How Cuba's growing internet is fuelling new businesses

Image copyrightNOAM GALAI/GETTY

Image captionCubazon's Bernardo Romero Gonzalez is counting on the Cuban diaspora to help grow his business

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As the internet becomes more widespread in Cuba, online start-ups are emerging. But the problems many of the companies hope to address are also a reminder of how far the island has to go.

Bernardo Romero Gonzalez, a 33-year-old software engineer from Cuba, launched his new business this month: a website where people can order island-made products such as soap, bouquets of flowers and cakes for home delivery.

"It's like Amazon for Cuba, but with a difference," he told an audience of New York techies at a conference this month.

The summary was a classic start-up pitch, but it also underscored the obstacles when it comes to starting an online business in the Caribbean country.

• Cuba approves first public wi-fi hub in Havana

Growing internet

Internet access among Cuba's 11.2 million people is growing.

Between 2013 and 2015, the share of the Cuban population using the internet jumped from about a quarter to more than 35%, according to estimates from the International Telecommunications Union.

The growing market has helped draw the attention of internet giants, such as Airbnb, Netflix and Google, which installed servers on the island and started hosting data there last month.

The rise is also fuelling activity among local entrepreneurs, who are launching domestic versions of sites such as the crowd-review business directory Yelp.

But there's a long way to go.

Image copyrightADALBERTO ROQUE/GETTY

Image captionPublic wi-fi hotspots remain the primary way for Cubans to access the internet