Spanish
Santo Domingo. – The National Council for the Promotion and Support of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (Promipyme) inaugurated on September 29th the second edition of EmprendeLab 2025, a space designed to boost Dominican entrepreneurial talent and technological innovation.
The opening was led by the mayor of the National District, Carolina Mejía, who accompanied the 25 participants selected in different categories after a process that brought together more than a hundred applicants.
During the event, the general director of Promipyme, Fabricio Gómez Mazara, highlighted that this initiative represents a milestone in the commitment to national entrepreneurship. "Today we celebrate much more than an event. We celebrate the birth of a new generation of Dominican entrepreneurs, with their sights set on transforming the country and the spirit ready to conquer new markets, new technologies and new opportunities," he affirmed.
He also explained that the program is structured around a comprehensive five-stage strategy: educate, identify, activate, accelerate, and scale, designed to highlight talent and reward innovative effort.
EmprendeLab is backed by local and international sponsors, including the DINAMICA II Initiative, promoted by the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI), the European Union, and the Government of Germany, through the German Development Bank (KfW).
In her speech, Mayor Carolina Mejía emphasized the importance of consolidating ecosystems that allow young people to connect, learn, and develop their projects.
In his conference titled "Smart Cities and Opportunities for SMEs," he highlighted the dynamism of entrepreneurship in the region. He recalled that, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2024/2025, one in eight people of working age in America participates in entrepreneurial activities, while in the United States the rate has reached a historic 19% of the adult population.
Mejía pointed out that in Latin America, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises represent 99% of the business fabric, generate more than 60% of formal jobs, and contribute up to 38.6% of the gross domestic product, according to data from ECLAC. He added that in 2024 alone, financing for startups in the region grew by 26%, reaching 4.2 billion dollars, with a boom in the fintech and software sectors, which shows how technological innovation drives economic growth.
In the case of the Dominican Republic, he recalled that SMEs constitute 98.4% of companies, generate more than three million jobs and contribute 32% of GDP. "It is essential to promote programs that democratize innovation, that allow every young person with an idea to turn it into reality.
The Government is making great efforts to expand that coverage," said the mayor.
Throughout the day, attendees participated in conferences and panels dedicated to innovation in Dominican micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. Among the topics discussed were business success stories, Promipyme's vision of innovation, INDOTEL's role as a catalyst for entrepreneurship through telecommunications, the experience of initiatives such as Dinámica II, and projects with impact in areas such as agrotech and productivity from the field.
Promipyme's Innovation project director, Cairo Arévalo, explained that the 25 entrepreneurs selected in this edition will compete with their proposals in different categories, receiving visibility, training, mentoring, and access to financing opportunities.
Upon concluding, the general director of Promipyme reiterated the significance of the program as a platform to transform ideas into high-impact projects. "This initiative seeks to make entrepreneurial talent visible, foster innovation, and contribute to the creation of new growth opportunities for the micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in the country," assured Gómez Mazara.
