Speakers
2016 provided startups and aspiring founders with an amazing team of subject matter experts, global and local entrepreneurs to share key insights to building and scaling successful companies.
Here's a look at the speakers who participated!
Frederick Hudson
FOUNDER & CEO@
PIGEONLY
(USA)
A born entrepreneur, he launched and sold his first business at the age of 19. His desire to attain the American dream on his terms took him down the wrong path and at 23, he was indicted for distributing over 3,000 kg of marijuana. It was during this four year federal prison sentence a new idea surfaced, one that would give him an opportunity to impact the lives of people no one else was paying attention to - inmates and Pigeonly was born. He went on to raise almost $5M in funding.
OLUFUNBI FALAYI
CO-FOUNDER @
PASSION INCUBATOR
(NIGERIA) Via Live linkup
How to look beyond the hurdles
A founder and a facilitator himself, Olufunbi's African take will help to show Caribbean startups a very global view of what is possible. He is a co-founder of Passion Incubator which provides innovative Start-up entrepreneurs with the most critical resources to launch lean Start-ups that can grow fast and where success can be quickly institutionalized. He is also co-founder of Project 4 (an education non-profit organization) and is a Future Award Africa Nominee in Education (2013). He is currently a LEAP Africa Social Innovators Programme and Award (SIPA) FELLOW.
STEVE McCARTNEY
VP STARTUP SERVICES GROUP@ COMMUNITECT
(CANADA)
Scaling your startup: The fundamentals
Steve brings a wealth of experience to the Caribbean Startup Summit's stage. As the current Vice President of the Startup Services Group at Communitech, Canada's largest and most successful startup hub for the commercialization of innovative technologies, he will share critical insights into starting and building successful businesses. Steve also currently serves as chair on the boards of Bering Media Toronto, Ontario and Energy+ in Cambridge, Ontario. An entrepreneur himself he has walked the talk!
GREGORY HINKSON
FOUNDER@
SAMDOR SERVICES
(BARBADOS)
The debt vs equity challenge for startups: When to & when not to!
Gregory has been helping entrepreneurs structure finance deals and secure funding for their ventures for years. He is the co-founder of TEN Habitat, and helps lead investment opportunities for Caribbean entrepreneurs to be funded. He is an Independent Professional (i-Pro) with extensive experience in financial analysis, evaluation, forecasting and investment appraisals in the international business and financial services sector with particular emphasis on investment management, property administration, international private banking and international marketing.
Angela Benton
Founder & CEO@
NEWME ACCELERATOR
(USA)
From idea to funded: The journey of the startup
Technology expert, speaker, media personality, and entrepreneur, Angela Benton, is the founder and CEO of NewME in Silicon Valley, a social enterprise that accelerates entrepreneurs with non-traditional backgrounds. NewME has accelerated hundreds of entrepreneurs and helped them raise over $17 million in venture capital funding.
ELAINE LEUNG
DIRECTOR@
MINISTRY OF RESEARCH & INNOVATION ONTARIO (CANADA)
The focused startup: Steps to innovation efficiency from the start
Elaine's experience in helping create an environment for technology startups to grow will be very useful to Caribbean entrepreneurs. Leung is a Director with the Ministry of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure and the Ministry of Research & Innovation in the Ontario Government.
Currently on sabbatical, Elaine is assisting the Lazaridis Institute with the launch of operations which will help technology companies significantly accelerate their growth.
SELWYN CAMBRIDGE
CO-FOUNDER@ TEN HABITAT AND CARIBBEAN STARTUP SUMMIT
(CARIBBEAN)
Introduction to TEN Habitat
Selwyn has been working with startups for more than 10 years and is the driving force behind the newly created regional Startup Community and Accelerator: TEN Habitat- An initiative helping to create a nurturing enviroment for the growth of entrepreneurs. He is also the founder of the Caribbean Startup Summit, working to empower regional startups.
Selwyn manages Ethnic Vision Inc, a Caribbean brand development and marketing company he founded.
ROSALIND JACKSON
FOUNDER @
CARIBBEAN CATALYST INC
Building a winning team: Common pitfalls to avoid
As the founder of Caribbean Catalyst Inc, Rosalind brings her passion for leadership development to share with startups. She has 36 years in business of which 31 years are in the HR consulting field. This provides an excellent foundation for helping entrepreneurs understand how to build and manage successful teams to provide innovative business solutions and add sustainable value. Eager to give back, she is excited about being part of the Summit.
Frederick Hudson
FOUNDER & CEO@
PIGEONLY
(USA)
A born entrepreneur, he launched and sold his first business at the age of 19. His desire to attain the American dream on his terms took him down the wrong path and at 23, he was indicted for distributing over 3,000 kg of marijuana. It was during this four year federal prison sentence a new idea surfaced, one that would give him an opportunity to impact the lives of people no one else was paying attention to - inmates and Pigeonly was born. He went on to raise almost $5M in funding.
