Barbados and Caribbean Science Foundation launch major partnership to advance STEM

A major partnership has been launched to revolutionise the national STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) landscape.

The Government of Barbados, through the Ministry of Innovation, Industry, Science and Technology (MIST), is teaming up with the Caribbean Science Foundation (CSF), a non-profit organisation co-founded by Barbadian-born Professor of Electrical Engineering at the renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Professor Cardinal Warde.

The partnership will see Barbados host a number of exciting initiatives in collaboration with the CSF, including a large-scale Caribbean STEM Olympiad for secondary school students across the region, as well as a major landmark event this June: the inaugural Caribbean SEED (STEM Engine for Economic Development) Summit.

The Caribbean SEED Summit, which will take place June 26-28, 2026, will bring together key stakeholders from across the Caribbean and the diaspora to foster collaborative problem-solving and drive innovation for the development of new STEM-based companies. ​

The three-day summit will feature a STEM Startup Challenge to connect innovators with funding and mentorship opportunities, keynote addresses from leading visionaries, and groundbreaking research presentations on critical topics related to Caribbean development, including climate resilience, software engineering, artificial intelligence, robotics, biotechnology, fintech, and STEM education reform.

Professor Cardinal Warde (FP)

“Dr Warde and the Caribbean Science Foundation’s ‘SEED’ strategy—Science and Engineering for Economic Development—is perfectly aligned with MIST’s new mandate to be at the tip of the spear of economic transformation in this country,” stated Minister of Innovation, Industry, Science and Technology, Senator Jonathan Reid. “The launch of the Caribbean SEED Summit is a pivotal step designed to accelerate the nation’s STEM strategy and position the island as a regional leader in innovation-driven growth.”

According to Warde, who serves as Executive Director of the CSF, the partnership will also introduce high-impact initiatives to transform STEM education in Barbados by enhancing teacher training and curriculum support to deliver practical, future-ready STEM learning in local primary and secondary schools. ​

“Barbados is stepping forward as a catalyst for Caribbean transformation in STEM,” stated Warde. “This partnership enables us to bring decades of experience to the table and work hand-in-hand with the government and young innovators to build a bold future, grounded in science and driven by imagination.”

This is key to MIST’s mandate, explained Minister Reid, who sees the partnership as a major stepping stone in shaping a new, robust economy.

“MIST is focused on Barbados’ digital development and reindustrialisation, and, therefore, we need to make Barbados an exciting place full of high-quality opportunities for students, skilled workers, entrepreneurs, startups, researchers, investors and global businesses focused on science and engineering,” stated Reid. “CSF has an incredible track record of helping develop Barbados and Caribbean talent attend and excel at the best universities in the world, and this partnership will allow Barbados to leverage a global network of scientists and to align international expertise with national priorities for sustainable growth, competitiveness, and resilience.”

“With the government’s stated mandate of ensuring that Barbados is home to high-skilled, global talent,” he went on, “we need to make it highly attractive for Barbadians and other skilled workers to come back home, continue their incredible work while raising their families here and contributing to the transformation of Barbados and the Caribbean.” (PR/BT)