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How the U.S. Can Support Cuba’s Emerging Private Sector  1/23/2023 Americas Quarterly: "Facilitate Cuban entrepreneurs’ access to e-commerce, including electronic payments, by lifting the existing prohibitions on the use of commercial internet applications in Cuba. Access to these services is crucial for small businesses trying to reach a wider audience of potential customers, and for managing payments, especially for suppliers or customers outside Cuba."

Cuba: aprueban otro centenar de mipymes; las privadas ya suman más de 5500  10/27/2022 OnCuba: "El 52 % de los nuevos actores económicos corresponde a negocios preexistentes y el 48 % son iniciativas de nueva creación. En su conjunto deben generar 96 543 nuevos puestos de trabajo en la Isla, según los cálculos del MEP. Agrega la nota de la ACN que de los actores hasta ahora aprobados, 138 forman parte de proyectos de desarrollo local y 13 están incubados en el Parque Científico y Tecnológico de La Habana."

Creacion y constitucion de MIPYMES en Cuba  10/18/2022 Cuba Tramite 

Cuba to allow foreigners to invest in private businesses, will restart dollar exchanges  7/21/2022 Miami Herald: "Cuba passed new laws last year allowing the creation of small and medium-sized private businesses for the first time in decades. But at the time, it was unclear if those businesses would be able to partner with foreign investors or receive financing from abroad. In May, the Biden administration authorized an American company to finance and invest in a private business in Cuba. It was not known at the time if the Cuban government would allow it. That license was a catalyst for Thursday’s announcement, said John Kavulich, the president of the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, who heads the U.S. company that received the authorization in May."

The Consequences for Cuba of the Death of Lopez-Calleja  7/3/2022 Havana Times: "The economic crisis is caused by the limitations to growth in the private sector, the SMEs [small and medium enterprises] and the Agricultural Cooperatives. In addition, the State’s absolute control of economic activity (the internal blockade) is one of the worst legacies of the hidden, unlimited power exercised by Lopez-Calleja from the monopoly of GAESA, the Business Administration Group of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, which contributes 80% of the economy’s GDP. In fact, Lopez-Calleja was, from the shadows of his political position, one of the main opponents of the development of private actors in sectors such as tourism, gastronomy, transport, small craft trade to tourists, etc., as soon as he saw that they became a counterpower that could curb the spectacular profits of the Regime’s mixed businesses with foreign companies. His man in government, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero, was in charge of making things more and more difficult for emerging private actors."

In Cuba, the micro-business revolution  6/6/2022 Francesco Economy: "Thanks also to her work, a program grows day by day around the San Luis Obispo Church, in the town with 15,000 people. The program supports the most vulnerable families so they can start their own businesses from the few resources available. «Some make handicrafts from recycled materials, others repair and resell household appliances, and still others make natural juices. Ten percent of what they earn is donated to the parish, which uses it to fund a shelter for the elderly and disabled. » A shining example of a circular economy, which survived the recent decline of tourism caused by the pandemic and the devastating impact of sanctions imposed by the Trump administration that is still in effect. The collaboration with The Economy of Francesco, which began in 2019, was crucial."

In a first, U.S. government green-lights American investment in private business in Cuba  5/16/2022 Miami Herald: "The decision came last week, when the U.S. Treasury Department allowed a company headed by John Kavulich, president of the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, to invest in and lend money to a small private business in the service sector in Cuba. The amount to be provided to the Cuban business is less than $25,000, but the transaction details are “tangential,” Kavulich said. What matters, he added, is that “now others can seek to benefit from the precedent the license established.” “There is now a choice when days ago there was not,” he said."

Cuba's new private companies show off products at trade fair  4/2/2022 ABC: "But the new policy that took effect in September — while the economy was slammed by shortages, pandemic restrictions and a tightened U.S. embargo — potentially goes far beyond: It allows actual companies that can employ up to 100 people, can get formal financing and do business with state enterprises. Within six months, 2,614 new “limited responsibility societies” — or SRLs in Spanish — have registered. And 2,523 of those are private companies, with the rest either state or cooperative enterprises. Most are in the Havana area. So far, they employ about 42,000 people."

Las mipymes en Cuba ya superan las 2.000  2/17/2022 Swiss Info: "Las mipymes, figura prohibida desde 1968, comparten el escenario cubano junto con la empresa estatal socialista, identificada por el Gobierno como la principal, así como las cooperativas no agropecuarias y el trabajo por cuenta propia (autónomo). Las mipymes cubanas pueden ser de propiedad estatal, privada o mixta y son reconocidas como unidades económicas con personalidad jurídica con características propias. La legislación permite que tengan uno o más socios, que se constituyan como sociedades mercantiles, y que se clasifiquen en función del número de personas ocupadas como micro empresa, cuyo rango de ocupados es de una a 10 personas; pequeña empresa, de 11 a 35; y mediana empresa, de 36 a 100 trabajadores."

Cuba’s Small Family-Businesses Have Been a Lifesaver in the Pandemic  1/25/2022 StartUp Cuba: "On the other hand, the semi-lockdown brought about some positive aspects. Coinciding with the trend worldwide known as “ghost kitchens,” businesses like MaxiBebé don’t need a physical place (nor the corresponding investment) to sell their products, but only the Internet and delivery. “Social media is the ecosystem where we have grown,” asserts Yanitza. Now we sell in some private stores in Havana, but, before that, we (just) existed in WhatsApp groups and our Instagram account. Word of mouth doesn’t let us down, though.” "

Cuba Approves First 35 MIPYME Applications- Confirms No Application Thus Far Denied. Many More Applications Expected. Result Beneficial For Biden Administration Goal To Support SME's.  9/29/2021 Cuba Trade: "In this first group, the prioritized activities stand out, with 13 MSMEs for food production, six for manufacturing, three related to recycling activities and another three incubated in the Science and Technology Park of Havana. These new companies are distributed in eleven of the fifteen provinces of the country. In addition, among the 35 new MSMEs, ten have previously carried out export operations and five belong to local development projects. Due to their origin, 20 of these businesses are a reconversion of TCP to the new form of non-state management, while the other 15 are newly created. The rest of the requests are in process. So far none have been denied. "

Cuba allows small and medium-sized private businesses  8/7/2021 BBC: "Under the new rules, enterprises with up to 100 employees will be allowed. President President Miguel Díaz-Canel said Cuba was taking firm steps to update its economic model. Critics say the government's plans have been accelerated because of July's protests, when thousands turned out to complain of economic ruin."

