RTPark Set to Host 2nd Annual Tech Summit Highlighting Benefits of USVI

  • Staff Consortium
  • March 26, 2022
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The UVI Research and Technology Park Corporation announced Friday that registration is now open to attend their second annual Business Attraction Summit to be held virtually on May 19-20 from the RTPark’s headquarters on St. Croix.

The free, two-day virtual event will be streamed to dozens of rapidly growing and established tech companies from around the world, emerging tech entrepreneurs, high net worth investors, and key influencers in the tech and economic development industries who are interested in learning about the benefits of living and working in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the RTPark said.

“After a two-year delay, we’re excited to continue building off the success of our inaugural summit in 2019 and our record years of business attraction in 2020 and 2021, despite the challenges that the pandemic may have presented us,” said RTPark Executive Director and CEO, Peter H. Chapman. “We converted several leads from our last summit into active firms currently operating in the Territory. We look forward to welcoming more this year via the summit.”

The RTPark describes itself as an innovative, internationally recognized, economic development organization designed to help diversify and expand the USVI economy through efforts to promote the attraction, retention and growth of technology, knowledge-based and sustainable agriculture firms within the Territory. To date, there are 75 firms and 21 early-stage startups operating in the USVI via RTPark programs such as the tax exemption and accelerator programs respectively, according to the release.

This year’s theme for the summit is “The Next Tech Hub: Sustainability through Technology in the USVI”. Considering the current state of the Caribbean and the world, the myriad resources that the USVI can access today place the territory in an advantageous position to support next generation innovation and research in sustainable development, the RTPark said.

“When looking at the past several years of hurdles we faced as a community, a common theme has been the need to build economic resiliency and future-proof our workforce for what may lie ahead,” stated Mr. Chapman. “Using the RTPark as a vehicle to nurture and grow that innovative ecosystem is a crucial component of our toolbox for economic diversification and resiliency in the USVI.”

In 2019, the RTPark hosted special presenters from Facebook, LG Electronics, IBM, and the Global Startup Ecosystem. This year, they are preparing to bring more influential experts who support our mission of growing the tech cluster in the Caribbean and can provide perspective on the future of sustainable economies throughout the region, according to the release. Announcements of speakers and panelists will be published in the coming weeks.

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