The Innovation Growth Market (aka the IGM200)
At 2:00 p.m. on Day Two (4th December), the IGM200 room (at the Hilton Resort Barbados) shifted.
The workshop moved from discussion to demonstration — from theory to reality — as three SMEs stepped forward for “The Fundraising Journey: Pitching to Investors.”
Representing different sectors and stories, Caribbean E-Waste Management, Uniquely Crafted, and WISA Foods (an EcoMyco brand) each took the stage to present before an assessment panel comprising Christopher Sambrano (Grant Thornton), Andre Walcott (Williams Industries Inc.), Connie Smith (Vistra), and Charles Carter (SBA).
What followed was more than a pitch session. It was a learning laboratory.
A Safe but Serious Space
From the outset, the tone was deliberate. This was not a public spectacle, nor a high-pressure elimination round. It was a safe, professional space designed to allow entrepreneurs to test their investment narratives in front of experienced practitioners — and to receive structured, candid feedback.
The nervous energy was unmistakable.
Each presenter carried not only a slide deck, but years of work, personal sacrifice, and ambition. For some, this was the first time presenting their business in an investor-facing format. For others, it was the first time reframing their enterprise not just as a product or service — but as an investment opportunity.
Yet as the first presentation began, something else filled the room: focus.
Three Stories, Three Journeys
Caribbean E-Waste Management brought a vision that extended beyond Barbados — a company seeking to redefine how the region addresses electronic waste and resource recovery. The ambition was regional. The mission was environmental. The aspiration was transformative.
Uniquely Crafted delivered something deeply personal. Rooted in family heritage, its story was not simply about growth — it was about continuity, culture, and carrying a legacy forward. The pitch reflected how family history had shaped the company’s identity and future trajectory.
EcoMyco stood out for its polish. Founder Kerri-Ann Bovell later acknowledged that she had revised and refined her presentation multiple times during the workshop itself, adjusting as she absorbed feedback and insights from earlier sessions. The result was a confident and compelling delivery — evidence of real-time learning in action.
The Energy in the Room
As each presentation concluded, the panel leaned in — asking probing but constructive questions. The exchanges were rigorous, yet respectful. Assumptions were tested. Numbers were challenged. Strategies were sharpened.
For the wider audience of SMEs observing, the session was equally powerful. They were not passive spectators. They were seeing, in real time, what investors look for — clarity, credibility, structure, and defensible growth logic.
There were moments of tension. Moments of humour. Moments of visible relief as presenters completed their final slides.
But above all, there was excitement.
The room felt charged — not because capital was being offered that day, but because the pathway had become tangible.
Learning for All
The session was transformative not only for the three pitching SMEs, but for the entire cohort. It demystified the fundraising process and humanised it. It revealed that investment readiness is not about perfection, but preparation.
And, in hindsight, there was consensus: next time, even more time could be dedicated to this segment.
Because when entrepreneurs step into the investor arena — even in a workshop setting — growth accelerates.
The Fundraising Journey was not the end of the process. It was a rehearsal for what comes next.
And for many in that room, it was the moment everything became real.