Desde Barrio Cuba, al margen del odio y por el respeto  7/18/2021 On Cuba: "Como dijo Díaz-Canel el pasado 14 de julio, hay que meterse en los barrios —en los barrios más humildes— que son los que sostienen el impacto mayor de las desventajas sociales. Pero hay que meterse para construir y aprender con el barrio, no para imponer visiones higienistas y colonizadoras que retiran la voz y el liderazgo a los líderes naturales del barrio. Es preciso invertir en la economía solidaria, popular y comunitaria, apoyar financiera y tecnológicamente la creación de cooperativas barriales que generen empleos y retorno monetario entre los más necesitados. Apoyar con paquetes tecnológicos y de internet a adolescentes y jóvenes en función de la enseñanza y superación. Generar capacitación de emprendedurismo solidario e inclusivo para impulsar su liderazgo en redes de pequeños negocios de comercio y producciones de alimentos en los barrios desfavorecidos. Reorientar la ayuda solidaria internacional, de la diáspora cubana y las inversiones extranjeras a generar políticas económicas, sociales y educativas de afirmación social y racial centradas en barrios marginalizados."

Proyecto impulsa los emprendimientos femeninos en Cuba  2/16/2020 IPS: "¿Puede conocerse una ciudad y un país por el rostro de sus emprendedoras? El proyecto Habana es nombre de mujer quiere ayudar a componer esa gran foto del desarrollo social e incentivar el trabajo autónomo como forma de empoderamiento femenino. El proyecto conjunto entre la Real Embajada de Noruega y la Escuela de Fotografía Creativa de La Habana (EFCH) se presentó, el 13 de febrero, en horas de la noche, en la cancha de frontenis de la sede diplomática, ubicada en la capitalina barriada de Vedado. La actividad reunió a representantes de más de una veintena de negocios privados o emprendimientos habaneros, que desarrollan actividades económicas y sociales diversas pero tienen en común haber sido gestados por mujeres o pensados para el empoderamiento de estas."

Emprendedores cubanos: la política de Trump sí nos afecta  9/18/2019 On Cuba: "Un centenar de emprendedores cubanos reconocieron que la política del gobierno de Donald Trump contra Cuba afecta el desenvolvimiento de sus negocios y recomendaron al mandatario estadounidense normalizar las relaciones con la Isla, según un estudio publicado este miércoles. El 80.1% de los 126 propietarios de negocios particulares de La Habana encuestados por la consultoría privada Auge, dijeron estar afectados por las medidas de la actual administración estadounidense, mientras apenas el 1.6% consideró que los beneficia."

Por qué luchar contra el 349  12/28/2018 Havana Times: "Y claro que los artistas no estaremos mucho mejor sin el 349, porque hay una estructura que hace posible este y tantos infames decretos que amparan la propia infame y contradictoria Constitución, y las burlas a pactos internacionales firmados; pero este decreto es un blanco preciso que permite visibilizar y convocar con más probabilidad de éxito por ser un terreno neutral en el sentido político. El 349 es una grieta en el muro ¡qué por fin!, se ha hecho innegablemente visible para todos: artistas, cuentapropistas y cubanos con sentido común."

Mariela Castro arremete en una entrevista desde España contra el pluripartidismo, los cuentapropistas y hasta el Internet en los móviles para los cubanos  12/19/2018 Isla Local: "Sobre este mismo tema explicó que los trabajadores por cuenta propia deben ser regular para “que sigan siendo considerados socialmente como trabajadores”, pero que no lleguen a convertirse en “una clase social antagónica”. Incluso llegó a decir que la mayoría de la población cubana está en contra del cuentapropismo porque lo consideran un retroceso al capitalismo."

Cuba Softens Entrepreneur Rules. (That Might Make Internet Costs More Affordable.)  12/6/2018 WLRN: "Those regulations allowed only one business permit per person. Starting today they can again have several permits, with official approval. Private restaurants known as paladares will now be permitted to have more than 50 seats. Onerous taxes on high-earning businesses might also be reduced. State-sector jobs pay Cubans only about $30 a month. That’s why more than half a million of them have become cuentapropistas, or small entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs, by the way, who say they need better Internet access."

Los cuentapropistas sacaron de Cuba 2.390 millones de dólares en 2017  10/23/2018 14 y Medio: "Los cuentapropistas sacaron en 2017 de su país alrededor de 2.390 millones de dólares, nueve veces más que el capital extranjero invertido en la Zona Especial de Desarrollo de Mariel (ZEDM) y una cifra similar a la que el Gobierno dice que necesita para revitalizar la economía de la Isla. Esta es una de las conclusiones divulgadas este martes por la consultora The Havana Consulting Group en un artículo en el que destaca el "aumento vertiginoso" de la "fuga de capital", ante la "falta de oportunidades" con que cuentan los trabajadores por cuenta propia para "invertir y expandir sus negocios" en la Isla."

Dos “startups” cubanas que ya no están  3/9/2018 Yucabyte: "Y aunque son dos ejemplos que pudieran estar aislados, la realidad demuestra que las condiciones en que surgieron no fueron del todo propicias para el desarrollo de los emprendimientos que relacionan la información con las tecnologías (I+T), a pesar de que otros han sabido mantenerse a flote. Dichas condiciones, unos años después, continúan vigentes en Cuba."

¿Primera tienda cubana online?  2/16/2018 Cartas desde Cuba: "Concebido como un escaparate de las manufacturas “Made in Cuba” nace Bulevar Cubano, la primera tienda online enfocada al consumidor de dentro de la isla que ofrece productos y servicios diseñados por emprendedores, como camisetas, joyas, bolsos de piel y jabones artesanales."

Ciudadanía cubana insta a dialogar sobre el futuro del sector privado  12/18/2017 IPS: "Más de 70 días han transcurrido desde que 43 trabajadores privados dirigieron una carta al Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social de la nación caribeña, como parte de lo que han llamado una “iniciativa de diálogo” sobre la situación actual del sector no estatal."

Nuevas regulaciones de EE.UU. contra Cuba, ¿Una ayuda a los cuentapropistas?  11/10/2017 El Toque: "Si alguien le dijo al presidente Donald Trump que las más recientes medidas contra Cuba de los departamentos del Tesoro y el Comercio de su país, iban a favorecer al pueblo cubano y a sus emprendedores, le mintió. Son, en toda la línea, una vulgar y torpe política que agrede la voluntad y deseo de cambio que existe mayoritariamente en ambas orillas."

Los vaivenes del sector privado en Cuba  8/29/2017 Progreso Semanal: "Desde la entrada en vigor el pasado 5 de agosto de las nuevas restricciones al cuentapropismo, una palabra que se ha puesto de moda entre quienes tienen o pretendían tener un negocio privado: incertidumbre."

