Caribbean Economic Forum 2026 launched in New York

Published on March 2, 2026

The inaugural Caribbean Economic Forum (CEF) 2026 was officially launched on 17th February in New York, at an investor roundtable co-hosted by impact focused investment firm 17 Asset Management, marking a significant step toward mobilizing private and blended capital for the Caribbean.

The Forum (CEF 26) will be held in Barbados from June 18th - 19th, 2026, as a two day, deal focused platform targeting a pipeline of projects and investments across many sectors, including the blue, green and circular economies.

Conceived as the premier regional investment platform, CEF 26 is designed to compress the typical fund-raising timeline of six-to-twelve months, that is required for bilateral introductions between banks, development finance institutions (DFIs), private investors, governments and project sponsors.

By convening approximately 150 stakeholders, including institutional investors, infrastructure funds, sector specialists, CEOs and founders from priority sectors, the Forum aims to move conversations rapidly toward concrete commitments, bankable project pipelines and actionable partnerships.

The NYC launch brought together a cross-section of institutional investors, DFIs, diaspora capital representatives and Caribbean private sector representatives to review the region’s emerging investment pipeline.

Discussions highlighted investment opportunities in food and water security, energy transition, resilient infrastructure and the blue economy, reflecting both regional development priorities and growing investor demand for impact-oriented assets.