By Wendella Davidson

ONE of Guyana’s young and budding entrepreneurs, Athalyah Yisrael, will be representing Guyana and the Caribbean as a finalist at the Entrepreneurial World Cup (EWC), slated for November 2019, in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia.

Yisrael’s participation in EWC was made possible through her representing Guyana recently in Columbia with the Outlier Zone, “Ending the Paycheck to Paycheck” solution, as her entry in the Caribbean Innovation Competition (CIC), in the XIV Edition of the Talent and Innovation Competition of the Americas (TIC Americas 2019). The project, a financial wellness project which provides financial growth training for employees and entrepreneurs with the aim of building generational wealth, was shortlisted from over 5106 projects from across the world and subsequently emerged as one of the 17 final spots that were up for grabs.

TIC Americas 2019 was held in the city of Medellin, Colombia, during the period June 24 – 26, 2019, as part of the General Assembly of the Organisation of American States (OAS) and Outlier Zone was the lone finalist from Guyana with the “Ending the Paycheck to Paycheck” project she embraced.

Yisrael was one of four speakers at the October 20, 2019 launch of Brianca Marshall’s `Grown2Lead’ company and leadership symposium, and the announcement of her participation was made during an introduction before she made her presentation.
The EWC is more than just a global pitch competition with a shot at life-changing prizes. It is a new programme organised by the Misk Foundation and the Global Entrepreneurship Network across more than 100 countries that elevates entrepreneurs by providing them with the tools and resources to grow their respective ventures. It also allows the participants to learn how to become part of the world’s most innovative alliance and connect with more than 100, 000 entrepreneurs from all over the globe.

Outlier Zone is one of two companies, the other being Fun Park Rentals, which Yisrael has established in Guyana and has since helped 2356 households’ children and youths to discover their financial identity and how to take control of their financial future.
In the TIC Americas 2019 finals, Outliers Zone was the sole finalist from Guyana and embraced a project centred around “Ending the Paycheck to Paycheck” issue.

The Caribbean Innovation Competition required applicants to submit a Project Plan which included: Executive Summary, Innovation, Market Feasibility, Management and Organisational Structure and Financial Feasibility, Business Model Canvas, Prototype Validation of Online Presence and a Promotional Video in January 2019. The finalists were announced on May 1 and these teams were awarded an all-expenses trip to the TIC Americas 2019 finals in Medellin Colombia to present their project.

After the EWC as a form of support, all national winners will be enrolled in a Starters Club that will provide a global peer network, mentorship and other support services to help members reach their full potential. Other partners may be engaged also to provide support.