Paralizado el otorgamiento de algunas licencias para cuentapropistas  8/1/2017 Progreso Semanal: "La gaceta oficial de Cuba publica hoy nuevas medidas para el ejercicio de las 201 actividades por cuenta propia permitidas en el país desde 2010. La nueva regulación se corresponde con el anuncio que hiciera el presidente cubano Raúl Castro durante la última sesión ordinaria de la Asamblea Nacional del Poder Popular (ANPP), sobre la necesidad “erradicar los fenómenos negativos detectados y asegurar el desarrollo ulterior de estas formas de gestión en el marco de la legalidad”."

Cuba’s Private Sector Readies for Government Offensive  7/20/2017 Havana Times: "If you want more of the same, all you have to do is remember the government’s negative response for any kind of direct funding from abroad for cooperatives and/or small private businsses, an intiative which clashes with the other well-established Cuban State monopoly, the banking system, which is repeatedly incompetent."

Cuban entrepreneurs concerned about Trump’s new policy  6/20/2017 On Cuba: "“Eighty-five percent of the tourism [in my restaurant] is from the United States, that is to say, for me this is devastating,” Niuris Higueras, owner of the Atelier paladar, affirmed to EFE. In her opinion, strengthening the blockade will bring a “shortage of products, of alternatives and of clients”: she does not see the support Trump has insisted he gives to Cuban entrepreneurs."

NinjaCuba, la red social de los emprendimientos cubanos  5/29/2017 IPS: "Para muchos freelancers cubanos, obtener un empleo acorde a sus aspiraciones puede ser una tarea difícil. Y dependen de intermediarios que en variadas ocasiones “lucran excesivamente”, gracias a los beneficios que otorga la plusvalía. Dos conocedores en carne propia de este fenómeno son Víctor Manuel Moratón, un ingeniero informático de 29 años, y Fabián Ruiz, un diseñador de 33 años, quienes intentan cambiar esa realidad con la creación de una plataforma online que conecta directamente a los profesionales con los empleadores, de una manera rápida y sencilla."

¿Por qué el boom de la afrodescendencia?  5/10/2017 IPS: por Gisela Arandia - "En Harvard afrodescendientes del movimiento antirracista cubano" - "Un segundo elemento que contribuyó a enriquecer el intercambio fue el papel que han tenido determinados sectores de Estados Unidos en ofrecer financiamiento para tratar de subvertir el orden en la sociedad cubana, utilizando como pretexto el tema de la racialidad. Quedó claro que las intenciones de grupos disidentes afrocubanos ponen énfasis en un cambio de sistema y no en la deconstrucción del racismo como secuela de una historia colonial que ha ganado espacio en la actualidad. En tercer lugar, fue visibilizado un ingrediente sociológico: la presencia de un grupo de personas afrodescendientes emprendedoras, algunas con más éxito y otras con avances moderados. Ello determina un aporte importante a los desafíos de la actualidad, cuando la mayoría de las familias con más oportunidades proviene de la clase media blanca y recibe apoyo de sus parientes, sobre todo desde Miami."

Starting a business in Cuba is more difficult for entrepreneurs of African descent  5/3/2017 Miami Herald: "Among the obstacles encountered by the Afro-Cuban population to launch a private business is the lack of start-up capital. Houses for rent on tourist circuits are mostly owned by whites, and that population also receives more remittances from relatives who live abroad. According to Baruch College professor Katrink Hansing, about 90 percent of Cuban Americans are “phenotypically white.”"

Proyecto para emprendedores privados de Cuba cumple cinco años  5/2/2017 IPS: "Miles de personas y más de un centenar de negocios privados han emergido en Cuba con el acompañamiento y asesoría del Proyecto Cuba Emprende (PCE), una iniciativa de la Iglesia Católica que celebra sus primeros cinco años de creada."

Havana's small business boom exposes a stark racial divide  4/5/2017 PRI: "Harvard’s Alejandro de la Fuente said the lack of black business owners is leading to a stark economic divide between white and black Cubans, something the socialist government worked hard to erase. He thinks the Cuban government should step in. “You could concentrate development funds in some of the poorest areas of the city so residents in those areas could use public funds to launch their own businesses,” de la Fuente said. He said that small business owners also need to focus on hiring Afro Cubans. “You could look at the possibility of establishing labor policies that make sure that the emergent private sector actually is open to and forced to incorporate and hire people of African descent.”

Invitación a ”Mujeres…los poderes vitales del éxito”  3/25/2017 Proyecto Palomas: "La Embajada de Canadá en Cuba, CARE Canadá y el Proyecto Palomas tienen la satisfacción de invitarle a una Presentación Especial, esta vez con la obra documental “Mujeres… los poderes vitales del éxito”, con Guión y Dirección de Lizette Vila e Ingrid León, y textos de la periodista Sara Mas, narrados por la actriz Obelia Blanco. El sábado 25 de marzo a las 3:00 pm en el cine 23 Y 12, 25 Mujeres Cubanas hacedoras de su propio camino, edifican sus vidas y las de su familia a favor del desarrollo del Proyecto Social Cubano, y expresan la voluntad de evocar un Día Naranja, que desde 2013 es símbolo de compromiso con la igualdad de derechos y oportunidades entre los géneros,"

Cuba’s nascent tech industry is growing fast  3/11/2017 Salon: "Last year, computer engineer Bernardo Romero González came up with an idea to develop an online ordering system that allows people outside of Cuba to pay for gifts purchased from local Cuban businesses to be delivered to friends and relatives on the island. “This platform helps other entrepreneurs in Cuba to grow their market,” Romero told Salon. “Businesses in Cuba are limited to their town or city because they don’t have access to e-commerce. This creates the financial platform that allows them to put their products on the Internet.”"

Cuban entrepreneurs shatter glass ceilings  3/10/2017 Medill: "Cooperatives typically receive funding or material support from the government and are also responsible for raising their own funds. As part of the liberalizing of Cuba’s socialist economic system, cooperatives are opening the country up to capitalism and privatization while maintaining some of the revolution’s collectivist ideals."

Boulder company helps Cuba catch up in the tech race  3/7/2017 NBC: "A good laugh can be a great cure for a lack of creativity. That's why you'll hear plenty of it at Boomtown Accelerator in Boulder. Jose Vieitez, the co-founder, helps startups fine tune their software, business strategy and other elements essential to a successful business."

