EmprendeLab 2026 Narrows 120 Projects to 25 Finalists

EmprendeLab 2026 entered its final stage Tuesday in Santo Domingo, with 25 projects selected from 120 proposals competing in a program focused on innovation, technology and the development of scalable businesses. The two-day event is bringing together more than 1,500 students with entrepreneurs, mentors and potential investors.

Organized by the National Council for the Promotion and Support of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (Promipyme), the competition is designed to help emerging entrepreneurs turn business ideas into sustainable ventures. The event is being held at the Catalonia Hotel and concludes Wednesday, October 7, with the selection of the top three projects.

From 120 Proposals to 25 Finalists

Promipyme Director General Fabricio Gómez Mazara said the 25 finalists were chosen after an evaluation of 120 submissions, describing the participation as a sign of continued growth in the Dominican Republic’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The program reflects a broader emphasis on moving beyond traditional financing for small businesses. Gómez Mazara said Promipyme should help create conditions for younger entrepreneurs to develop companies with greater technological content, innovation and growth potential, allowing future microcredit to support increasingly sophisticated businesses.

The competition covers areas including AgroTech, Commerce 4.0, tech manufacturing, software, creative industries, cybersecurity, investment and digital transformation. Five of the 25 selected projects will advance to the final competition, with three receiving the top awards.

Technology and Investment at the Center of the Program

More than 1,500 students attended the opening day, which featured conferences and panels on innovation, access to capital, business transformation and emerging technologies. The program is intended to connect young entrepreneurs not only with training but also with mentors and potential sources of investment.

One panel examined the capital, market access and innovation expected from the next generation of Dominican founders, with participation connected to the American Chamber of Commerce of the Dominican Republic and ADOFINTECH. Other sessions addressed cybersecurity for micro, small and medium-sized businesses and the role of exponential transformation in business development.

Indotel President Guido Gómez Mazara addressed cybersecurity as a driver of business development, while Víctor Corniel of Moonshot Mindset presented a session on exponential transformation. The agenda also included Interior and Police Minister Faride Raful.

Promipyme’s role in the initiative reflects the growing overlap between entrepreneurship and technology in the country’s small-business sector. For participants, the program combines business development with exposure to areas such as digital tools, cybersecurity and emerging technologies that increasingly shape how companies compete and grow.

Final Competition Set for Wednesday

The closing session will take place Wednesday, October 7, beginning at 10 a.m., with President Luis Abinader scheduled to participate. The program will include the final presentations and the awards ceremony for the first, second and third places.

The second day also features the panel “Successful Entrepreneurs 2025,” bringing together participants from the previous edition of EmprendeLab. Other sessions will focus on private capital and investment in the Caribbean, technology transfer, the digital future and artificial intelligence.

Cybersecurity will remain part of the agenda through a presentation by General Juan Gautreaux, director of Digital Transformation of the National Police. Additional speakers include representatives working in technology transfer, entrepreneurship and artificial intelligence.

With five projects moving into the final competition and three awards to be decided, the closing session will provide the first concrete outcome of this year’s selection process. The event also gives the participating projects an opportunity to present their ideas before an audience focused on the development, financing and expansion of new businesses in the Dominican Republic.