The Lumina Festival is proud to announce Bermuda Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) as a returning sponsor of the 2026 Financial Literacy Summit.
Donte Hunt, MSME Director at BEDC said, “Returning to support Lumina for a second year reflects our continued commitment to supporting initiatives that strengthen the knowledge, confidence, and financial capability of Bermuda’s entrepreneurs. Financial literacy is fundamental to building and sustaining a successful business. Through our work with micro, small and medium-sized businesses, we see firsthand that entrepreneurs can have great ideas and strong products or services, but understanding the numbers behind the business is equally important to long-term success.”
BEDC has committed nearly $10,000 in support for this year’s Lumina Festival. This includes sponsorship of one of the Summit’s workshops, the purchase of tickets to provide opportunities for members of Bermuda’s entrepreneurial community and students to attend, and additional support to make General Admission+ (GA+) tickets more accessible.
As part of this commitment, BEDC is subsidising a limited number of GA+ tickets, reducing the cost to BEDC Members to $150. GA+ ticket holders will have access to the Summit as well as the cocktail reception, providing an additional opportunity to network, build relationships and connect with Bermuda’s wider business community. BEDC members should email info@bedc.bm to receive the discount code and confirm membership.
Mr Hunt added, “Our primary goal this year is to create even more opportunities for Bermuda’s entrepreneurs and small business owners to access the education Lumina provides. For some entrepreneurs, the cost of attending events and professional development opportunities can be a barrier. Through our sponsorship, we want to help remove that barrier and enable more of our clients to participate, learn and take that knowledge to build stronger, more sustainable businesses.”
The Financial Literacy Summit will be hosted at the National Museum of Bermuda in Dockyard from 9 am to 5 pm. It will feature panel discussions, workshops, and interviews with financial experts and successful entrepreneurs, including international and local keynote speakers Armando Pantoja and Craig Bridgewater, respectively. Tickets are available at luminafest.com and ptix.bm, starting at $149 for general access.
The Lumina Festival is a Bermuda-based social enterprise dedicated to bridging the worlds of finance and culture through a unique blend of non-profit and for-profit initiatives. Through financial education, entertainment, and cultural celebration, it aims to make a social impact and promote inclusive economic growth.
The Bermuda Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) was established in 1980 as the Bermuda Small Business Development Corporation. This joint venture between Bermuda’s banks and the Government was formed to actively assist the development of a strong, well managed and prosperous small business sector in Bermuda. In 2011, the BSBDC Act was amended to expand its remit. As a result the BSBDC changed its name to BEDC to encompass its expanded legislation. Under the new legislation the Corporation performs the following functions: the granting of loans or other forms of financial assistance, to assist persons in establishing, carrying on or expanding small businesses, medium-sized businesses and entities within economic empowerment zones; the provision of technical advice or assistance to persons who are seeking or who are granted financial assistance; to operate and manage markets; to oversee and manage the development and implementation of the economic empowerment zones; and the maintenance of a Register of Small Businesses, Medium-Sized Businesses and Economic Empowerment Zone Business Entities.