Miami Herald Cites Nearshore Americas for Cuba Tech Talent Research  3/7/2017 Near Shores America: "The Miami Herald has cited Nearshore Americas for its research on Cuba’s hidden technology talent pool, explaining how foreign multinationals are silently sourcing skilled software professionals on the island. (The article appeared on the front page of the Herald, last Friday, March 3, 2017.) The news daily said Cuba could be home to the largest pool of untapped IT talent in the Americas, adding that the communist government has given “tacit permission” for programmers to work for U.S. companies."

Preparing for a business career in Cuba takes persistence  3/2/2017 Miami Herald: "One of the biggest challenges in running a private tech venture in Cuba is getting the spare parts to operate the repair operation. “We decided to buy old laptops, broken laptops so we could get the screws and hardware needed to make repairs,” Puente said. “We learned how to do maintenance on motherboards to extend their lives.”

Cuba tech startups land in Boulder for a Boomtown-style training  3/1/2017 Daily Camera: "Under the guidance of the Washington, D.C.-based Cuba Emprende Foundation, a cadre of young Cuban startup CEOs has arrived in Boulder to undergo a two-week intensive program on product design, finance, digital marketing and anything else Boulder's hyper-active startup community can throw at them."

Más de 220 cuentapropistas acusados por evasión fiscal; condenas de 5 años de cárcel  2/27/2017 Café Fuerte: "Fernández comentó que también se aplicaron “más de 300 acciones contra quienes ejercen ilegalmente una actividad por cuenta propia, lo cual conlleva a una presunción de deuda por el período de tiempo estimado de trabajo y multas con el máximo rigor”."

Cuba has ‘largest pool of untapped IT talent in the Americas’  2/27/2017 Miami Herald: "The people working in the Bacardí building probably also work for Cuban state enterprises, McIntire told el Nuevo Herald. “The government is fully aware that those are programmers working for foreign companies. They are in the stage of allowing it, but not promoting it,” he said."

In Cuba Most Small Businesses Are Still Illegal  2/17/2017 Havana Times: "Mairim is a chemical engineer and after having started up her job agency, she has studied legal and economic issues. “In fact, I’m taking a small business management course.” In spite of her interest and the tried-and-tested usefulness of her business venture, what she’s doing isn’t allowed. Like a kind of legal lifeline, she has taken out a license as a “Collector-payer” and wants to present a “new activity project” to include what she really does to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, “let’s see if they accept it.”"

Raúl Diago, de estrella mundial a empresario  1/24/2017 El Toque: "Catalogado como el mejor pasador del mundo del voleibol en los años 90, Raúl Diago perteneció a una generación que sacó muchos suspiros y más de una lágrima a la afición cubana. Luego de que salio "o lo sacaron" de la Federación Cubana de Voleibol, Diago ya había sentado las bases para su retiro. Y nos cuenta su historia."

How to Define Cuba's Private Sector  1/23/2017 Cuba Journal: "The Cuban private sector currently includes three primary components that are authorized by the Cuban government: (1) self-employed entrepreneurs known as cuentapropistas, (2) agricultural cooperatives and private farmers, and (3) nonagricultural cooperatives."

Testimonio: Cubano que soñaba con montar la Salchi-Pizza en La Habana  12/24/2016 Enganche Cubano: video

FIART 2016 entrega sus premios  12/19/2016 Radio Rebelde: "Los proyectos ZULU, por colección de Bolsos y Carteras, y Mosaicos Textiles, de la Asociación Cubana de Artesanos Artistas (ACAA), ambos de la capital, resultaron premiados en la categoría de Productos."

Carlos Cristóbal Márquez Valdés  12/7/2016 Marti Noticias: "La misiva promovida por la empresa Cuba Educational Travel, y el grupo de cabildeo a favor del deshielo Engage Cuba, ha sido suscrita por más de 100 dueños de paladares, servicios tecnológicos y de autos y peluquerías, entre otros pequeños negocios."

“Ones to Watch” for Cuba Tech  10/13/2016 The New Cuba: "If you had been really dialed into the scene before arriving to Cuba, you would have been tipped off to a cool restaurant app called Alamesa, which lists 900 restaurants with addresses, phone numbers and reviews — and it works brilliantly offline. Game-changer. Who is the creator of this app? His name is Ariel Causa Menendez, and this week, the young Cuban was awarded for his invention by the recent 10X10KCuba contest along with 9 of his industry peers in a competition that sought to select the 10 most promising Tech startups in Cuba today."

Persiguen cuentapropistas ilegales  10/2/2016 Cartas desde Cuba: "Según Raúl González Quintana, secretario del Consejo de Administración Provincial (CAP), “además de la imposición de 1500 pesos (CUP) de multa a quienes desempeñen cualquier actividad de forma ilícita, aplicaremos con fuerza el decomiso de los medios e instrumentos que utilizan para su labor. La ley es rigurosa en tal sentido. “Si el ciudadano emplea una bicicleta para comercializar algo, la puedo decomisar; si dispone del auto como taxi y carece de licencia operativa, igual queda estipulado el decomiso del vehículo; incluso, si arrienda su inmueble, existe la prerrogativa para abrir un proceso a través de la dirección de Vivienda y decomisarlo. Todo está bien claro en el Decreto Ley 315, en lo referente a aquellos que ejercen de modo ilegal”."

HIRING STAFF IN CUBA – A GUIDE FOR THE FOREIGN INVESTOR  9/19/2016 Lupicinio 

Barbara’s Fashion an Afro-Cuban Led Project  9/10/2016 Havana Times: "The Barbara’s Fashion Project, led by Afro-descendant Cuban women entrepreneurs in Cojimar, Havana, advances in the first phase of its program, despite the precarious situation of its resources. The group is currently working on new designs with an eye towards a public fashion show in the future. We spoke with Terry Deyni Abreu, a lawyer and designer and the project’s director."

IT Outsourcers, Get Ready for the Castro Dividend  8/17/2016 Nearshore Americas: "Yet, beyond the allure of Cuba’s shabby-chic hotels and the prospect of improving the island’s decrepit roads, there is an even greater prize for investors with vision: Cuba possesses immense STEM talent. Today, physicians, thousands of whom are sent abroad to friendly countries in exchange for foreign aid to Havana, are probably the most prominent part of this group, but this is only one segment. There are tens of thousands of IT professionals on the island."

What do Cuban entrepreneurs stand to win from closer US Cuba relations?  8/1/2016 Cuba Counterpoints: "At this point, even if the government facilitates direct relations between the self-employed and foreign businesses, it will remain to be seen how many independent entrepreneurs become actual company owners. Many of these entrepreneurs have been able to stay in business only because their ability to operate within the production and price-regulating features of the informal and underground economies (which are economies geared toward survival, focusing on short-term objectives and low-level investments)."

