MICM and The Trust for the Americas Launch a National Pilot Program to Strengthen the Competitiveness of Dominican SMEs Through Artificial Intelligence

The Dominican Republic will host the pilot, with a view to expanding the program to other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Santo Domingo, June 1. – The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and MSMEs (MICM) and The Trust for the Americas are announcing an artificial intelligence (AI) advisory program that will train 50 Dominican SMEs over a seven-month period; the program will be nationwide and conducted online. The initiative will be carried out with support from the MiPymes Centers and Banco BHD.

The Trust for the Americas, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the Organization of American States (OAS), selected the Dominican Republic as the host country for the pilot program because of its leadership in business development policies, the strength of its SME ecosystem, and the political will to modernize the sector.

Yayo Sanz Lovatón, Minister of Industry, Commerce and SMEs, stated: “SMEs represent a majority percentage of formal employment in the Dominican Republic. This program arrives just when the adoption of AI is no longer a competitive advantage, but a condition for survival for the sector.”

Today, many SMEs in the region use AI tools, but they do not know how to apply them efficiently in their daily operations. Companies without training in emerging technologies face a growing risk of falling behind competitively. Therefore, the pilot will provide practical guidance so that each company adopts AI tools tailored to its actual needs.

“The success of this pilot will be measured not only by how many companies adopt artificial intelligence, but by how many manage to grow, strengthen their operations, and compete in an increasingly digital economy. At The Trust for the Americas, we believe that innovation only has value when it expands opportunities for more people, and this effort represents a concrete step toward technology-driven economic inclusion in the region,” said Linda Eddleman, CEO of The Trust for the Americas.

The financing comes from Banco BHD and other private sector partners. Steven Puig, president of Banco BHD, stated, “Our institution serves more than 155,000 Dominican SMEs. This pilot represents a concrete opportunity to increase the productivity of the participating SMEs and the competitiveness of our country.”.

This program emerged from a multi-stakeholder partnership forged through diplomacy. The Permanent Mission of the Dominican Republic to the OAS paved the institutional way to connect the MICM with The Trust for the Americas. Building on that foundation, three operational partners will make the pilot project possible: the MICM will coordinate the selection of priority sectors; the MiPymes Centers will facilitate demonstration and training sessions with beneficiary companies; and Banco BHD will contribute its expertise in non-financial business development services, participate in identifying companies, and support implementation.

This pilot project is an example of how partnerships between governments, the private sector, and international organizations can be turned into opportunities for individuals and businesses. Since its founding, The Trust for the Americas has worked to close economic inclusion gaps in the region through programs that have reached millions of entrepreneurs, young people, and vulnerable communities in Latin America and the Caribbean. Based on the results of this initiative in the Dominican Republic, the organization will evaluate how to replicate the model in other countries in the region, so that AI can be a tool for growth accessible to any Latin American small and medium-sized enterprise.

About the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and SMEs:

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Mipymes (MICM) is the governing body for public policies on industrial, commercial, and business development in the Dominican Republic. Through the Vice Ministry for Mipymes Promotion, it promotes the formalization, competitiveness, and growth of Dominican micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.

About The Trust for the Americas:

The Trust for the Americas is a nonprofit organization that promotes social and economic inclusion by equipping people with the key skills they need to thrive in the new world of work. As an affiliate of the Organization of American States (OAS), The Trust forges strategic partnerships with the public, private, academic, and civil society sectors to expand opportunities throughout the region. With nearly 30 years of experience, it has impacted more than 6.3 million people in 29 countries, driving the development of economic opportunities and fostering innovation as a driver of progress in the Americas.

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