Young Americas Business Trust

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Young Americas Business Trust
An Alliance for Young Entrepreneur
DevelopmentFor Young People, By Young People
General Secretariat of the Organization of
American States
Promoting Innovation and Entrepreneurship in
Latin America and The Caribbean Strategies and
Partnerships
May 15 - 18, 2006 ? Montevideo, Uruguay
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Young Americas Business Trust

• The Young Americas Business Trust, YABT, acts as
  a catalyst for developing young entrepreneurs in
  the Americas through leadership, training,
  technology and strategic alliances in the
  countries of the Americas and internationally.
• YABT is a private sector initiative, a non-profit
  corporation, affiliated with the General
  Secretariat of the OAS, headquartered at the OAS
  in Washington and with national offices and
  strategic partnerships in OAS Member States.

Over the past seven years, YABT has developed as
an initiative of the OAS led by the energy,
talents, and contributions of a network of young
people and entrepreneurs in Latin America and the
Caribbean.
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Perspectives from the entrepreneurs and SMEs
Challenges and Strategies

• Challenge
• Poverty remains the central challenge facing the
  Americas in the 21st century.
• Young people under 30 comprise up to 60 of the
  population, thus holding the future prospects for
  their countries.
• Wage sector cannot create enough jobs for young
  people entering the labor market
• Strategy
• Engaging young people in entrepreneurship
  requires an integrated, ongoing approach
• Personal development
• Attitudes, motivation, persistence, learning to
  learn
• Skills training
• Technical, business, and technology
• Access to resources
• Financial and technology.

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Perspectives from the entrepreneurs and SMEs
Challenges and Strategies
Challenges Its a process not a project

• This is especially true for technological and
  scientific businesses
• The lack of coherence in policies and programs
  for entrepreneurs limits their effectivebess.
• Fragmentation reduces continuity and the
  long-term benefits to entrepreneurs
• Create a framework based less on projects and
  more on a systematic approach.
• Improving linkages and collaboration will in
  effect increase the level and efficiency of
  existing resources.

Strategy
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Perspectives from the entrepreneurs and SMEs
Challenges and Strategies
Challenges

• Paralysis of analysis
• - What are we doing about it?
• - We know what, we know how. The question is
  when?
• Innovation
• - Protecting intellectual properties
• - Moving from scientist to entrepreneur to
  mananger - or CTO
• Legal and regulatory framework
• - Does not facilitate business creation

Strategies
Its not rocket science.

• We all have to be entrepreneurs - Finding
  opportunity in the problem
• We all need to be innovators.
• We need a business model relevant to the 21st
  Century
• Not the 19th Century nor the 20th nor from
  1956 or 1976
• Learn from countries like Israel and Taiwan
  success from no resources

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• Leadership and Networking
• Leadership Links
• Connecting young entrepreneurs with business
  leaders and national associations of young
  entrepreneurs.
• Participation in the OAS and Summit of the
  Americas Process promoting entrepreneurship as a
  public policy priority. In 2005 the Foro for
  Young Entrepreneurs prior to the IV Summit of the
  Americas in Argentina.
• Business Social Responsibility (CSR)
• World Bank Institute (WBI) on-line course on
  ethics and social involvement.
• Global Development Learning Network (GDLN, World
  Bank) Videoconferences exchange best practices
  and experiences locally and internationally on
  e-business, agribusiness, trade, business and
  social responsibility, business incubators,
  biotechnology. More than 50 vcs organized in
  the past three years.

Example In 2005, YABT and GDLN organized a
videoconference on how to connect Hispanic and
Caribbean people in US and Europe for trade.
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Training emphasizing practical experience
learning by doing

• Business Labs Short, intensive hands-on
  workshops young people through a real-live
  practical business experience. Since 2003
  Business Labs training of trainers and national
  training has reached 25 OAS Member States with
  more than 17,000 young people and teachers taking
  the course. On-going technical cooperation with
  Israel.
• Entrepreneurship Education and the Internet
  YABT, the World Bank GDLN and four universities
  in Latin America (University de los Andes -
  Colombia, Universidad Rafael Landívar -
  Guatemala, Pontificia Universidad Católica
  Perú, and Globatel - Ecuador) developed an online
  course on entrepreneurial education.
• Modules include Life planning, business
  planning, ICTs, and finance.