Cuentapropistas en el limbo jurídico  7/23/2016 Negra Cubana: "Ninguna de estas historias son ficticias, es la vida de gente común que camina por las calles de La Habana. Gente que trabaja en la más absoluta precariedad de sus derechos laborales y a quienes todos les llamamos “cuentapropistas”. Los suponemos en una vida de lujo pero en cambio viven una Cuba cada vez más intensa."

17 Things You Need to Know Before Doing Business in Cuba  5/30/2016 Entrepreneur 

Cuba legalises small and medium private businesses  5/25/2016 BBC: "The government currently allows self-employment in several hundred job categories from restaurant owners to hairdressers. The Cuban economy has been stimulated by many of these becoming small businesses and employing other workers. The latest reforms were published in a 32-page document detailing the party's plan for economic development, and approved by Congress."

Cuba Moves to Legalize Small- and Medium-Size Businesses  5/24/2016 WSJ: "Cuba’s government said it would move to legalize thousands of small- and medium-size businesses that have sprung up in recent years, a step that could encourage more entrepreneurship in the hemisphere’s lone communist country."

Grand Ambitions: Cuban Coders Looking to Energize a Nascent Startup Scene With First Regular Meetups  5/6/2016 Huff Post: "But an ambitious group of young Cuban programmers wants to change that and is trying to energize the island’s technology entrepreneurs by organizing its first tech meetup. Alex Medina, a 35-year-old coder from Camaguey, and a group of friends have started the Merchise Startup Circle and hope to hold the first meeting later this month in Havana. The ultimate goal, according to Medina, is to garner enough interest for regular, monthly meetings on the island."

From Italy to Centro Habana: The Story of SalchiPizza  4/24/2016 Havana Times: "In Italy, Alberto won the Bronze Medal for International High Cuisine (2007) and the Golden Spoon and Silver Fork awards (2009). He was the first Cuban chef to obtain the distinguished Michelin Star and remained in the Michelin Guide for 3 years. He didn’t maintain this status because it entailed far too much effort and ended up being stressful. Any of these awards would make it easy for Alberto find work at any first-rate restaurant in the world."

Sector privado en Cuba, cinco años después  4/4/2016 Cuba a Contraluz: "Una primera dificultad tiene que ver con el acceso a las materias primas y el aprovisionamiento en general. Salvo para productos del agro, no existe un mercado mayorista para los pequeños emprendedores. Y las consecuencias son harto evidentes: altos precios de la oferta, desabastecimiento en la red de tiendas, repunte del mercado negro… Aunque las autoridades han reconocido el problema, la solución se perfila a mediano o largo plazo, pues las compraventas al por mayor requieren desarrollar la industria y la agricultura nacionales, y disponer de recursos financieros que permitan importar más. Las dos cosas llevan tiempo. Por otra parte, el comercio exterior cubano se encuentra centralizado en un grupo de empresas estatales, y los emprendedores no tienen licencias para exportar ni importar. De acuerdo con un informe publicado a mediados de 2015 por el Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social, 504 613 personas, el 27% de la fuerza laboral, se encontraban entonces afiliadas a los nuevos emprendimientos."

Encuentro propone diseminar en Cuba computadora de 35 dólares  4/2/2016 IPS: "En el segundo islote más grande del archipiélago cubano, Isla de la Juventud, un grupo de 25 personas integrado por artistas, informáticos, emprendedores y realizadores,acampó durante tres días para compartir experiencias sobre nuevas tecnologías y desarrollo de las ciencias humanísticas. Las oportunidades para Cuba que ofrece la computadora Raspberry Pi, con un costo de solo 35 dólares en el mercado internacional, fueron valoradas por las y los participantes de THATCamp 2016, que en su segunda edición viajó a Nueva Gerona, la capital de ese municipio especial."

17 Things You Need to Know Before Doing Business in Cuba  3/30/2016 Entrepreneur: "In advance of our AngelSummit Americas, we sat down with Cuba Emprende Chairman John McIntire and Ramphis Castro, a VC at ScienceVest and co-organizer of Startup Weekend Cuba, plus several Cuban founders to uncover what we need to know."

Autoridades bancarias quieren promover el microcrédito estatal entre cuentapropistas  3/27/2016 Diario de Cuba: "A partir de abril una decena de gestores de microcrédito empezará a operar en el municipio de Holguín como experiencia piloto promovida por las autoridades bancarias, con el propósito de extender este tipo de servicios a trabajadores por cuenta propia necesitados de financiación."

Cubans are online and hustling despite restrictions and censorship  3/23/2016 Huck Magazine: "Despite tight controls, the internet has been essential in allowing Zenaida’s small business to thrive. The web has created a platform for her to target international tourists through sites like Airbnb, and with a connection in the house she could beat the competition by responding faster than her competitors. The constant access also meant she could with a Dutch website designer to make herself a site – with the capability of taking bookings and advance payments online, a significant achievement given U.S. restrictions on banking to Cuba complicate these types of transaction."

Comparing Cuba and the USA through Obama  3/23/2016 Havana Times: "Has the State come to us and said “come, we’re going to help you”, “come, you can buy your products here”? Yesterday, the man who has to do with everything related to rum in the country was asked if the owners of private restaurants and coffee shops could purchase rum at wholesale prices [since under the current situation they have to buy by the bottle at retail prices]. You have to sell drinks at 6 CUC. That’s totally disrespectful, considering State establishments sell it at 2 CUC. He said they were trying and, since they always say that, that’s why we spoke with Obama. I think and I’ve always said to you that we have to solve Cuba’s problems ourselves. We’re grateful to Obama and I’m grateful for the opportunity of being there. You’ll see the private and State sectors will be able to work together when there’s a wholesale market. Now, everyone says the private sector is better than the State sector. Draw your own conclusions."

WashU Expert: Quo Vadis, Cuba?  3/21/2016 Washington University 

San Cristóbal, el “paladar” de Centro Habana donde ha ido a cenar Obama  3/20/2016 La Republica: "San Cristóbal lleva como nombre el de su propietario, el chef y la inspiración de conducción, Carlos Cristóbal Márquez Valdés. Desordenado y ecléctico, este es un espacio vivido en la planta baja de una mansión de principios del siglo 20. Montones de libros antiguos están apilados en lo alto hermosa muebles viejos; fotografías en blanco y negro se disputan el espacio con antiguos portadas de discos y carteles taurinos, mientras que una selección de relojes, artefactos religiosos e, incluso una piel de cebra de tamaño completo, añadir a la mezcla."

