TIV spearheaded a landmark intervention in the Caribbean region through the development and implementation of an Innovation Workshop. The project was related to the goals set forth by the Grand Anse Action Plan, an overarching initiative by leaders of Caribbean countries to improve the state of the innovation ecosystem and diversify the region’s GDP. This multinational mission was headed by Dr. Keith Mitchell, Prime Minster of Grenada and Prime Minister for Science and Technology in CARICOM. It also included the participation of the CARICOM Science, Technology and Innovation Committee (CTISC), the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and others. As part of the Grand Anse Action Plan’s goal the promotion of innovation and STEM related fields, Prime Minster Mitchell headed the Innovation Workshop established by TIV and also served as its keynote speaker.

TIV’s innovation workshop was designed to distill the key ingredients necessary to achieve scientific and technological ambitions, such as those of the Grand Anse Action Plan. This was done in part by a cutting-edge workshop featuring sessions led by heads of academia and the private sector, who offered their insights into what renders a Science & Technology/Innovation (STI) system successful. Namely, the necessary policies, regulatory environment, financing, technical assistance, STI system capabilities and education of the relevant populace were discussed in focus groups and later conveyed to a larger audience.

Some of the key issues addressed in the workshop included: regional and international support and involvement; rural/urban dimension; strengths and weakness of existing STI and the role of education systems (at all levels). With the assistance of the National Academy of Sciences, the meeting culminated into an agreed-upon framework for short- and long-term initiatives for the Caribbean region. These plans were bolstered by analysis from senior World Bank officials who provided economic insights on necessary financial requirements and mechanisms to achieve the aforementioned goals.