pitch Tank competitions.

Structure

1
Provide Digital Skills Training
  • ICT. Key tools will include an introduction to Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, data visualization, and data-driven projects, the development of public policies with data, data interpretation languages such as Python and R, introduction to machine learning, internet of things, among others. 

  • Business Training & Incubator. Key components will include digital marketing, critical thinking and communication with clients and partners, intellectual property, social media strategies, and modern tools for commercialization. 

2
Mentorship and economic opportunities
  • Ideathon sessions are brainstorming/community events for communities to define challenges in a thematic area. The best solutions will get start-up resources and mentoring to translate them into reality, implemented in partnership with local actors. 

  • Regional Caribbean activities include international specialists, local private and public sectors, and a simultaneous hackathon to promote the use of data to solve social problems. 

3
Fostering Networks & Building a Caribbean Youth Ecosystem
  • Develop an outreach strategy for the local business community to identify candidates to provide mentorship, internships, and job placement opportunities. 

  • The Pitch Tank Competitions allow the beneficiaries to compete for seed funding based on the quality of their ideas and their business plans.   

Strategic partners

Main Donor
Local partner

Success Stories

Yefry Nuñez

Founder of Ready Recycling

Discover Yefry Núñez, a promising Dominican entrepreneur who is forging a sustainable future through his business initiative, Ready Recycling. With the invaluable support of Trust for the Americas, Citi, and ADASEC, Yefry is solidifying his innovative proposal to promote effective and responsible recycling practices. Discover his story.

Which of the following SDGS (Sustainable Development Goals) this project support?