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World’s First 8-Pillar Digital Trade Accelerator Launches to Connect One Million Women-Led Businesses Globally
A groundbreaking private-sector coalition, Connecting One Million Women to Trade (C1WT), has launched what it terms the world’s first digital 8-Pillar Global Trade Accelerator (GTA). This platform is designed to systematically connect one million women-led businesses to international markets across 102 countries, tackling the persistent gender gap in global commerce.
The initiative was first unveiled at the GUBA Trade & Investment Conference in Barbados, followed by a strategic multi-continent rollout session in Accra, Ghana, signaling a pan-African and global diaspora-focused effort to move “from symbolism to structure.”
The 8-Pillar Digital Ecosystem: A “Clearinghouse” for Trade
Described as a “neutral trade ecosystem ‘clearinghouse,'” the GTA is a step-by-step digital platform built to eliminate fragmentation. It unites institutions—from chambers of commerce to financial partners—within one trusted environment to exchange solutions and scale impact.
The ecosystem is anchored on eight core pillars:
- Trade Intelligence
- Strategic Partnerships
- Policy Advocacy
- Marketplace Support
- Capacity Building
- Access to Finance
- Technology Enablement
- Monitoring & Evaluation
“Our goal is to build an architecture where the grassroots connect with the grasstops,” said C1WT founder, Dr. Ky Dele, emphasizing the shift towards a unified global system.
Global Endorsement and Strategic Rollout
The launch garnered significant endorsement from global leaders and institutions:
- At the Barbados launch, the platform was presented as a model to “unlock hundreds of billions in women-led B2B trade,” earning support from the Barbados Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
- Former Costa Rican Vice-President Epsy Barr endorsed it as “a collaborative framework to accelerate women-led trade across the Atlantic corridors.”
- In Accra, Ghana National Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GNCCI) President Stéphane Abass Miezan stated the initiative “positions Ghana as a critical bridge in global commerce.”
- The National Black Chamber of Commerce announced new tools to improve capital access, with President Charles DeBow calling it an “unprecedented financial pathway.”
Technology in Action: The SBTS Group Backbone
A live demonstration of the GTA showcased features like multilingual onboarding, digital KYC verification, partner dashboards, and an integrated global marketplace. Powering this ambitious digital infrastructure is SBTS Group, the Washington DC-based Technology Backbone Provider for the C1WT initiative.
SBTS is responsible for the entire secure technology stack, including:
- Building and maintaining the C1WT digital ecosystem.
- Designing the data architecture for real-time monitoring & evaluation.
- Ensuring the platform’s uptime, security, scalability, and user experience.
This partnership ensures the platform’s robustness, directly enabling women’s export participation across Africa and beyond.
A Historic Step for Women in Trade
Nigerian leaders, including Senator Ireti Kingibe and former Minister Otunba Niyi Adebayo, commended the program’s historic significance. By aiming to onboard 10,000 women-led businesses per country through an association-driven model, C1WT’s 8-Pillar Accelerator represents one of the most ambitious efforts to date to transform women’s role in the global economy.
