Suva, Fiji – 30 August 2023 – The first ever Pacific Islands Entrepreneurship Expo was held in Fiji on 30th – 31st August 2023, jointly hosted by the Global Green Growth Institute in collaboration with the United Nations Capital Development Fund, United Nations Development Programme, International Labor Organisation, Asian Development Bank and YGAP. The two-day expo at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva brought together public, private and development stakeholders to collaborate and discuss ideas that could unleash the potential of entrepreneurs and small enterprises in addressing environmental concerns, social issues, and economic growth concurrently.

The Chief Guest, Fiji’s Acting Minister for Trade, Cooperatives, Small and Medium Enterprises, Hon. Filimoni Vosarogo, hailed entrepreneurs as catalysts for economic growth and social development, who combine creative spirit, courage, and business acumen to overcome significant odds and help improve standards of living in the country and region.

Ms. Katerina Syngellakis, Global Green Growth Institute Regional Managing Director for the Pacific, commenced the Expo with her opening remarks. Ms. Syngellakis stated, “this event is not just about acquiring skills and knowledge, it’s also about fostering a sense of community and collaboration among our entrepreneurs. I am confident that the bonds forged here and the connections that will be made will be catalysts for future partnerships and collaborations that will undoubtedly contribute to the growth of businesses across the Pacific Islands.”

The inaugural event brought about a great networking opportunity to connect entrepreneurs with investors/financiers and like-minded businesses and booth displays/entrepreneurship showcase by innovative entrepreneurs.

On Day One, GGGI kicked off with an interactive panel discussion on “Empowering Women in Green Innovation”, featuring inspiring women entrepreneurs and innovators in their respective countries of Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa and Papua New Guinea. The trailblazing panel was comprised of Ms. Nakita Irvin, Founder & Director of Tasty Kitchen Collective & Tasty Island Treats; Ms. Ruth Cross – Kiribati Green Entrepreneurship & Agribusiness Consultant & Kindling Kiribati Board Member; Shaunalee Katafono: Co-founder & CEO of TraSeable Solutions and Ms. Esther Sione Daniels: Founder of Te’hine Trend and was moderated by Ms. Nathalie Andre, GGGI Regional Lead for Adaptation & Nature Based Solutions.

The session also provided a platform for attendees to contribute to documenting challenges and recommendation to empower women in a substantive way through an interactive workshop.

Ms. Esther Bates, GGGI’s Pacific Green Entrepreneurs Network Project Manager, acknowledged Qatar Fund for Development for its financial support. “This event as well as our program would not have been possible without the generous support from our funding partner, Qatar Fund for Development.”

On Day Two, GGGI hosted the Pacific Greenpreneurs Accelerator Regional Pitch Finals (Demo Day), which featured seven national finalists representing five Pacific Island countries (Fiji, PNG, Tonga, Vanuatu, Kiribati) pitching their businesses in front of a four-member judging panel, investors, interested stakeholders and over 100 attendees.

Speaking at the Pacific Islands Entrepreneurship Expo Demo Day on Day 2 as the Guest of Honor, Hon. Filimoni Vosarogo, called on development stakeholders to create an ecosystem where every entrepreneur can access the resources and opportunities they need to scale their endeavours and thanked GGGI and the Qatar Fund for Development for their support for green entrepreneurs in Fiji and the region.

Mr. Vosarogo said: “Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Entrepreneurs in Fiji and the wider Pacific are vital to our economies as sources of jobs, growth, and innovative service delivery. Their very presence enriches our economy and helps build resilience and sustainable livelihoods.

Mr. Daniel Muñoz-Smith, GGGI’s Country Representative for Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga and Vanuatu gave his welcoming remarks for the regional Demo Day event. Mr. Muñoz-Smith stated “our Pacific Greenpreneurs Accelerator participants including the Regional Pitch Finalists who are here today, are inspirational, innovative, and present huge potential for growth and job creation. With that, he wished all the pitch finalists all the best with their business pitches.

Ms. Talei Tora of GingerLei from Fiji and Mr. Kaiea Ribanataake Awira of Clean Spatial Solutions from Kiribati secured the top two spots, winning an all-expense-paid study trip to Qatar alongside green entrepreneurs from the Caribbean and Qatar, awarded by the guest of honor Hon. Filimoni Vosarogo.

The Pacific Islands Entrepreneurship Expo included workshops and panel discussions on business modelling, access to finance and investor-readiness, and explored ways to incubate ideas into active projects that prioritise green growth and the inclusion of more women in entrepreneurship. It also provided a platform for Pacific entrepreneurs to engage directly with government and development partners on issues that matter to them the most.

To amplify the visibility of Pacific start-ups and entrepreneurs, the expo featured a dedicated expo area to showcase growth-ready start-ups, graduates from previous incubator and accelerator programmes, and public bodies supporting MSMEs and start-ups.

The regional Pacific Green Entrepreneurs Network (PGEN) is a 3-year project funded by the Qatar Fund for Development and implemented by the Global Green Growth Institute. The Network aims to support green and inclusive job growth by supporting entrepreneurs (particularly women and youth) develop their green and sustainable businesses whose business models include solutions aimed at contributing to their country’s climate and sustainable development goals in 6 Pacific Island countries – Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.

About Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD):

Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) is a Qatari public institution committed, on behalf of the State of Qatar, to implement foreign aid projects by international best practices and standards.

Since 2012, QFFD has been providing aid to many countries in accordance with the international cooperation goals of Qatar National Vision 2030. Its primary goal is to achieve inclusive and sustainable development by addressing global priority issues in education, health, and economic development. In this context, priority is given to the following Sustainable Development Goals:

1.     SDG 3: “Ensuring healthy lives and well-being for all”;

2.     SDG 4: “Ensuring fair and inclusive education for all and enhancing lifelong learning for all”;

3.     SDG 8: “Promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and keeping full and productive employment and decent work for all.”

To realize the optimal development impact, QFFD projects are also designed to have cross-cutting co-benefits within SDG (2) on “Zero hunger” and SDG (6) on “Ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all” in addition to SDG (17) on “Partnerships to Achieve Goals.”

QFFD cooperates with many reputable actors through strategic partnerships both locally and internationally. These include Civil Society Organizations, government agencies, UN agencies, and the private sector.