Stripe to allow Cuban nationals to set up a U.S. business entity, bank account, and more  3/18/2016 Business Wire: "The basic infrastructure for starting an internet business in Cuba is nearly nonexistent. The country's internet penetration is among the lowest in the world, with less than 4% of the population online today. In addition, the financial rails aren't in place to transact with markets outside of Cuba. Hardly anyone has a credit card, so Cubans can't pay -- or more importantly, get paid -- for things available online to billions of people around the world. Despite these challenges in their local market, more than 70% of Cubans surveyed recently said they wanted to start their own business. Stripe Atlas will now allow entrepreneurs to set up an online business and expand beyond Cuban borders to sell to customers anywhere in the world."

Versalles será un barrio tecnológico, según proyecto de Santiago de Cuba  2/4/2016 Cubadebate: "La Unión de Informáticos de Cuba (UIC) en la provincia de Santiago de Cuba lidera la creación de un “barrio tecnológico” en el reparto Versalles. El objetivo es elevar la calidad de vida de la población y de los servicios mediante el uso de la tecnología. Román Román, presidente de la UIC en el territorio, declaró que el proyecto pretende crear una wi-fi con vistas al acceso a las redes sociales, aplicaciones para móviles, informaciones de periódicos, centros de producción y servicios, cuentapropistas o trámites de los 41 objetivos económicos presentes en ese reparto."

Cuba’s Tech and Startup Scenes – on the Verge of Connection  2/3/2016 Cuba Journal: "A little known facet of Cuban society is that they are believed to be the best-educated in Latin America, with the island nation graduating more than 4,000 IT engineers annually. Education, aspiration, a changing political and economic landscape."

¡INDIGNANTE! Policía golpea a vendedora ambulante cubana  12/18/2015 Yusnaby Post: "La cuentapropista y miembro de la opositora Unión Patriótica de Cuba (UNPACU) explicó que “la agente de la PNR me ordenó que tenía que retirarme de mi lugar de venta porque yo estaba vendiendo productos no autorizados. Le demostré que mi licencia respaldaba la venta de todos los artículos que yo ofertaba; pero ella me dijo que no discutiera y que cumpliera la orden”. Fernández Guzmán refiere que “apenas Rebeca comenzó su protesta, la agente de la PNR arremetió contra ella con una violencia absolutamente injustificada, donde se apreciaba un odio inconcebible contra una mujer respetuosa y pacífica, que escasamente pesa 39 kilogramos y tiene casi 50 años de edad. ¡Es una vergüenza!”."

Startup Weekend Havana, oportunidad para el emprendimiento en Cuba  11/10/2015 On Cuba: "Al primer Startup Weekend Havana llegaron jóvenes emprendedores de La Habana, algunos desarrolladores, especialistas en marketing, programadores, diseñadores, todos con la idea de aportar y vivir un momento único y naciente en Cuba. Desde el viernes en la tarde el Hotel Panorama fue espacio de consultas, de intercambio y sala de trabajo de los ocho equipos seleccionados para presentar un proyecto final de startups."

Startup Weekend Havana, opportunity for entrepreneurship in Cuba  11/9/2015 On Cuba: "At the first Startup Weekend Havana came young entrepreneurs from Havana, some developers, marketing specialists, programmers, designers, all with the idea of ??contributing and living a unique and nascent moment in Cuba. From Friday afternoon the Panorama Hotel was a space of consultation, exchange and work room of the eight teams selected to present a final project of startups."

Otorgarán créditos a trabajadores por cuenta propia sin pedir garantías  9/6/2015 El Economista de Cuba: "Sin necesidad de presentar garantía, los cuentapropistas podrán solicitar hasta 10 000 pesos en crédito, nuevo producto aprobado por el Banco Popular de Aho­rro (BPA) para incentivar el uso del financiamiento externo en el creciente sector económico."

“You Have To Eat A Bread That Has Dignity”  9/4/2015 14 y medio: "Why did you return to Cuba? Alberto Gonzalez. For the values ??we are losing and because of the poor diet on the island. We Cubans eat anything. I think to open a business in a place as central as this, 562 Infanta Street between Valle and Zapata, I can help rescue those values, that culinary tradition that we have always had. A Cuban child today doesn’t know what an apple is, what bread tastes like… they only know what pizza is, or a hamburger."

Un pan nuestro para cada día en Centro Habana (+ Video y Fotos)  7/14/2015 Cubadebate: "No hay secretos en esta panadería. Los maestros y aprendices elaboran la masa frente a los golosos clientes, el horno se abre a la vista, las 14 variedades de pan están al alcance de la mano. Es Salchipizza, una pequeña empresa no estatal ubicada en el Corazón de Centro Habana —Infanta #562, entre Zapata y Valle— donde cada pieza horneada tiene historia."

“Ave Fenix”: supporting entrepreneurship in Cuba  6/18/2015 OnCuba: "We want to encourage entrepreneurship in the black and mixed blood people in Cuba to promote small business creation and implementation of self-employment within the existing legal framework in the country, taking into account the new Foreign Investment Law. We are trying to manage resources to motivate people and related entities interested in making low-interest loans to these economic activities and / or in the form of grants."

Cuba’s Web Entrepreneurs Search for U.S. Clients, and Reliable Wi-Fi  6/10/2015 NYT: "And ever since the United States in February authorized Americans to import goods and services from Cuban entrepreneurs for the first time in half a century, they have their eyes on America as well."

PANADERIA "SALCHIPIZZA"....  4/27/2015 Barrio de Cuba: "En Italia, obtuvo la Medalla de Bronce en Artística de Cocina Internacional (2007), Cuchara de Oro y Tenedor de Plata (2009). Fue el primer Chef cubano en obtener la importante distinción Estrella Michelín, y permaneció 3 años en la guía Michelín. No la mantuvo porque implicaba demasiado esfuerzo y llegaba a ser estresante. Pero cualquiera de estos premios le permitiría a Alberto encontrar trabajo en cualquier restaurante de primera línea en el mundo."

Opportunity Knocks at Cuba's Door  4/3/2015 #CubaNow: "Following last month’s news that direct calls between the U.S. and Cuba would resume for the first time in years, another entry into the Cuban marketplace stands to boost Cuban entrepreneurs in a major way. Airbnb, a U.S.-based website that allows people to rent their homes, announced this week that they would be expanding into Cuba. As we write in today’s blog post, this move is bigger than you might think: “One of the other more positive effects is the increased demand this will create for expanding Internet service in Cuba. While some might have initially scoffed at the idea of a streaming service like Netflix expanding to the Island, services like these will better allow Americans to engage with the Cuban people while building pressure for the kinds of investments that will bring Cuba into the 21st century."

