Project
Entrepreneurs for Diversity (E4D): Strengthening regional creative industries in Mesoamerica

Overview
Funds Allocated: 77 777,00 USD
Period: 2018 to 2019
Beneficiary countries: Guatemala, Mexico
Applicant: Ventana a la Diversidad (Window to Diversity)
Presentation
Ventana a la Diversidad, an international non-governmental organization, committed to strengthening intercultural innovative approaches and networks based on new technologies, proposes to: 1) Design and implement the VEDI Campus, a blended-learning platform for cultural entrepreneurs; 2) Develop and implement VEDI Space, a creative entrepreneurial incubator for young people comprised of an innovative ICT-base for cultural and creative industries; 3) Design and implement a promotional campaign around E4D’s methodology at the national, regional and international levels.
How does this project contribute to the implementation of the 2005 Convention?
- Promotes mechanisms and networks to improve access to regional and global markets for Mesoamerican cultural goods and facilitates the mobility of young indigenous artists and cultural professionals. By creating a brand and providing over 15 mobility grants, collaborative networks and multimedia tools are established.
- Contributes to the sustainable development of cultural and creative industries in Mesoamerica through innovative business models and digital solutions. An innovative model will be introduced for capacity building through a blended e-learning platform, mentoring programs and incubators for young cultural entrepreneurs from underprivileged, marginalized and/or underrepresented groups from Guatemala and Mexico.
- Involves professional capacity development activities targeting women as cultural entrepreneurs and focused on improving gender balance in the digital creative industries – setting a goal of a 6:4 female to male ratio for participants attending the campus and incubators and providing focused training to women to address any existing capacity inequalities.
Main activities
- Creation of VEDI Campus, an e-learning platform made up of pedagogical modules designed on the basis of an operational planning, approved by project partners.
- Selection of 50 students from marginalized and indigenous communities in Guatemala and Mexico through a gender and cultural diversity-sensitive approach, following an open call.
- VEDI Campus is implemented though 50 training hours and student tutoring to complete a cultural entrepreneurship project proposal.
- Implementation of two VEDI Space incubators and a laboratory for creative industries. Two spaces are fully equipped, and local experts from Mesoamerican regions in Mexico and Guatemala are trained in the usage of VEDI Space facilities.
- Implementation of 2 VEDI Space incubators and launch of the project’s pilot phase in both Mexico and Guatemala, including the training of local staff in the use of equipment, tools and methodological approach.
- Development of two project proposals by two teams of around 20 young cultural entrepreneurs from Guatemala and Mexico, to be presented to networks of potential customers, investors and incubators.
- Creation and dissemination of promotional videos and social media publications describing the process behind the creation and the pilot implementation of VEDI Campus and VEDI Space.
- Promotion of the E4D methodology among the VEDI network, potential partners, donors and policymakers at the national (Guatemala and Mexico), regional (Latin America) and international levels.