The Caribbean Seed Fund, the first of its kind in the Caribbean, will be used to catalyze high-impact entrepreneurial initiatives across the Caribbean.
KINGSTON, JAMAICA Entrepreneurs Across Borders, Inc. (EAB) announced on Wednesday that its first-ever “Beyond the Beach” Event will be held on April 28-29 in Kingston, Jamaica. This invitation-only event brings together an intimate group of investors, entrepreneurs, and executives to foster growth and innovation in Jamaica’s tech sector. A panel of speakers has been identified, including well-known angel investors, and seasoned (and exited) entrepreneurs from Jamaica and the U.S.
“We purposely kept the group small so that relationships can form among people who are ready to invest a slice of their time to have impact. . .That’s what’s different,” shared Martin Babinec, Founder of Entrepreneurs Across Borders.
At Beyond the Beach, EAB will also unveil progress towards forming an early-stage investment seed fund, the “Caribbean Seed Fund,” which will be wholly held in Jamaica and managed by a curated team of Jamaican and U.S. angel investors with established track records operating and growing similar funds. The Caribbean Seed Fund, the first of its kind in the Caribbean, will be Co-Founded and led by tech pioneer and entrepreneurial superstar, Ingrid Riley, and used to catalyze high-impact entrepreneurial initiatives across the Caribbean.
“We are working toward the repositioning of Jamaica and the Caribbean, beyond the typical perception of being solely a place where you come to get your groove back and your tan on,” exclaimed Ingrid Riley, Founder of SiliconCaribe. “Together, we’re contributing to a Caribbean that will be more known for entrepreneurship, innovation and excellence, Beyond the Beach.”
Representatives from the widely recognized nonprofit, Food for the Poor, will also present at Beyond the Beach, sharing highlights of a developing partnership with Entrepreneurs Across Borders called “EAB Connect.” This new joint venture will include the development of an innovative technology platform designed to connect entrepreneurs in emerging markets with relationships across a broad network of people willing to leverage both connections and capital in support of entrepreneurial growth in underdeveloped communities across the globe.
“Entrepreneurs take challenges head-on and then solve them. That is why supporting entrepreneurship is so important to markets like the Caribbean,” states Chris Cochran, Executive Director of Entrepreneurs Across
Borders. “Access to new forms of venture capital that the region has not seen before will be instrumental in helping those entrepreneurs thrive and grow beyond the bounds of Jamaica. We are so excited to gather successful investors from the US and Jamaicans that want to give of their own time to invest in the Caribbean because there is a lot happening right now in the region.”
