Shell LiveWIRE Trinidad & Tobago Positions Entrepreneurs Before Investors

Shell LiveWIRE programmes don’t just end with a cohort graduation – they continue to find ways to stay engaged with the Shell LiveWIRE network. For Shell LiveWIRE Trinidad & Tobago, this meant bringing a select group of alumni in front of eight investors for an invite-only pitch day event.

To host this Investor Day, Shell LiveWIRE Trinidad & Tobago partnered with Launch RockIt, an entrepreneurship and innovation development company with a focus on startups. Together they surveyed Shell LiveWIRE alumni on their investment needs and invited those who were interested and prepared to meet investors.

“This experience was an excellent turning point in the lives of the young entrepreneurs and vividly demonstrated to them that attracting business opportunities depends as much on technical competence as it does on self-presentation,” said Leslie Bowrin, Shell Trinidad external relations adviser. “In fact, being able to build personal connections was more important than demonstrating technical know-how.”

In the weeks leading up to Investor Day, the Shell LiveWIRE entrepreneurs joined Launch RockIt for a series of one-on-one coaching sessions that included the core elements of a pitch presentation, key areas for improvement, and concrete next steps.

For some entrepreneurs, this was the first time they brought their business in front of potential investors.

“It was definitely a learning experience as it was the first time I have pitched my business to a panel of investors,” said Andrew Bisnath, founder of ALTech Energy, an energy efficiency services company. “I learned a lot about what investors would like to hear about my business and how best to move my business forward.”

Another entrepreneur noted that the Investor Day event helped her think about how she positions her business.

“My biggest takeaway was always to do intense research about who exists and what they are doing,” said Sian Cuffy-Young, founder of SIEL Environmental Services, a waste efficiency and environmental training company. “It can help guide your own product or service offerings.”

Each of the eight entrepreneurs received detailed feedback after the event that included practical measures to improve their pitches and strengthen their businesses. Shell LiveWIRE Trinidad & Tobago is now exploring mentorship opportunities to continue building upon this engagement.

To learn more about the Shell LiveWIRE Trinidad & Tobago programme, please visit their website.