Scaling FinTech in Trinidad and Tobago and across the Eastern Caribbean
Where imagination meets the art of the possible.
Vision:
To deliver a FinTech-enablement Centre which will offer a collaborative environment for all stakeholders to work, connect and collaborate on innovation and FinTech-enabled transformation projects; as well as attract both local and foreign FinTechs through accelerator and incubation programmes, funding and training.
Why One FinTech Avenue?
Educate . Innovate . Accelerate
One FinTech Avenue aims to serve as the centre of activity for FinTech within T&T, as well as the Caribbean region. It is envisioned that the Centre will promote the ecosystem by hosting relevant infrastructure, businesses, and individuals, as well as promoting opportunities for engagement and interaction.
The Centre will serve as a holistic ecosystem by connecting and partnering with existing programmes hosted by other institutions to further nurture and mature FinTechs in the market and attract new FinTechs from abroad.
Programmes
One FinTech Avenue aims to facilitate a clear FinTech pipeline in T&T by operating under four programmes:
Acceleration Programme
To curate a collaborative environment for FinTechs with an onsite ecosystem.
Solutions Programme
To crowd-in investors, donors, and partners to facilitate financing opportunities that help FinTechs come to market. It aims to solve industry-wide constraints concerning financial inclusion, digital finance, and the broader financial sector transformation.
Policy Programme
To provide guidance to strengthen business plans/applications ahead of submission for licensing or seek regulatory certainty for the use of particular technologies. This programme works in close coordination with the Joint Regulatory Innovation Committee.
Research Programme
To conduct relevant surveys, questionnaires, and other related research activities to establish a source of evidence, insights, measurement, and evaluation to strengthen the activities of the Centre as well as generally advance digital finance and financial inclusion.
Partners
One FinTech Avenue was established in partnership with our sponsors:
The Centre is envisioned to include well established financial and technology companies, early and established FinTechs and other interested parties such as sponsors, educators, technology providers. It is open to many different types of collaborations and aims to facilitate partnerships between entrepreneurs and larger companies both in T&T, as well as internationally.
One FinTech Avenue Launch
Frequently Asked Questions
What is One FinTech Avenue?
One FinTech Avenue aims to be the centre of activity for FinTech within T&T, and the Caribbean region. It is envisioned that One FinTech Avenue will promote the ecosystem by hosting relevant infrastructure, businesses, and individuals, in addition to promoting opportunities for engagement and interaction. One FinTech Avenue has been designed to ensure that the ecosystem is holistic by connecting and partnering with existing programmes hosted by other institutions to further nurture and mature FinTechs in the market, as well as attract new FinTechs from abroad. In essence, One FinTech Avenue aims to establish a clear policy framework to help innovative entrepreneurs and established FinTechs to confidently develop their operations, test and operate FinTech solutions in T&T and develop solutions for the global market.
What programmes and resources does One FinTech Avenue offer to startups and established fintech companies?
One FinTech Avenue will crowd-in and facilitate opportunities for financing to scale FinTech innovation. We will also work to guide FinTechs by providing support to strengthen applications ahead of submission for licensing. Furthermore, One FinTech Avenue will support opportunities for collaboration and partnership between government, private sector, FinTechs and entrepreneurs.
Will One FinTech Avenue regulate, or license innovative products developed by Fintechs?
No. One FinTech Avenue is not the entity tasked with the responsibility to regulate or license new innovations.
How does One FinTech Avenue differ from other FinTech hubs?
As the region’s premier FinTech Innovation Centre, One FinTech Avenue will work to build capacity and facilitate opportunities to scale FinTech across the Eastern Caribbean. The Centre is tasked with the responsibility to identify and resolve industry-wide issues that slow down digital finance and inclusion. It is also tasked to engage with established financial sector and technology players as well as new entrants.
Can One FinTech Avenue assist Fintechs to circumvent existing legal and regulatory requirements?
One FinTech Avenue will not facilitate or entertain requests to bypass existing legal and regulatory requirements as established by our stakeholders such as the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago. Furthermore, One FinTech Avenue will not accelerate or provide capacity building to any solutions that are:
– Illegal according to the Laws of T&T; and
– Malicious in nature.
It has been suggested that One FinTech Avenue will guarantee the financing that my FinTech will require. Is this true?
One FinTech Avenue does not guarantee any financing, licensing, or partnership arrangements.