Valrie Grant

Background

Dr. Valrie Grant is an award-winning entrepreneur, geospatial and innovation leader, strategic advisor, international speaker, author, and podcast host. She currently serves as the Caribbean lead in the Climate and Nature Group at Fugro. Valrie is the founder and chairwoman of GeoTechVision, a knowledge services company, and the founder of Jamaica Flying Labs, along with several other technical organizations. A lifelong learner, she is passionate about technology and entrepreneurship and relishes every opportunity to mentor women entrepreneurs and young people.

Dr. Grant is an adjunct professor, teaching courses in entrepreneurship, strategic management, and geospatial sciences. She serves as a strategic advisor on geospatial matters to the OECS Commission and is the visionary behind EduTechAid, an initiative dedicated to addressing digital inequality in education and empowering youth. She has held leadership roles on national, regional, and international boards and committees, including the World Geospatial Industry Council (WGIC) and the United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM): Americas Private Sector Network (PSN), where she is the current chair. At the global level, she serves as vice chair of the UN-GGIM PSN.

She is a 2020 WE Empower UN SDG Challenge awardee and the author of Every Day is Day One: Maintaining the Startup Culture and Mindset and Hills and Valleys: Poems of Resilience. Dr. Grant is also the host of the podcast Mapping the Conversations, where she explores the intersection of geospatial technology, innovation, leadership, and the intricate relationship between humanity and Earth. Additionally, she is a co-host of DBA Chronicles, a podcast dedicated to all things Doctor of Business Administration (DBA).

Valrie holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology from the University of the West Indies, a Master of Science in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the Environment from Manchester Metropolitan University, and an MBA from the Florida Institute of Technology. She earned a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) from UNC Charlotte, where her research focused on “Factors Influencing the Adoption of National Geospatial Information Management (NGIM) in Small Island Developing States (SIDS).”

Research Interest

Valrie’s research interests include Small Island Developing States (SIDS), national innovation systems, geospatial information management, GeoAI, and entrepreneurship.