Mr. Dhanraj Harrypersad, ExporTT’s Manager of Export Market Research Centre presenting to uSTART Entrepreneurs

uSTART, the business accelerator programme of The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), functions as an engine of innovation and enterprise, fostering an ecosystem that supports entrepreneurial mindsets of students and staff of UTT. uSTART offers a physical business space and business development services, inclusive of access to hosted seminars, workshops and other opportunities originating at uSTART and with partner organisations.

uSTART hosted ExporTT’s Export Market Research Centre (EMRC) at the UTT Valsayn Campus to present the Identifying and Assessing Export Markets Seminar. ExporTT is the trade policy implementation agency of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, mandated to be the sole National Export Facilitation Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago. The seminar was facilitated by a team of three (3) of ExporTT’s trainers which included Mr. Dhanraj Harrypersad and Mr. Vincent Ramlochan of ExporTT’s Export Market Research Centre and coordinated by Ms. Tenika Phillip of the Training Unit. The seminar was presented to an audience of fifteen (15) entrepreneurs from uSTART.

The objectives of the workshop were to assist companies in making decisions based on market intelligence, create an awareness of all the free tools and information available to exporters and potential exporters and to share the process of finding, analysing and presenting information. At the end of the seminar, entrepreneurs became knowledgeable of the trends and statistics related to their products and services and the markets in which they wished to enter. The basic knowledge entrepreneurs attained, enabled them to make intelligent market entry decisions and test various factors of the market without leaving the room.

Mr. Dhanraj Harrypersad and Mr. Vincent Ramlochan of ExporTT’s Export Market Research Centre discussing a point with two entrepreneurs.

The seminar was a success, leaving most of the entrepreneurs who attended excited by the prospects of exporting their products. Some entrepreneurs even remained after the session to speak further with the ExporTT hosts. By the end of the seminar, most of the companies began networking with other companies.

uSTART wishes to thank the ExporTT team, Mr. Dhanraj Harrypersad,  Mr. Vincent Ramlochan and Ms. Tenika Phillip for their assistance and collaboration, as uSTART continues to strive to achieve UTT and uSTART’s mission:

“To be an entrepreneurial university designed to discover and develop entrepreneurs, commercialize research and development and spawn companies for wealth generation and sustainable job creation towards the equity enhancement of the quality of life of all individuals, families and communities of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean.”

Mr. Dhanraj Harrypersad and Mr. Vincent Ramlochan of ExporTT’s Export Market Research Centre assisting the entrepreneurs.