Startup Weekend Jamaica To Host Entrepreneurs For a Crash Course in Creating a Business

#swja

Startup Weekend Jamaica will connect local entrepreneurs  and startup enthusiasts to share ideas and launch companies

Kingston, Jamaica, Tuesday September 3rd, 2013 – Startup Weekend JAMAICA will connect local entrepreneurs, developers, designers and startup enthusiasts with mentors and resources at its first event. Throughout the period of this 54-hour event, attendees will share mostly internet and mobile related ideas, form teams, and launch startups.  Local and Diaspora-based CEOs, founders, and American startup veterans will be on hand as Mentors and Coaches to provide expertise on their experiences in the fast-paced world of technology startups.

“This is going to be a great weekend for the Jamaican Startup community,” said Ingrid Riley, Founder of ConnectiMass,  that’s staging the Jamaican event of this Global brand and movement.  “We’re helping to build an entrepreneurial ecosystem here and so It’s great to see the government and experienced brands and people give their time and money to help the community grow.”

On Friday night, attendees will take the open mic to pitch their ideas to the group of attendees in 60 seconds or less. After groups form, the rest of the weekend will be spent formulating the most popular ideas – typically web and mobile ideas – with the help of mentors and seasoned startup entrepreneurs. By Sunday, teams will be ready to present their ideas in front of a panel of judges who will award top 3 prizes valued over US$1,000 each, including technical resources, mentorship programs and tickets to local Startup Bootcamps, all of which are targeted to help teams build their startups after the weekend. “Our mission this weekend isn’t limited to just creating local startups. We want to support local business as well,” said organizer Ingrid Riley. “Part of the learning experience at Startup Weekend Jamaica is demonstrating practices that encourage  growth and innovation right here at home.”

Alongside members from the local and American based Diaspora tech and entrepreneur communities, Startup Weekend Jamaica welcomes Platinum partners in Columbus Business Solutions and Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining with other sponsors coming now coming on. Around 100 participants are expected to partake over the weekend; additionally, there are limited tickets available to the public for viewing the presentations on final night on Sunday.

We have seasoned and known entrepreneurs Yaneek Page and Chris Reckord as two of our judges and a roster of 15 Coaches who are local, US Diaspora seasoned entrepreneurs, business and entrepreneurship trainers and coaches as well as American Startup veterans.

Startup Weekend JAMAICA is organized locally by ConnectiMass (parent of this blog), is a not for profit organisation that’s teaching and promoting tech entrepreneurship and innovation throughout the Caribbean as means to sustainable job and wealth creation. “We are about empowering a generation of individuals (especially young people and women) to use tech entrepreneurship as a catalyst to live not only a better life, but the life of their dreams,” says Founder, Ingrid Riley.

Startup Weekend Jamaica runs from Friday, October 4th at 6:30 PM to Sunday, October 6th at 9:00 PM at PCJ Auditorium, PCJ Building, 36 Trafalgar Road, Kingston 5. It costs $2,500 Early Bird Registration and $3,500 there after. This covers all three days, 7 meals, fast and robust wifi, tshirts, online resources and more. For more information on this weekend’s event, as well as tickets to participate, please visit http://www.jamaica.startupweekend.org

ABOUT CONNECTiMASS: Connectimass is a not for profit that’s teaching and promoting tech entrepreneurship and innovation throughout the Caribbean as means to sustainable job and wealth creation. We are about empowering a generation of individuals (especially young people and women) to use tech entrepreneurship as a catalyst to live not only a better life, but the life of their dreams. Connectimass by produces media content (blogs, newsletters, opportunity databases) and community and capacity building events (meetups, conferences, bootcamps) for aspiring and current entrepreneurs. Connectimass has impacted over 50,000 individuals across the region over the last 6 1/2 years with its activities. It was founded by Tech Entrepreneur Ingrid Riley.

ABOUT STARTUP WEEKEND GLOBAL: Startup Weekend is a 501c(3)non-profit based in Seattle, Wash. Founded in 2007 in Boulder, Colo., by Andrew Hyde, the organization has been based out of Seattle since 2009 under the direction of Marc Nager. Supported by a grant from the Kauffman Foundation, Startup Weekend has held over 1,050 events around the globe in 475 cities across 110 countries, inspiring nearly 100,000 entrepreneurs to take an idea from concept to launch.

www.connectimass.com | Contact Ingrid Riley ingrid@connectimass.com | 1 876 864 2440