ConnectAmericas is the first business social network in the Americas dedicated to promoting foreign trade and international investment. Under the slogan “Take the world in your hands,” the platform aims to grow the international business of SMEs in three steps: CONNECT, LEARN, and FINANCE.

ConnectAmericas users have free access to:

• Communities of customers, suppliers, and investors in the region and around the world, segmented by industry
• Useful and straightforward information on international trade procedures and regulations
• Information on financing opportunities available in IDB Group member countries

ConnectAmericas was created by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) with the support of Google, DHL, Sealand, Facebook, and Mastercard.

Small and medium-sized enterprises in Latin America and the Caribbean play an important socioeconomic role and have great potential as catalysts for development and well-being. With this in mind, the Inter-American Development Bank created the ConnectAmericas platform in 2014 with the aim of helping SMEs strengthen themselves and close more and better international deals.

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please contact us at info@connectamericas.com.

ConnectAmericas connects entrepreneurs and business owners with potential customers, suppliers, or investors through the following means:

• Company search engine or company directory: Here you will find a complete list of companies registered with ConnectAmericas. You can filter by country, industry, or keywords.
• Business communities: Communities segmented by industry that bring together entrepreneurs with common interests. In the communities, members can post news and announcements of interest, and they can also 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 American and Caribbean region completely free of charge. Business opportunities arising from this program can be found in the Purchase Announcements section.
• Virtual and in-person events: Visit our events portal to stay informed about events organized by ConnectAmericas or other organizations worldwide.
• Direct messaging: The system allows registered users to send direct messages within the platform, as well as access the contact information of registered companies to contact them for business purposes.

ConnectAmericas seeks to promote international business in all areas of activity. Therefore, the range of educational products covers general topics such as internationalization strategy and the preparation of international business plans.

Similarly, the range of financial products and technical assistance is designed for any SME interested in expanding its business in the region or worldwide. However, the business communities have been created based on two pilot industries, through which ConnectAmericas will begin to grow organically: Global Services and Food.

These industries were chosen based on the IDB's previous experience in developing in-person business matchmaking events—Outsource2LAC and LAC Flavors—throughout the region.

It is important to note, however, that users from other industries are also welcome to join the ConnectAmericas community, a group dedicated to addressing international trade issues in general. In turn, users will be able to create business communities in other sectors of interest.

ConnectAmericas users have access to several useful sources of information. First, there is a repository of original editorial content, developed by the ConnectAmericas team and trade promotion agencies in the region, which contains simple and practical information on the main aspects of international trade, including regulatory, strategic, financial, and cultural issues. It also offers open online courses through the ConnectAmericas Online Academy, which any user can access and complete at their own pace.

ConnectAmericas offers users a consolidated and user-friendly overview of the various financing opportunities available in countries of interest. This overview includes information on international trade financial products and services offered by local banks, including technical assistance offered by IDB Invest.

Registering with ConnectAmericas and using all of its features and services is completely free of charge.

Creating your personal account on ConnectAmericas is very easy. Just follow these steps:

1. Click on “Join” on the ConnectAmericas home page.
2. Create your personal account by filling in the information requested on the form.
3. Click on “Create Account.”
4. We will send you an email with instructions on how to activate your account. Remember to check your spam or junk mail folder.
5. Click on the “Activate Account” button in the verification email.

Remember to check your spam or junk mail folder. If you have any problems, you can request that the activation email be resent via the activation screen that appears after you create your account. You can also write to us at: soporte@connectamericas.com