• Financial Education
• YABT is also developing an on-site and on-line
  course focusing on money management to help young
  people and entrepreneurs learn how to manage
  money, not just borrow money.

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Training continued

• Business Labs II Specialized versions of the
  hands-on workshops in biotechnology and
  sciences (with networks of young scientists
  across the Americas), tourism, cultural
  production businesses, agro-businesses
• Incubators Linking Training and Trade YABT
  regional workshop in Guatemala, including a
  videoconference, in 2004 focusing on expanding
  linkages between incubators training markets
  - and trade.

• Leadership Labs
• YABT Brazil has developed a leadership and
  personal skills workshop to be adapted in other
  countries, next Mexico
• Follow-up Resource Centers
• To provide a systemic approach for follow-up and
  continuity of services, training, networking.

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Technology

• InfoBiz Consolidates essential business related
  information from all OAS Member States in a
  one-stop on-line resource center, specifically
  aimed at legal / licensing requirements and
  links, as well as other regional resources.
• myybiz.net A multi-faceted and open-source
  online platform for access to distance education,
  entrepreneur and trade communities, and space for
  dialogue, information, and connections. Currently
  being integrated with YABTs web page and a base
  for networking young entrepreneurs.
• Talent and Innovation Competition An
  international business plan competition, building
  on existing national initiatives, offering an
  Americas competition, and then a global
  competition with partners Sparkplug from
  Cambridge University, Advantech Foundation and
  ICDF from Taiwan.

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Strategic Alliances and National YABTs

• Examples
• Inter American Institute for Cooperation in
  Agriculture (IICA)
• IICAs presence in the 34 OAS Member States YABT
  / IICA collaboration will strengthen programs in
  rural areas, agribusiness, and related fields
  drawing on IICAs expertise in the agricultural
  field.
• Agora Partnerships - Venture Capital A unique
  model of venture capital funding for small
  business startups, coupled with ongoing technical
  assistance from MBA students of Columbia
  University and others.
• YABT National Chapters

• YABT Grenada
• YABT Mexico
• YABT Panama
• YABT Peru
• YABT Uruguay
• YABT Saint Kitts and Nevis

YABT Argentina YABT Bolivia YABT Brazil YABT
Colombia YABT Ecuador YABT El Salvador
YABT works through national YABTs and networks
of allied organizations, including many
organizations here.
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• Talent and Innovation Competition of the Americas
• TIC Americas will
• Build on existing business plan competitions in
  the Americas to scale up and broaden their scope
• Create mechanisms to learn from Asian and
  international experiences and linkages.
• Offer additional opportunities to young
  entrepreneurs through expanded training,
  proto-type development and follow-up.

Cambridge University, UK
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• Talent and Innovation Competition of the Americas
• TIC Americas
• Timeline 2006
• Phase I (To begin June 2006 and finish by July
  2006)
• Identify organizations with on-going business
  plan competitions (BPCs) interested in
  participating as sub-regional lead organizations.
• Phase 2 (To begin August 2006 and finish by
  April 2007)
• Participate in TIC event in Taiwan to learn from
  their successful experience
• Plan TIC Americas project and incorporate
  sub-regional BPCs
• 5 Subregions (Central America, Caribbean, North
  America, Mercosur and the Andean Countries), each
  submitting 40 BPs (20 from students and 20 from
  non-students) in the competition exercise.
• Each Sub Region BPC will award 4 BPs from each
  category, who will participate in the regional
  BPC, TIC Americas.

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Talent and Innovation Competition for the
Americas TIC Americas

• Timeline (continued)
• Phase 3 (May 2007)
• Regional BPC (TIC Americas)
• A total of 40 BPs will compete, 8 from each
  sub-region (as detailed).
• 6 BPs will be awarded to participate in Global
  Business Plan Competition
• TICa will aid in the Global Business Plan
  Competitions.
• Phase 4 (August 2007)
• Global Business Plan Competition, Taiwan
• 6 BP from America (TIC Americas)
• 6 BP from Europe (TIC Europe)
• 6 BP from Asia (TIC100)
• Follow-up, including international trade missions.

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Young Americas Business Trust
Organization of American States Executive
Secretariat for Integral Development
Roy Thomasson Chief Executive Officer Tel.(202)
458-3641 Email rthomasson_at_oas.org
Young Americas Business Trust Organization of
American States 1889 F Street NW Washington, D.C.
20006
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