Mentorship for Cuban Entrepreneurs

Cubans seek to build better lives by launching private ventures; however, the resources available to them do not enable them to succeed. While intensive general business training programs exist, entrepreneurs do not receive the necessary, subsequent attention and support. A Capstone team created Cubantero to provide Cuban entrepreneurs with the skills, knowledge, and encouragement to achieve their entrepreneurial goals by connecting them with mentors all over the world. The Cubantero team conducted a literature review, competitive and landscape analyses, and nearly 100 customer discovery interviews with entrepreneurs and stakeholders during fieldwork in Cuba. Based on the research findings, Cubantero will pilot a program that provides one-on-one mentorship opportunities for ten entrepreneurs. Learnings from the pilot will then inform plans for scaling Cubantero’s mentorship activities and launching additional support services for Cuban businesses.