CE 2025 Annual Results Report web

FACILITATING ACCESS TO FINANCE

Facilitating Access to Finance Access to affordable, fit-for-purpose finance remains one of the most persistent constraints facing Caribbean businesses, particularly those seeking to grow beyond their domestic markets. Caribbean Export addresses this gap through its flagship grant programmes, funded by the European Union, which provide catalytic financing to help firms invest in the upgrades needed to compete internationally. Since 1996, over USD 16 million has been awarded to Caribbean businesses through instruments such as the Direct Assistance Grant Scheme, the Direct Support Grant Programme, and targeted programme-based initiatives, including the In-Firm Design and Branding Project and the WE-Xport technical assistance project. Additional donor support, including from partners such as the World Bank and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), has further strengthened the Agency’s ability to reach more firms and respond to evolving private sector needs Delivered directly at the firm level, these grants are designed to unlock practical, export-oriented improvements, helping businesses improve productivity, meet market standards, reduce unit costs, strengthen branding and marketing, and adopt new technologies. By lowering the barrier to investment and accelerating readiness for trade and expansion, Caribbean Export’s grant support enables high-potential companies to enter new markets, grow revenues, and create more resilient jobs across the region. Empowering Businesses through Co-Financing for a Green, Smart, and Connected Future – BRIDGE 2025

Since 1996, over USD 16 million has been awarded to Caribbean businesses through instruments such as the Direct Assistance Grant Scheme, the Direct Support Grant Programme

In 2025, Caribbean Export advanced its access to finance agenda by launching and operationalising the Building Resilient Innovation for Digital & Green Enterprises (BRIDGE) facility, an EU-funded co-financing mechanism designed to help Caribbean businesses invest in the upgrades needed to compete in an increasingly sustainability- and technology-driven global economy. Funded by the European Union under the Global Gateway initiative, BRIDGE reflects a practical shift toward “investment that enables transformation”: supporting firms not only to grow, but to modernise, improving efficiency, resilience, and export readiness in ways that align with emerging market requirements. BRIDGE was structured around two transformation priorities that are now defining competitiveness across international value chains:

• Green Transition, supporting firms to adopt environmentally sustainable models and reduce their environmental footprint; and • Digital Transformation, enabling businesses to leverage technology to improve productivity, streamline operations, strengthen market access, and innovate.

Through these two streams, Caribbean Export will provide grant support to help businesses move from intent to implementation co-financing projects that accelerate tangible change at the firm level. In total, €1M has been allocated for firms and will be awarded in Q1 in 2026. The programme’s co-financing approach ensures strong business commitment and sustainability of results, while the grant component helps overcome one of the region’s most common barriers to transformation: the upfront cost of investing in new systems, standards, and infrastructure. The grants support tangible upgrades, from energy efficiency and renewable solutions that lower costs and improve resource use, to digital systems and platforms that strengthen productivity, customer reach, and business continuity. In doing so, BRIDGE reinforces Caribbean Export’s role in delivering catalytic co-financing that converts green and digital ambitions into measurable business action.

CARIBBEAN EXPORT ANNUAL RESULTS REPORT 2025 | 45