EIGHT local entrepreneurs spanning sectors from agriculture to digital services have been selected for the 2026 Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) Fellowship, a programme aimed at strengthening business capacity and deepening economic ties across the hemisphere.

The cohort — chosen from more than 1,200 applicants — includes Ava Gay Lewis of Aveena Beauty Salon Limited; Jik Rueben Pringle of Jik Reuben Holdings; Damani Thomas, founder of Carbon Neutral Initiative; Dr Kimberley Johnson of Skyn by Dr Kym; Kingsley Harrison of Target Technologies; Michka Harrison of Granny Nanny 24-hour Childcare; Toni-Ann Williams of Mosa Estate; and creative producer Travis-John Bailey of Wengi Kofia Consultancy.

The fellows will travel to the United States in April, where they will participate in a four-week professional placement course with host organisations across 18 cities, following an opening orientation in Houston and ahead of a closing forum in Washington, D.C.

At a pre-departure briefing in Kingston on Tuesday, public affairs attaché at the US Embassy Michael Lavallee framed the selection as recognition of both the strength of local entrepreneurship and the broader role Jamaican businesses are playing in addressing real world challenges.

“You were selected from an incredibly competitive pool because you are builders, innovators, and problem-solvers. Many of you are already leading ventures or strengthening organisations that are tackling real challenges right here in Jamaica,” Lavallee said.

“From Kingston to Montego Bay, from rural communities to emerging tech spaces, Jamaican entrepreneurs are proving every day that creativity and resilience can turn ideas into opportunity,” he added.

Beyond individual business development, the programme is being positioned as part of a wider effort to strengthen regional collaboration at a time when countries across the Americas are grappling with shared economic and social pressures.

“But beyond the technical skills, this fellowship represents something larger. It reflects a partnership across the Americas rooted in shared values: initiative, resilience, collaboration, and opportunity,” Lavallee said, adding that, “Many of the challenges we face today… require entrepreneurial solutions and regional collaboration.”

Participants will be exposed to practical aspects of business growth, including scaling operations, accessing new markets, attracting investment, and integrating technology into their ventures.

“You will work alongside US organisations, expand your professional networks, and sharpen the strategies behind your ventures… scaling businesses, accessing markets, attracting investment, and leveraging technology,” he said.

The initiative, launched in 2015, has increasingly become a pipeline for business expansion, with data from programme organisers showing that 84 per cent of fellows secure new resources within a year of completing the fellowship.

For Jamaica, where small and medium-size enterprises continue to play a central role in economic activity, the programme offers a pathway to international networks that are often difficult to access locally.

Lavallee said the expectation is that fellows will return not only with new skills, but with a clearer capacity to translate ideas into measurable impact.

“The YLAI Fellowship is not about changing who you are — it is about strengthening your ability to turn ideas into impact. When you return home the goal is simple: Take what you learn, build something meaningful, and create opportunities for others,” he said.

— Karena Bennett