Haiti’s Ministry of Trade and Industry has officially opened applications for a new national business plan competition, marking the launch of the fifth cohort of beneficiaries under the country’s Youth Entrepreneurship Support Program (PAPEJ). Backed by program financial partners, the initiative is designed to uplift young Haitian innovators looking to launch, scale up, or strengthen sustainable, forward-thinking businesses across the nation.
Unlike standard grant programs, PAPEJ combines accessible, tailored financing with structured hands-on technical support, creating a holistic ecosystem for young entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into impactful ventures. The overarching goal of the program is to drive long-term economic growth and widespread job creation across Haiti, by nurturing homegrown entrepreneurial initiatives that address local needs.
At its core, PAPEJ was developed to boost youth self-employability, with a particular focus on expanding economic opportunity in underserved rural areas. The program works to build a landscape of viable, competitive, and environmentally conscious businesses that can contribute to long-term national development. Its specific objectives extend far beyond just funding: it seeks to expand the number of youth-led enterprises across the country, cut persistent youth unemployment by normalizing entrepreneurship as a viable career path, and encourage business formalization to build a culture of fiscal responsibility that strengthens national public finances.
To meet these goals, the program offers eligible projects financing of up to 2 million Haitian gourdes, with flexible terms structured to fit the unique realities of young and early-stage entrepreneurs. Funding can be allocated to a wide range of critical business costs, including the purchase and installation of production equipment and materials, development or rental of business premises, acquisition of raw materials, expansion of production capacity, and other core expenditures required to launch or scale a viable project.
The competition is open to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) as well as formal entrepreneur groups, including general partnerships, limited partnerships, and limited liability companies. Eligible sectors cover a broad range of productive industries, from agro-industry and biotechnology to mechanics, manufacturing, processing, and any other productive sector that meets program requirements.
Once the competition closes, all shortlisted business plans will first undergo validation by the PAPEJ national coordination team before being forwarded to program financial partners for final funding approval. All financing awards remain contingent on candidates meeting full eligibility requirements and passing a rigorous technical, financial, and economic evaluation of their submitted proposal.
To qualify for consideration, submitted projects must meet a clear set of eligibility criteria. Proposals must feature an innovative value-added business idea, be led by a promoter under the age of 40, and demonstrate clear potential for net job creation. Projects are eligible whether they are early-stage startups seeking launch capital or existing young businesses looking to strengthen their operations. Priority is given to formal partnerships and limited companies with at least 5 members, and proposals that prioritize local products and key national growth sectors. Projects must have a total financing need between 50,000 and 2 million gourdes, and must prioritize environmentally sustainable operations. Existing businesses must demonstrate a minimum track record of revenue generation, and all candidates must either be already formally registered or commit to completing formalization within the program’s required timeline.
The credit terms offered through PAPEJ are structured to support young entrepreneurs rather than create unmanageable debt. Funding amounts range from 50,000 to 2 million gourdes, with repayment periods extending up to 10 years. The fixed interest rate is set between 3% and 5%, significantly lower than most commercial lending options for young entrepreneurs in Haiti, and includes a grace period of 6 to 12 months to allow businesses to generate revenue before beginning repayments.
Selected beneficiaries take on clear responsibilities to ensure program accountability: they must adhere to the agreed credit repayment schedule, participate in all capacity-building training sessions organized by PAPEJ, provide regular updates required for project monitoring, follow the technical and managerial guidance offered by program experts, and maintain transparent, responsible financial management of the funded enterprise.
Interested candidates can access the official business planning template, which is available for free download on the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s website. To apply, candidates must submit three core documents: a completed business plan following the official framework, a valid registration certificate from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, along with relevant business license (Patente) and CIP documentation, and a copy of the project leader’s national identification card (NIU).
Completed applications must be sent to the official program email address papej@mci.gouv.ht no later than May 25, 2026. Program organizers note that incomplete application files will not be reviewed for consideration, and only pre-selected candidates will be contacted for next steps. Following evaluation, all approved projects will gain access to the full range of financing and support services offered through the PAPEJ program.