A facilitator leads a SWOT workshop at a whiteboard while founders work on laptops around a table

← All programs Pioneer Program · Cohort 1 · 2027

Build your venture. Get investment-ready.

Ten weeks of hands-on support for founders from all six islands, with up to five Innovation Grants of XCG 50,000.

What you get as a founder.

Innovation Grant Up to XCG 50,000, non-dilutive and milestone-based, with a 1:1 co-financing target.

10-week accelerator 2 weeks on Curaçao at Villa Maria, 8 weeks remote from your own island.

Venture Ready Governance, bookkeeping and a pitch that holds up in due diligence.

Access to capital A direct line to DCIF Angels and, from 2028, DCIF Forward commitments.

Capacity and capital in one program.
Your venture leaves ready for the next stage.

From open call to Innovation Grant.

30+Open callQ1 2027Applications from all six islands, trilingual

10–15Due diligenceQ2 2027Kick-off week and selection

7–9AcceleratorQ3 2027Projects selected, at least 3 from outside Curaçao

5Innovation GrantsQ4 2027Decided by an independent jury

The ventures we are looking for.

We back ventures that strengthen the wellbeing and sovereignty of the islands and restore rather than deplete the communities and ecosystems they work in. Our regenerative economics framework looks beyond revenue alone, at local ownership, resilience and the impact a venture creates for the Dutch Caribbean.

Anchored by Stichting DOENRead their regenerative economy thesis →

Food & water Energy & climate Nature & coast Health & community Digital & finance Circular & waste Education & skills Mobility & logistics

Coral fragments growing on a restoration tree at a reef restoration site

10 weeks. 2 on Curaçao, 8 remote.

Kick-off week on Curaçao at Villa Maria, eight weeks of remote work from your own island, and a finals week back on Curaçao.

W1StartW2W3W4W5W6W7W8W9W10Finals

Kick-off on Curaçao Remote Finals on Curaçao

Timeline

Q1–Q2 2027Outreach, selection and due diligence

Q3 2027Accelerator: kick-off week on Curaçao, 8 remote weeks

Q4 2027Finals week on Curaçao: Final Pitch Day and grant closings

Q1 2028Impact report and transition to DCIF Forward

Founder FAQ

Who can apply?

Founders from all six islands: Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius. The open call is trilingual. At least 3 of the 8 cohort places go to founders from outside Curaçao.

When does it start?

Applications open in January 2027. Selection and due diligence run through Q2, the accelerator runs in Q3 2027, and Final Pitch Day and grant closings follow in Q4 2027.

Do I need to move to Curaçao?

No. The program is 10 weeks: 2 weeks on Curaçao at Villa Maria and 8 weeks remote.

How much funding can I get?

The top five ventures receive a non-dilutive, milestone-based Innovation Grant of XCG 50,000. We then support them to secure at least that amount in additional funding, so a graduate should leave the program with at least XCG 100,000 in capital.

Who decides on the grants?

An independent expert committee, guided by our regenerative framework built in collaboration with Juan Carlos Goilo, selects the top five ventures that present in the finals and the best graduates of the cohort.

Are there conditions?

Yes. This program is built to strengthen the Dutch Caribbean, so grant recipients commit to 3-year regional anchoring in the Dutch Caribbean.

What comes after the program?

The next steps on the capital ladder: DCIF Angels equity and, from 2028, DCIF Forward commitments. See the capital ladder →

For partners: the program at a glance.

2027 targets for Cohort 1, anchored by Stichting DOEN and reported in the Q1 2028 impact report.

Partner with the program →

30+applications from at least 3 islands

5Innovation Grants awarded

500K+XCG minimum capital flowing to ventures

Minoritiesparticipation tracked as a KPI

Grant condition 3-year regional anchoring: ventures that receive a grant stay rooted in the Dutch Caribbean.