BVI Opens First Entrepreneurial Zone and Business
The British Virgin Islands has officially opened its first Entrepreneurial Zone and business incubator in Huntums Ghut, Tortola, presenting eight local business owners with keys to their new commercial units. The modern facility will provide subsidised commercial space, training, and mentorship to help emerging businesses transition successfully into the wider commercial economy over a two to four-year period.
The British Virgin Islands officially opened its first Entrepreneurial Zone and business incubator in Huntums Ghut, Tortola, on Friday, September 11, 2026, marking a significant milestone in local enterprise development. The flagship initiative is designed to provide emerging local entrepreneurs with access to affordable, modern commercial space alongside essential mentorship and structured business development support.
During the opening ceremony, eight local business owners were handed keys to their new units. They form the initial group of nine approved businesses selected to operate out of the newly constructed facility. The first building features a range of air-conditioned, glass-fronted commercial units created to offer a professional and accessible base for burgeoning enterprises.
Junior Minister for Financial Services and Economic Development, Honourable Lorna Smith, OBE, emphasised that the facility is accessible to qualifying entrepreneurs from across the entire Territory rather than being restricted solely to Huntums Ghut residents. She noted that the initiative is structured to extend opportunities to eligible business owners from any community throughout the Virgin Islands.
To secure placement, applicants underwent a rigorous vetting process that required comprehensive business plans detailing concepts, revenue models, and sustainable expansion strategies. Successful participants will be permitted to operate from the incubator for a period of two to four years before fully transitioning into the broader commercial market.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Financial Services, Economic Development and Digital Transformation, Natalie Fahie-Smith, described the incubator as a long-term investment in the Territory's people and economic future. She highlighted that the core goal is not simply to provide physical space, but to serve as a catalyst for growth, encouraging participants to build resilient, well-managed operations.
Throughout their tenancy, business owners will receive targeted mentorship and operational guidance from the Department of Trade, Investment Promotion and Consumer Affairs. Bobb explained that the department will work directly alongside each tenant throughout the programme to ensure they can eventually stand independently as self-sustaining enterprises.
The inaugural cohort comprises Fiesta Gifts and Event Supplies, Lifeline Transport Services, Caribbean Corner Market, Smart and Glam Braider, Island Suppliers 284, Eclipse Gloss, Fragrance Oasis VI, and Suds N Tings. The Huntums Ghut facility represents the first of two planned buildings on the site.
The project was delivered through a collaboration between the Ministry of Financial Services, the Department of Trade, and the Ministry of Communications and Works, which oversaw construction under Minister and Fifth District Representative Honourable Kye M. The Government plans to replicate the model by establishing similar entrepreneurial hubs across other Virgin Islands communities to strengthen the micro, small, and medium-sized enterprise sector.
Primary source: 284 Media