OLUFUNBI FALAYI
CO-FOUNDER @
PASSION INCUBATOR
(NIGERIA) Via Live linkup
How to look beyond the hurdles
A founder and a facilitator himself, Olufunbi's African take will help to show Caribbean startups a very global view of what is possible. He is a co-founder of Passion Incubator which provides innovative Start-up entrepreneurs with the most critical resources to launch lean Start-ups that can grow fast and where success can be quickly institutionalized. He is also co-founder of Project 4 (an education non-profit organization) and is a Future Award Africa Nominee in Education (2013). He is currently a LEAP Africa Social Innovators Programme and Award (SIPA) FELLOW.
STEVE McCARTNEY
VP STARTUP SERVICES GROUP@ COMMUNITECT
(CANADA)
Scaling your startup: The fundamentals
Steve brings a wealth of experience to the Caribbean Startup Summit's stage. As the current Vice President of the Startup Services Group at Communitech, Canada's largest and most successful startup hub for the commercialization of innovative technologies, he will share critical insights into starting and building successful businesses. Steve also currently serves as chair on the boards of Bering Media Toronto, Ontario and Energy+ in Cambridge, Ontario. An entrepreneur himself he has walked the talk!
GREGORY HINKSON
FOUNDER@
SAMDOR SERVICES
(BARBADOS)
The debt vs equity challenge for startups: When to & when not to!
Gregory has been helping entrepreneurs structure finance deals and secure funding for their ventures for years. He is the co-founder of TEN Habitat, and helps lead investment opportunities for Caribbean entrepreneurs to be funded. He is an Independent Professional (i-Pro) with extensive experience in financial analysis, evaluation, forecasting and investment appraisals in the international business and financial services sector with particular emphasis on investment management, property administration, international private banking and international marketing.
Angela Benton
Founder & CEO@
NEWME ACCELERATOR
(USA)
From idea to funded: The journey of the startup
Technology expert, speaker, media personality, and entrepreneur, Angela Benton, is the founder and CEO of NewME in Silicon Valley, a social enterprise that accelerates entrepreneurs with non-traditional backgrounds. NewME has accelerated hundreds of entrepreneurs and helped them raise over $17 million in venture capital funding.
ELAINE LEUNG
DIRECTOR@
MINISTRY OF RESEARCH & INNOVATION ONTARIO (CANADA)
The focused startup: Steps to innovation efficiency from the start
Elaine's experience in helping create an environment for technology startups to grow will be very useful to Caribbean entrepreneurs. Leung is a Director with the Ministry of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure and the Ministry of Research & Innovation in the Ontario Government.
Currently on sabbatical, Elaine is assisting the Lazaridis Institute with the launch of operations which will help technology companies significantly accelerate their growth.
SELWYN CAMBRIDGE
CO-FOUNDER@ TEN HABITAT AND CARIBBEAN STARTUP SUMMIT
(CARIBBEAN)
Introduction to TEN Habitat
Selwyn has been working with startups for more than 10 years and is the driving force behind the newly created regional Startup Community and Accelerator: TEN Habitat- An initiative helping to create a nurturing enviroment for the growth of entrepreneurs. He is also the founder of the Caribbean Startup Summit, working to empower regional startups.
Selwyn manages Ethnic Vision Inc, a Caribbean brand development and marketing company he founded.
ROSALIND JACKSON
FOUNDER @
CARIBBEAN CATALYST INC
Building a winning team: Common pitfalls to avoid
As the founder of Caribbean Catalyst Inc, Rosalind brings her passion for leadership development to share with startups. She has 36 years in business of which 31 years are in the HR consulting field. This provides an excellent foundation for helping entrepreneurs understand how to build and manage successful teams to provide innovative business solutions and add sustainable value. Eager to give back, she is excited about being part of the Summit.
KEELEY HOLDER
FOUNDER@PRODUCE GROWERS LTD
(BARBADOS)
Her Barbados entrepreneurship journey
Keeley is an Agribusiness Solutions Professional and Entrepreneur with specialty in the Fruit & Vegetable Industry. She operates a 25 acre fruit and vegetable farm.
Her search for agriculture solutions has led her to 4 continents and 25 countries, where she has absorbed information from all kinds of people throughout the value chain, downloaded and soaked up more than 10,000 files on everything related to fruits & vegetables. She holds a very strong passion for entrepreneurship in Barbados and the region.
ARTHUR KAY
FOUNDER@BIO-BEAN
(UK)
Innovation where no one expects it
An award-winning entrepreneur, in two years, Arthur has grown the Bio-Bean team to 25, raised several million in financing and built the world's first waste coffee recycling factory.
In 2013, he was named by Shell as ‘the UK’s most Innovative Entrepreneur’, appointed as a ‘London Leader’ by Mayor Boris Johnson, a ‘New Radical’ by Nesta and was listed as one of the ’25 under 25 most influential Londoners’ by the Evening Standard. In 2015 he was named ‘Sustainable Business Leader of the Year’ by the Guardian.
GABRIEL ABED
CO-FOUNDER@BITT
(BARBADOS)
Navigating the challenges of new industries
Gabriel is the co-founder of Bitt, a Caribbean based digital asset exchange whose core focus is on providing access to cryptocurrencies in emerging markets. He led his team to a number of first in Barbados. First first digital asset and crytocurrency exchange in Barbados. First startup to be valued at $50M and First local venture to secure a series funding of $16M from a global player like Overstock.com