ConnectAmericas is the first business social network in the Americas dedicated to promoting international trade and investment. The platform intends to promot growth for SMEs in three pillars: CONNECT, LEARN and FINANCE.
ConnectAmericas users have free access to:
- Business Communities where clients, suppliers and partners who bring together business people with common interests.
- Useful and simple information about procedures and regulations for international commerce
- Information on financing opportunities available for the IDB Group member countries
Who created the platform and why is the Inter-American Development Bank interested in supporting SMEs?
Small and medium-sized enterprises in the Latin America and the Caribbean region play an important socio-economic role and have great potential as catalysts for development and well-being. Understanding this, the ConnectAmericas platform was created by the Inter-American Development Bank in 2014 with the aim of helping SMEs strengthen themselves and close more and better international business deals.
How does ConnectAmericas encourage connection among entrepreneurs in the Americas?
ConnectAmericas connects entrepreneurs and startups with potential customers, suppliers or investors through the following means:
- Business Directory: Here you can find the complete list of companies registered on ConnectAmericas. It can be filtered by country, industry or keywords.
- Business Communities: Communities segmented by industry that bring together entrepreneurs with common interests. In the communities, members can publish news and announcements of interest, and likewise can express their interest in buying or selling products and services related to the industry.
- Supply Chain Program: Through this Program, ConnectAmericas helps buyers find suppliers of products and services from the Latin America and the Caribbean region completely free of charge. The business opportunities derived from this program can be found in the Purchase Announcements section.
- Direct Messages: The system allows registered users to send direct messages within the platform, as well as access contact information for registered companies, to contact them for business purposes.
- Virtual and in-person events: Visit our events portal to stay informed about events developed by ConnectAmericas or other organizations worldwide.
- Other intetaction channels: The system allows users to comment and evaluate the profiles of other users they know or have done business with, to generate trust in the community.
What industries does ConnectAmericas cover?
ConnectAmericas seeks to promote international business in all industries. Therefore, the offer of didactic products covers general topics, such as internationalization strategy and preparation of international business plans. Similarly, the offer of financial and technical assistance products is designed for any SME interested in expanding its business in the region or globally.
What can users learn on ConnectAmericas?
On ConnectAmericas, users can access various useful sources of information. Firstly, there is a repository of original editorial content, created by the ConnectAmericas team and the commercial promotion agencies of the region, which contains simple and practical information on the main aspects of international trade, including regulatory, strategic, financial, and cultural topics. Additionally, we offer open online coutses through the ConnectAmericas Aacademy, accessible for any user to complete courses at their own pace.
How does ConnectAmericas help find financing opportunities for international businesses?
ConnectAmericas offers users a consolidated and easy-to-use offering of the various financing opportunities available in countries of interest. This offering includes information on international trade financial products and services offered by local banks - including banks that work with the IDB Invest.
What protection does ConnectAmericas provide for user information and personal data?
The IDB has developed ConnectAmericas as a tool to promote the internationalization of SMEs, without pursuing any profit. In this sense, the IDB is committed to respecting the privacy rights of its users and will not use this information for commercial purposes. Likewise, ConnectAmericas will make its best efforts, on a permanent basis, to maintain the highest standards of computer security to safeguard its users' information.
Remember to visit our Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more about the site's features
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