Business

Local Entrepreneurs Cash in at Freeport Business Expo

GRAND BAHAMA, BAHAMAS – It’s the last day of the Freeport Business Expo, with more than a dozen international tourism vendors in town.

Published

3 weeks ago

May 2, 2025

Kendeno Knowles

GRAND BAHAMA, BAHAMAS – It’s the last day of the Freeport Business Expo, with more than a dozen international tourism vendors in town.

The goal is simple, to spark new partnerships with local entrepreneurs and give visitors more to do in Grand Bahama.

Five Grand Bahamians, five big ideas and $40,000 in grant money up for grabs.

This year’s pitch competition at the Freeport Business Expo gave local entrepreneurs a shot at turning their tourism dreams into reality ,thanks to the Grand Bahama Port Authority and its partners.

From virtual scuba tours and beach lockers to pedal bikes and luxe picnics, the pitches were bold, fun, and authentically Bahamian.

But first place prizes of $12,500 went to D’angelo Carey for “Port lockers”.

One pitch even got an on the spot investment.

Reno Missick didn’t win first place, but one of the judges, David Wallace of Pirates Cove … offered to back his conch excursion idea right there on stage.

All five entrepreneurs walked away with funding and more importantly, valuable feedback from a panel of seasoned judges who grilled them on everything from liability to funding gaps. GBPA Chief Investment Officer Derek Newbold was one of them.