First UB IGNITE Business Incubator Cohort Graduates

The very first Business Incubator Cohort of the UB IGNITE Project culminated with an awards ceremony on October 4, 2023, at the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce. Surrounded by family, friends and UB-North faculty and staff, 10 immensely proud UBIGNITERS received their completion certificates, marking the completion of four months of rigorous training.

A total of 27 entrepreneurs registered for this Business Incubator, however, only 15 of them were able to successfully complete the four-month programme. Participant Keira Cox, owner of Luxury Island Scents, spoke on behalf of her Cohort and shared how wonderful the experience was in terms of personal and professional growth for her and her colleagues.

UB IGNITE’s vision is to support national development and economic growth through the promotion and support of sustainable entrepreneurial innovation. “We are on the mission to support 650 entrepreneurs across The Bahamas. Completing this first cohort shows that we are moving in the right direction to our vision,” said Joye Ritchie, UBIGNITE Project Coordinator.

By participating and completing this business incubator, these entrepreneurs have created their own innovation ecosystem. Ms. Ritchie boasted that “one of the beautiful outcomes of this business incubator is that these entrepreneurs have created a support system among themselves and have begun to collaborate with each other and definitely extended their networks.”

Incubator participants begin the programme by attending nine intense workshops over a four-week period. Participants are engaged in sessions that cover a gamut of topics that help them move one step closer to further developing their businesses.

After completing the workshops, they are paired with a mentor who then guides them and gives them one on one assistance. During this period of mentorship, UBIGNITORS begin to collaborate, network with other entrepreneurs, and discover innovative ideas and processes to grow their businesses.

UBIGNITE is presently running its third cohort and will begin the fourth cohort in January 2024. This is a free programme that is open to all residents of Grand Bahama who have an existing micro/small/medium sized business or has an idea for a business. Registration is ongoing and the UBIGNITE team is eager to welcome the next cohort of UBIGNITERS.

You can see photos of the graduation event below.