Cuba’s Tech Start-up Sector: ‘People Are Hungry to Work’  2/24/2015 Wharton: "Even in university, when he finally had access to the Internet, Pimienta, now 27, was limited to 20 megabytes per month of data — a small fraction of what fits on a thumb drive today. Yet, in 2013 when PayPal hosted its first-ever global hackathon competition in San Jose, Calif., with a $100,000 purse, Pimienta and two partners placed third for developing a peer-to-peer lending app called LoanPal."

CUBAN ENTREPRENEURS CAN SELL EVERYTHING FROM SHOES TO SOAP IN THE UNITED STATES  2/23/2015 The Cuban Economy: "The State Department says its new rules will encourage private Cuban entrepreneurs to develop products for export. While all live animals and animal products are prohibited, raw hides, skins, leather, furs, saddlery and harnesses, handbags, and travel goods are allowed. So are paper products, plastics and rubber articles, ceramics, glass and glassware, articles of stone, plaster and cement; footwear, hats, umbrellas, toys and games, artificial flowers and feathers. Independent entrepreneurs who make soap, cosmetics, candles, waxes and polishes, perfume or photographic or cinematographic goods are also in the clear. Jewelry makers, including those who work with pearls and precious and semiprecious stones, also got a green light as did producers of cutlery and tools."

Cuba: Emprendedoras rurales intercambian saberes  11/5/2014 Semlac: "Desde cómo organizar un negocio hasta trucos para la artesanía, la siembra de hortalizas, cría de animales y cultivo de plantas exóticas compartieron mujeres emprendedoras durante la "Jornada Internacional de Economía Rural y Derechos Económicos de las Mujeres", celebrada en el hotel Panorama, en La Habana, del 27 al 29 de octubre."

Cuentapropistas Refuse to be Deterred  9/17/2014 #CubaNow: "On Monday, an EFE article told the story of how gyms, bars, mobile phone repair shops, real estate, gift stores, photo studios and party organizers are sprouting up as independent small family businesses throughout the island. The article explains that the entrepreneurs behind these businesses are refusing to be deterred by the constraints and arbitrary restrictions imposed by the Cuban regime on ‘cuentapropistas.’ Not only that, but niche businesses like promotions, mobile phone apps, and IT support are all growing to provide services to this sector. As I argued in my op-ed for Diario De Cuba last week, while Castro’s government continues to find ways to tighten its own embargo over the Cuban people, we should be doing everything we can to expand the flow of contacts and resources from the American private sector to all driven and hard-working entrepreneurs, not just those with family abroad."

Cuba's Women Entrepreneurs Are On The Rise  8/29/2014 #CubaNow: "Cuba’s private entrepreneurs, or “cuentapropistas”, are focused on solving everyday problems. An impressive 29% of small businesses in the Island are run or operated by women who are transforming their own lives and their local communities. When compared to the 37% of businesses run by women worldwide, this emerging sector shows how entrepreneurship is becoming an increasingly important part of the Cuban reality today--one President Obama and Congress should allow all Americans to support."

The Role and Impact of Remittances on Small Business Development during Cuba’s Current Economic Reforms  6/1/2014 Desigualdades: by Katrin Hansing and Manuel Orozco - "This paper explores the extent to which Cuban remittance recipients are responding to the Cuban government’s current economic reforms which seek to incentivize entrepreneurial activities as an economic growth strategy and state liberalization policy. In so doing we hope to make some preliminary observations and recommendations about the potential role and impact of remittances in Cuba’s socio-economic development. It is based on an original survey conducted in Cuba in 2012."

Especialistas investigan cómo empoderar a mujeres cuentapropistas  4/14/2014 SEMlac Cuba: "La división sexual del trabajo por cuenta propia en Cuba motiva una investigación en curso para caracterizar el emprendimiento de las mujeres en el municipio capitalino Habana Vieja, uno de los más hacinados y con mayor índice de desigualdad económica de la capital cubana."

Ordenanzas de la ciudad, otro “amarre” para los cuentapropistas?  1/17/2014 La Esquina de Lilith: "Significa, además, que posiblemente cientos de familias que apuntalaban la economía familiar con el alquiler de espacios de sus viviendas podrían quedarse sin esa entrada, sin contar con lo que significa para los propios cuentapropistas que, con la nueva ley para esa actividad, invirtieron en toldos, mesetas… Lo peor, no obstante, es la sensación de inestabilidad que, ahora mismo, ronda a quienes ejercen esa actividad que, cada año hasta ahora, se incrementado sus aportes al presupuesto nacional."

Gobierno cobrará más impuestos a cuentapropistas de la Habana Vieja  12/19/2012 Café Fuerte: "Disfrazarse como dandy o habanera en el casco histórico de la Habana Vieja tendrá un costo mensual a partir del próximo año, según una nueva regulación que fija impuestos adicionales para este tipo de trabajadores privados. A partir del 1ro de enero, los cuentapropistas que laboren en la zona de conservación -atendida por la Oficina del Historiador de la Ciudad de La Habana- deberán pagar un 10 por ciento de sus ingresos personales para la contribuir a la “restauración y preservación” de los bienes patrimoniales del lugar, de acuerdo con la Resolución 394/2012 del Ministerio de Finanzas y Precios."

In Communist Cuba, the Tax Man Cometh  11/28/2012 MSNBC: "A sliding scale income tax - from 15 percent for earnings of more than 10,000 pesos (about $400) annually, to 50 percent for earnings of over 50,000 pesos, (about $2,000) - adopted in 1994, remains in the new code for the self-employed, small businesses and farms, but it also includes a series of new deductions to stimulate their work."

Zulu Wallets for and from Cuba  11/28/2012 Havana Times: "It was precisely in 1992 when she began making “Zulu” brand leather bags. Sure, over the years she has refined her skills considerably, it’s to the point that now her craftwork is on par with those products sold in any boutique. “Zulu” is the first four letters of the last name of her family, made up mainly women (Hilda Zulueta, Mady and Orasnis Letamendi Zulueta), but also Paul Machin, who’s also proud of his handicrafts. Each of their bags is unique. The dyes and leather take on a singular personality in every single object."

