BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Sep. 17, CMC – The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and 2X Global are advancing an initiative aimed at increasing investment in women-owned and women-led businesses across the Caribbean.
The partnership was highlighted during the opening day of the 2X Global Summit 2026 in Montreal, Canada, where officials from both institutions outlined progress on the Caribbean GEMS (Gender Equality for Market Sustainability) Project.
The initiative seeks to strengthen the regional ecosystem for gender-lens investing and improve access to financing and business support for women entrepreneurs.
CDB Division Chief, Private Sector Division, Lisa Harding, said the project would help develop practical solutions to address barriers facing women-owned and women-led businesses.
“Caribbean GEMS represents an important step in strengthening the Region’s investment ecosystem and ensuring that women-owned and women-led businesses have greater access to the capital and support they need to grow,” Harding said.
Under the project, 2X Global is supporting the development of a Gender Lens Investing Acceleration Toolbox and Digital Academy tailored to the Caribbean and aligned with internationally recognised 2X Global standards.
The initiative will provide training and practical resources for governments, development finance institutions, investors and private-sector partners on applying gender-lens investing practices.
The Digital Academy will include learning modules, Caribbean-specific case studies, tools and other resources designed to help stakeholders incorporate gender considerations into investment decisions.
The programme represents US$350,000 in technical assistance financing from CDB’s Special Development Fund and forms part of the bank’s Gender Equality Action Plan 2025–2027.
2X Global CEO Jessica Espinoza said the partnership demonstrates how international expertise and regional knowledge can be combined to strengthen investment opportunities for women.
“By combining 2X’s global knowledge and standards with CDB’s deep regional insight and influence, we can help build an investment ecosystem better equipped to recognise opportunities, address barriers and unlock capital for women across the Caribbean,” she said.
CDB joined 2X Global in 2023, and the current initiative represents a further expansion of their collaboration on gender-lens investing in the region.
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