The American Chamber of Commerce of Trinidad and Tobago (AMCHAM T&T) in collaboration with the High Commission of Canada to Trinidad and Tobago, hosted a virtual Tech Trade mission with local businesses and Canadian firms. The Canadian High Commission sourced the Canadian companies and AMCHAM T&T set up more than 60 meetings with local entities.
As part of AMCHAM T&T’s drive to increase FDI, AMCHAM T&T and our member InvesTT hosted these virtual commercial meetings aimed at providing local and foreign firms with an understanding of the tech landscape, helping companies with their export strategies, and allowing them to participate in virtual sales meetings with their foreign counterparts.
Over the past year, we have witnessed how technology has taken on greater influence and demand over our lives due to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We have also felt the major economic impacts this pandemic has caused to local companies with many having to reduce staff, cut costs, and close business operations, altogether. Now that we are in the race to acquire vaccines and ensure our entire population receives the vaccine in a safe, timely and responsible manner, AMCHAM T&T CEO, Nirad Tewarie says it’s important that we see digital transformation as our safe bet to full recovery and growth of our economy for a post-pandemic era. “AMCHAM T&T has been a long proponent of Tech to enable growth and attract investment opportunities so that businesses can remain competitive in the global market while facilitating the economic recovery the country needs from the pandemic.”
“These Tech Trade Missions – we hope to facilitate at least two more by the end of the year - will highlight the many investment opportunities both for tech firms to invest in T&T and for the development of partnerships with local firms. We hope to promote the tech incentives announced in the 2020/2021 budget to foreign firms to increase business in, and with T&T. We are also hoping that the exposure from these foreign firms and the knowledge generation brought about by these events will redound to boosting local entrepreneurship, creating new markets for exciting jobs and widening the talent pool. We have a generation of young innovators who are persevering despite the tough economic climate. We also have a number of firms in the market that have displayed tremendous resilience. We are trying to do our part to create new opportunities. This is how we build the Tech Hub Islands within our region.”
Meanwhile, Andrew Maharaj, Senior Trade Commissioner and Counsellor (Commercial) at the High Commission of Canada to Trinidad and Tobago says his office welcomes the opportunity to increase trade opportunities between local businesses and companies operating in Canada. “This mission has brought together excellent companies, all focused on win-win collaboration to meet the emerging challenges in our respective countries.”
“With our strong people-to-people connections, there is so much untapped potential for more business between Canada and T&T. As we come through the global pandemic, we can collaborate to build back, especially in the area of digital technologies and environmental sustainability,” Maharaj said.
There were a total of 61 business to business meetings conducted today with local companies at the virtual Trade mission with six (6) Canadian companies interested in trade and investment with businesses operating in Trinidad and Tobago. These six companies are:
1. WeLoveLearning Canada Inc. - provides online training solutions for employees and customers.
2. Inspectify - a platform that digitizes and revolutionizes risk management and organizational processes for inspections, assessments, screenings, and health protocols (including COVID-19 screening processes).
3. Unifai Solutions Inc. - supports Financial Services, Digital Governance, & Networked Supply Chains and provides Digital Transformation Software, Services and Consulting.
4. TTT Studios - an award-winning Digital Innovation Studio, building custom software for more than 200 clients around the world.
5. Cycura Data Protection Corporation - offers customized offensive and defensive services and take a proactive approach to cybersecurity, both creating and implementing break-through technologies.
6. SOTI Inc. - a proven leader at creating innovative solutions that reduce the cost and complexity of business-critical mobility and the IoT.
AMCHAM T&T would like to thank our partners at the High Commission of Canada to Trinidad and Tobago and InvesTT for their support in facilitating this Trade Mission. We would also like to thank the local companies and Canadian firms who agreed to participate in today’s meetings. AMCHAM T&T will continue to provide support and leadership in our continued advocacy in promoting tech as a viable means for both enabling growth and a sector of growth and investment in Trinidad and Tobago.
For further questions or comments please contact: Nirad Tewarie, CEO AMCHAM T&T at niradtewarie@amchamtt.com.