Enterprise Cayman has announced the winners of its 2026 Business Design Competition following its annual ‘Pitch Day’ event.
Nine ventures, all conceived in the Cayman Islands, had been shortlisted from more than 40 submissions.
The teams and individuals behind the projects then took part in an intensive series of workshops, project advisor meetings and networking events.
The contest culminated with Pitch Day, held at The Grand Cayman Marriott Resort on Saturday, 18 April, where competitors presented their final projects to a panel of judges.
The top award, Project of the Year, was presented to Goodman Powery for Operator Intelligence Engine by BRIKS Advisory, a decision-intelligence tool designed to help investors assess real estate deals.
Powery received a US$10,000 cash prize along with additional business support.
The People’s Choice Award went to EcoTwin Cayman, a digital platform aimed at helping buildings and infrastructure improve sustainability using data.
It was designed by Eustache Placide, Carrie Giann Smith Martin and Shevon Campbell. Members of the public were invited to vote on the award which included a $2,000 cash prize.
The Innovation Award was awarded to P4.com, a decentralised edge-compute network, designed by Natalie Riley, Vincent Ross Lirio, and Patrick Kennedy. They received a $2,000 cash prize.
The Community Impact Award went to Benjamin Bates for Haven, a voice-activated emergency response tool. He also won a $2,000 cash prize.
Each of the nine finalists received a business support package valued at more than US$8,000, including access to co-working space, advisory services and discounted business tools.
Project of the Year winner Powery said the competition had impacted him significantly.
“It’s helped me to really see the product and the brand come together in one, and I’m just overly joyed,” he said in a press release.
The competition, now in its sixth year, is produced by Enterprise Cayman and sponsored by its sister organisation Cayman Enterprise City.
Alyssa Manderson, programme manager at Enterprise Cayman, said this year’s competition highlighted the strength of local entrepreneurial talent.
“This year’s cohort truly raised the bar. The creativity, preparation, and quality of execution we saw on Pitch Day were exceptional and reflected the strength of Cayman’s emerging entrepreneurial talent,” she said.
The competition forms part of a wider effort by Enterprise Cayman to support innovation and entrepreneurship in the Cayman Islands.
To date, 52 Cayman-born ventures have completed the programme, including Emailchaser, Island Pet Co, Cogniscent Learning and CollectSunny.
Charlie Kirkconnell, chief executive officer of Cayman Enterprise City and chairman of Enterprise Cayman, said the initiative is designed to help participants move beyond ideas.
“Our Business Design Competition is about more than just pitching ideas. It’s about strengthening our innovation ecosystem and empowering individuals to explore real-world problems and develop meaningful solutions,” he said.
As part of its continued support for entrepreneurs, Enterprise Cayman has also launched a new incubator programme, Launch Labs, aimed at helping early-stage ventures develop into investor-ready businesses through mentorship and structured support.