Carteras Zulu, para y desde Cuba  11/28/2012 Havana Times: "Exactamente desde 1992 la marca Zulu produce carteras de cuero. Claro, con los años se han ido perfeccionando y ahora están a la altura de cualquier producto de boutique. Zulu son las primeras cuatro letras de apellido de una familia compuesta sobre todo por mujeres: Hilda Zulueta, Mady y Orasnis Letamendi Zulueta, y Pablo Machín, que también se muestra orgulloso de su trabajo. Cada una de las carteras es una exclusividad. Las tintas y el cuero adquieren una personalidad única en cada objeto."

Import tax deadline has Cuba entrepreneurs on edge  9/1/2012 Miami Herald: "A sudden jump in import taxes on Monday threatens to make life tougher for some of Cuba's new entrepreneurs and will mean higher prices for many of their customers by raising the cost of goods ranging from jungle-print blouses to jewelry. The new measures steeply hike duties on cargo shipments, as well as on many bulk goods brought in by airline passengers, a crucial supply line for many of the small businesses the government has been trying to encourage as it cuts a bloated workforce in the socialist economy."

Cuba Woman’s Small Business Secret  9/5/2011 Havana Times: by Yusimi Rodriguez

Hair Salons and Barber Shops Going Coop  4/13/2010 Ethno Cuba: "According to recent news, selected hair salons and barber shops in Havana are undergoing an experiment in management and administration. Unlike in the 1990s, these are not self-employed professionals who are allowed to run small businesses out of their home. These are tiny state shops (sitting three max) that are being turned to their employees who then run them autonomously. They must pay a rent (in hard currency) to the state as well as taxes, and obtain their supplies on their own, presumably at free market prices. They can then set prices according to supply and demand. Apparently, participation in this pilot program has been voluntary, and workers who did not want to be autonomous have been able to switch jobs with those who did at other salons."

Cuba liberalises barber shops and beauty salons  4/13/2010 BBC: "All barbers and hairdressers in shops with three seats or fewer will be allowed to rent the space and pay taxes instead of getting a monthly wage. The retail sector has long been derided for poor service and rampant theft. The country's former President, Fidel Castro, nationalised all small businesses in 1968."

Cuba's economic fate up in air  8/28/2006 USA Today: "Kirby Jones, president of the U.S.-Cuba Trade Association, says Canada and European nations have more than 300 joint ventures with Cuba in telecommunications, oil and energy, mining, port management and other sectors. "This is not the Cuba of old, when everything was under Soviet Union domination," he says. "This is a brand new version, a mixture of capitalism and socialism." Raul Castro could continue in that direction, some economists and scholars say. Initially, he might unveil small, cosmetic reforms to polish Cuba's image and win over his people. He might let Cubans start thousands of small businesses in trade, agriculture and tourism, as the Castros allowed in the mid-1990s. One scenario: Cuba copies China, a blend of authoritarian state control, manufacturing, mass-market consumerism and high-tech development. "At best, Raul will try the mini-China model," says Antonio Gayoso of the Association for the Study of the Cuban Economy and a former economist in Cuba's finance ministry. "At worst, he and the military will continue the repressive control they have now.""

Government denies private repairmen access to faulty appliances  9/12/2005 CubaNet: "The Commerce Department has destroyed dozens of faulty refrigerators, televisions sets, washing machines and air conditioners rather than permit them to be sold, repaired and marketed by private sector entrepreneurs, according to an eye witness. Because of defects, the appliances, all imported, were removed from stores which sell merchandise for foreign currency and taken to an area in Wajay, on the outskirts of Havana, and impacted by heavy equipment for their value as recycled metal."

Target: Castro's Cuba. Victim: Small Business  5/4/2004 Hispanic Business: "What Common Ground and other travel agencies specializing in travel to Cuba didn't anticipate is that, with its victory in hand, the Bush Administration didn't just tighten up. It came down hard, sledgehammer-style."

A Brief History of the Black Panther Party. Its Place in the Black Liberation Movement  6/1/1995 World History Archives: By Sundiata Acoli, from the Sundiata Acoli Freedom Campaign, 1995
 
 

Cuba Emprede

proyectocubaemprende.org - Un proyecto del Arzobispado de La Habana

www.facebook.com/proyectocubaemprende

www.cubaemprendefoundation.org  - CEF supports the Catholic Church of Cuba's Proyecto Cuba Emprende.

www.facebook.com/CubaEmprendeFoundation

www.tinker.org/content/proyecto-cuba-emprende

Monochromatic, in a country with a majority black population...  from proyectocubaemprende.org
 

Links/Enlaces

www.mtss.cu/empleo-trabajoporcuentapropia - Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad

Gaceta Official de Cuba, 26 de sept, 2013 - Cuentapropismo, PDF

Cuba y negocios

www.facebook.com/groups/mipymescuba/

es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peque%C3%B1as_y_medianas_empresas_en_Cuba

www.cubaoutsource.com - Cuba, Chile, US

www.cubazon.com/test/  - Expected to go live before the end of the year, Cubazon will process credit-card payments outside of Cuba and then wire money through the same network used by Cubans abroad to send money to relatives back home to pay the local Cuban business, such as a flower shop or bakery, to make and deliver the gift.

Recharge cellphones in Cuba  - www.fonoma.com

www.kehaypahoy.com

Publicidad en Cuba: Kewelta
www.facebook.com/KeweltaPromo/

blog.kewelta.com

www.merchise.com
support for startups

www.ninjacuba.com - El red de profesionales de Cuba

The State Department's Section 515.582 List, 4/22/2016 Provides the regulatory support for hiring independent Cuban contractors.    [Version español]

"In accordance with the policy changes announced by the President on December 17, 2014, to further engage and empower the Cuban people, Section 515.582 of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (31 CFR Part 515 – the CACR) authorizes the importation into the United States of certain goods and services produced by independent Cuban entrepreneurs as determined by the State Department as set forth on the Section 515.582 List, below. [The entrepreneur cannot also work for any Cuban government entity.]

...The goods whose import is authorized by Section 515.582 are goods produced by independent Cuban entrepreneurs, as demonstrated by documentary evidence, that are imported into the United States, except for goods specified in the following sections/chapters of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS).

...The authorized services pursuant to 31 CFR 515.582 are services supplied by an independent Cuban entrepreneur in Cuba, as demonstrated by documentary evidence. Persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction engaging in import transactions involving services supplied by an independent Cuban entrepreneur pursuant to § 515.582 are required to obtain documentary evidence that demonstrates the entrepreneur’s independent status, such as a copy of a license to be self-employed issued by the Cuban government or, in the case of an entity, evidence that demonstrates that the entrepreneur is a private entity that is not owned or controlled by the Cuban government. Supply of services must comply with other applicable state and federal laws."

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