ENTREPRENEURS looking to start or expand their businesses will have an opportunity to pitch for up to $500,000 in grant funding at the Young Entrepreneurs Success Summit (YESS) 2026, scheduled for November 20 at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.

Organised by the Young Entrepreneurs Association of Jamaica (YEA), the summit will bring together business leaders, policymakers, financial institutions and entrepreneurs to explore financing options, market opportunities and strategies for building competitive and sustainable businesses.

While the grant competition will be a major attraction, YEA president Cordell Williams said the association is placing equal emphasis on helping entrepreneurs identify alternative sources of financing and opportunities to generate revenue.

These include commercial bank loans, crowdfunding and equity financing through the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE), alongside potential business opportunities arising from the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) and the Government’s public procurement set-aside programme.

“Access to capital has consistently been identified as one of the biggest challenges facing entrepreneurs, and we want to help bridge that gap by exposing businesses to different financing opportunities, including grants, loans, crowdfunding and equity financing. Equally important is connecting entrepreneurs to opportunities to generate consistent and meaningful revenue, whether through emerging opportunities under NaRRA or public procurement. We want businesses to know where the opportunities are and, more importantly, how to position themselves to take advantage of them,” Williams said.

She stressed, however, that financing alone would not guarantee business success, pointing to the importance of sound business models, effective management systems and the ability to generate consistent sales.

“But we also want entrepreneurs to understand that money alone does not make a successful business. You need a sound business model, the right structures and systems to drive sales, manage your day-to-day operations and support growth. Access to funding may help you get started or expand, but it is the strength of the business itself that determines whether that growth can be sustained,” she said.

The summit will feature several prominent local and international business leaders, including Jamaican-born entrepreneur Wes Hall, founder and CEO of Kingsdale Advisors, founder and executive chairman of WeShall Investments, chancellor of the University of Toronto and investor on CBC’s Dragons’ Den.

Other scheduled speakers include Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce Senator Aubyn Hill; NaRRA CEO Ambassador Major General (Ret’d) Antony Anderson; Proven Group co-founder and different Capital CEO Christopher Williams; Jamaica Employers’ Federation President Wayne Chen; and Public Procurement Commission Executive Director Nadia Morris.

The event will also highlight Jamaican businesses that have emerged from YEA’s entrepreneurial network, including TGL, represented by Duane Lue-Fung; Spaces, led by Janelle Pantry-Coke; and SMS Communications Limited, headed by Stephen Spence.

Participants will have access to the Success Showcase, where entrepreneurs can exhibit products and services, engage potential customers and establish business relationships. Another segment, Success Speaks, will feature established business leaders delivering practical advice and insights in presentations lasting three minutes or less.

Technology will also form part of this year’s programme, with artificial intelligence and other digital solutions being incorporated into the crowdfunding experience and aspects of the pitching and selection process.

An online exhibition space will allow participating businesses to showcase their products and services to virtual visitors, while the conference itself will be accessible online to entrepreneurs in Jamaica and overseas.

The summit, which runs from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, is supported by several public and private sector organisations, including the Companies Office of Jamaica, National Commercial Bank, Jamaica Promotions Corporation, Development Bank of Jamaica and the Jamaica Stock Exchange.

Williams said the broader objective is to help entrepreneurs move beyond securing start-up capital towards developing businesses capable of sustaining growth and competing internationally.

“At YEA, we want to help entrepreneurs not only access opportunities, but build businesses that are resilient, competitive and positioned for long-term success. Our ambition is to see Jamaican businesses not only succeed locally, but develop the capacity, resilience and competitiveness to access international markets and sustain their success,” she said.

Jamaican-born businessman Wes Hall, founder and CEO of Kingsdale Advisors and investor on CBC’s Dragons’ Den