Innovate Your Business Now! - Information Booklet

INNOVATE 22 March 2016

YOUR BUSINESS Central Bank of
Curaçao and St. Maarten
NOW!
Simon Bolivarplein 1
Innovation seminar
for SME’s in Curaçao Curaçao

Get informed Inspiring
about how smart, keynote speech by
creative, and green Mr. Eugene Rhuggenaath,
technologies can Minister of Economic
make your business
more competitive Development

1-on-1
Speed Dating Sessions with:

Grupo Puntacana
Appsterdam
Whim Architecture
Brainwaves
TNO Caribbean
University of Curaçao
Curacao Investment & Export Dev. Foundation
Curaçao Innovation & Technology Institute
Curaçao Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Start Up Curaçao
Ministry of Economic Development
Permanent Representation of The Netherlands

Limited places available!

Entrepreneurship: Breaking barriers Entrepreneurship: The back bone of
our economy
The Ministry of Economic Development envisions a
Curaçao that optimizes its business potential to Small and Medium Enterprises are the driving force
produce and export globally competitive products behind the Dutch Economy. Without creative and
and services. By creating an environment that innovative entrepreneurs who are willing to take
encourages entrepreneurial characteristics; a country risks, The Netherlands would be in a less
is developed where every citizen is able to contribute favorable position in many aspects.
to a bright future. Together we can create an
ecosystem that lives by the principles of possibilities To give a concrete example: the OECD has calculat-
rather than impossibilities; turning ideas into ed that nowadays sixty percent of job growth in the
realities, taking initiative and promoting Netherlands can be attributed to start-ups.
inclusiveness. An environment, in which new
businesses are created, economic growth, can be Entrepreneurship is about courage, willingness to
achieved, unemployment is reduced, innovative take risks and above all about doing it. Such as well-
products and services are introduced, marketed, sold known entrepreneur Richard Branson once said: “The
locally and to the rest of the world. best way of learning about anything is by doing.”

Our youth has many bright and innovative ideas. We It is also important to inspire each other and to see
should make use of their energetic vibe and all the possibilities that are out there if you just dare
creativity to promote and cultivate more to take the step to start your own business. Or when
entrepreneurs to drive the economy forward in an you have already started, how to lead your business
innovative way. We need to create an environment to excel or to grow (in different ways) by innovating
in which every opportunity presented is a learning your concept or the way you do business.
opportunity and entrepreneurs always find a niche
in the market and business opportunities resulting in And where you need a little push you can rely
solutions to challenges and profit for our businesses. on your surroundings even on a small island like
Curaçao, as being part of the Kingdom. That is why I
Collaborating with the Netherlands and being part immediately agreed to step on the bandwagon to ask
of the Kingdom, offers many possibilities that you dynamic leaders in the innovative and sus-
can capitalize on. Let us focus on the new economy tainable small enterprises in the Netherlands to join
and create more innovative businesses together. We forces with you here and share their experiences.
need to collectively cultivate the entrepreneurial
spirit among our citizens. Let us connect with foreign I hope you will get inspired by their stories and that
entrepreneurs; to tap into the available knowledge this will be the start of new initiatives on this
and experience, in order to build upon each other’s beautiful island of Curaçao! Just do it and enjoy!
strengths.
Mr. Henk Brons,
Start and keep moving forward, because our Permanent Representative of The Netherlands
economy is and will continuously be #ONTHEMOVE for Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten

Mr. Eugene Rhuggenaath,
Minister of Economic Development of Curaçao

TIME TABLE

8:00 - 8:30 Registration & Coffee

8:30 - 8:35 Welcome
Mr. Billy Jonckheer, President of Curaçao Chamber of Commerce and Industry

8:35 - 8:45 Opening Speech
Mr. Henk Brons, Permanent Representative of the Netherlands for Aruba, Curaçao,
and St. Maarten
Promoting exchange of expertise and applied technologies between Dutch and Curaçao’s SME’s.

8:45 - 9:05 Keynote Speech
Mr. Eugene Rhuggenaath, Minister of Economic Development
Technological innovations to boost SME’s development and job creation for greater competence.

9:05 - 9:25 Green & Sustainable Tourism
Mr. Jake Kheel – Grupo Puntacana

9:25 - 9:45 Innovative Architecture
Mr. Ramon Knoester – Principal Architect at Whim
Architecture

9:45 - 10:05 Mobile Apps
Mr. Mike Lee – Mayor of Appsterdam

10:05 - 10:25 Smart Sustainable Data Center
Mr. Leo Habers – Brainwaves

10:25 - 10:45 SME Innovation Platforms
Mr. Jan Ebbing - Caribbean Branch Office TNO

10:45 - 11:00 Coffee Break
Offered to you by the University of Curaçao

11:00 - 11:20 Innovative Projects in Curaçao
Mrs. Monique Raphaëla – CITI

11:20 - 11:40 Innovative Start Up possibilities in Curaçao
Mr. Ghatim Kabbara - Start Up Curaçao

11:40 - 12:30 Interactive Panel Debate
Chaired by, Mrs. Rita Dulci Rahman - Permanent
Representation of The Netherlands, Office
Willemstad.

12:30 - 13:30 Lunch
Offered to you by the Curaçao Chamber of Commerce and Industry

13:30 - 15:00 1-on-1 Speed Dating

19:00 - 21:00 Informal Reception (Bitterstraat 3, Scharloo)
Offered to you by the Curaçao Investment & Export Dev. Foundation

1-on-1 Speed Dating Informal Reception - Bitterstraat

Seize the opportunity to have 1-on-1 Following the 1-on-1 speed-dating,
meetings with some of the speakers of the participants are offered an additional chance
event, and ask any question or share any to exchange experience with the speakers
idea you have. and organizations they have met in the
morning at the seminar.
Opportunities are on a first come first serve
base, so register in time, maximum 3 dates At 7 PM all seminar participants are invited
per person. to join the informal reception at Bitterstraat
3 in Scharloo.
Your speed-dates agenda will be confirmed
24 hours prior to the event.

And don’t forget to be on time! You will only
have 5 minutes per date. So make them
count!

3D Printing
Innovative Architecture
ICT & Data Management
Mobile Apps

Contact Innovate Your Business Now! is a free
seminar for SME’s in Curaçao. It is an ini-
Tesha Yung: tiative in collaboration of the Ministry
@: [email protected] of Economic Development, Curaçao
tel: +5999 4343210 Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
Curaçao Innovation and Technology
Marije Feersma Hoekstra: Institute, Curaçao Investment & Export
@: [email protected] Dev. Foundation, University of Curaçao,
tel: +5999 4343219 Start Up Curaçao, Central Bank of
Curaçao and St. Maarten, and Permanent
Representation of The Netherlands.