On Thursday October 26th, 10 of JAMAICA’s best seed stage startups will compete to represent the country at the Seedstars Summit and win up to USD 1 million in equity investment and prizes at the Global Summit.
Seedstars World, the global seed-stage startup competition for emerging markets and fast-growing startup scenes is coming to Jamaica for the first time. With the support of Development Bank of Jamaica and Continental, in association with Kingston Beta, Seedstars World will be holding a dynamic pitch event on Thursday, October 26th, 6 pm at JamPro HQ. In line with its mission to place the spotlight on entrepreneurs from emerging markets, Seedstars World is travelling to more than 75 countries this year to identify the best seed-stage entrepreneurs and provide them with an opportunity to win up to USD 1 million and network with investors and mentors from around the world. Its previous participants have raised over USD 61M collectively, providing employment to more than 800 employees worldwide.The top startups to advance to the grand Jamaican final are:
- Altura Tech Caribbean – Commercial Grade Dash Cam with 24/7 live video feed and Data Collection to make truck transportation more safe and efficient.
- Get There – An application to request transport and courier services on demand.
- Samelogic – Reads emotions from people´s faces and voices, then correlates them to understand their true intentions
- Quikanou Global – A global e-commerce platform that allows the world to shop and connect to Caribbean businesses.
- Staff Genius – A platform that leverage cost-effective technologies so employers can quickly and efficiently make sound decisions for the health of their workforce.
- The Vinelist – An online platform that connects brick and mortar retailers in emerging markets to relevant customers who want to buy their products.
- LivewireACT – The first online portal to view, audition & book the best talents
- Billodex – A ticketing platform that allows patrons to purchase tickets for events and drinks from the bar directly from their mobile!
- Braata Box & Co. – An online marketplace for makers, artisans and craftspeople.
- eDocine – App that improves the traditional healthcare experience, using cutting-edge technology to provide patients with greater access to doctors.
Seedstars World is closely working with Development Bank of Jamaica, Continental and SiliconCaribe, in order to deliver the best possible event and to provide local entrepreneurs with this opportunity.
The startups will pitch in front of a jury that consist of Gordon Swaby – CEO of EduFocal,Lisandra Rickards – CEO of Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship, Stacey Hines – Group Strategic Planner at ICD Group Holdings, Zachary Harding – CEO of Hyperion Equity Inc, and Maria Noel de la Paz, Regional Associate at Seedstars World.
In addition to the pitching startups, the audience will be able to listen to a cool panel discussion by Kingston BETA with the title: “The Status of Jamaica’s Tech Startup Scene. Beyond the Hype. Set for Growth” with the following panellists: Audrey Richards – Financial Specialist at Development Bank of Jamaica, Dr Stacey Ann Wilson – Entrepreneur, Academic and Co-founder of ThinkJamaica, Marc Gayle and Entrepreneur and Startup Advisor and will be moderated by Ingrid Riley – Founder of SiliconCaribe Media.
Further support is provided by The Hub, ItelBpo, NCB Jamaica, ReelVibez Studios, Blue Mahoe Ventures, Select Brands and Pure Country Juices.
