The Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation (Levan Center of Innovation), an economic and education development engine in South Florida, announced its first innovation nation partnership with Cayman Enterprise City (CEC).
The initiative will establish the Cayman Islands Country Desk initiative at the Levan Center of Innovation, which is a public-private partnership between Nova Southeastern University and Broward County, and provide a business residence for entrepreneurs based in the Cayman Islands.
The partnership aims to create new opportunities linking the Cayman Islands to South Florida using the Levan Center of Innovation as the launch pad for US market entry.
“The opportunity for NSU (NOVA Southeastern University) and the Levan Center of Innovation to partner with Cayman Enterprise City creates unlimited possibilities for startup companies based in the Cayman Islands to enter the U.S. market successfully,” said John Wensveen, chief innovation officer at NSU and executive director of the Levan Center.
“The Levan Center of Innovation will act as the landing pad for such entrepreneurs using The World’s First Theme Park for Entrepreneurs™ as the connection to customised programmes, events, services, customers, and funding opportunities in South Florida. This initiative also provides entrepreneurs based at the Levan Center of Innovation opportunities to access CEC’s master planned campus opening spring 2023,” he said.
“The Country Desk model focuses on establishing partnerships with innovation nations from around the world, and I am extremely excited to announce the Cayman Islands and Cayman Enterprise City as our first official partner.”
The agreement, which was signed on 2 Dec. at the CEC headquarters in George Town, also creates new opportunities to link the South Florida region to the Cayman Islands and the global network affiliated with CEC, including multiple international startups and businesses headquarters on the islands.
The Levan Center of Innovation and CEC will develop joint programmes and events and share wraparound services. In addition, the CEC’s Launch Labs incubator programme will pipeline top startup companies to the Levan Center of Innovation’s Founder’s Journey programmes (Ideate, Incubate, Accelerate, Post-Accelerate).
“By partnering with the Levan Center of Innovation, we are able to extend our offerings, better support our community of innovators, and expand our ecosystem beyond our borders,” said Charlie Kirkconnell, CEO of Cayman Enterprise City. “This partnership will be a work in progress as we define how to best align our respective ecosystems. We are very excited to get started with this process.”
Related Videos
