Barbados is significantly scaling up its national innovation capabilities with a major expansion of Future Barbados, the country’s premier innovation agency. Director Tamaisha Eytle Harvey announced the strategic growth initiative during parliamentary hearings for the Ministry of Innovation, Industry, Science and Technology’s (MIST) $188 million budget allocation.
Operating as MIST’s innovation arm, Future Barbados functions as a comprehensive ‘innovation incubator’ dedicated to transforming visionary concepts into practical products, policies, and commercial enterprises. The organization’s mission revolves around three foundational pillars: social innovation, talent activation, and ecosystem development.
The agency is intensifying its focus on cultivating high-value youth talent through specialized programs like its ‘Talent Hub’ while simultaneously advancing sectors including green entrepreneurship, climate innovation, and smart city design. This expansion represents a strategic shift from conceptualization to large-scale implementation following the agency’s transition from the Prime Minister’s Office to MIST.
Director Harvey outlined several key initiatives for the coming year: ‘We’re launching the ideation stage and MVP track for health technologies developed in Barbados, which will be piloted within our public sector. We’re collaborating with the Caribbean Science Foundation to host the inaugural Caribbean Science Summit, creating opportunities for in-person and virtual collaboration among scientific talent across the region and diaspora. Mental health solutions will constitute one of our primary challenge areas.’
Innovation Minister Senator Jonathan Reid confirmed substantial budgetary increases supporting this expansion, with professional services funding rising from $1.5 million to $3.2 million and operational expenses increasing from $1 million to $3 million within the innovation sub-program. Minister Reid characterized the budget growth as ‘a reflection of increased ambition’ for the program, emphasizing its role in harnessing the skills of Barbadians—particularly young graduates—to address national challenges across sectors from agriculture to healthcare.
The agency has already demonstrated tangible successes, including the development of internal financial platforms and the placement of innovation cohorts within government departments such as the Fisheries Division, showcasing its commitment to creating practical solutions with both regional and global impact.