Sponsored by CIDA, InfoDev & JAMPRO – The Objectives were to help any aspiring and current entrepreneur with a tech-driven idea to move further, faster from where they currently are along their startup journey. Their ideas could be ones that leveraged the internet, mobile or social platforms for example- a website, web app, mobile service, mobile app and gaming. It was open to anyone, any Caribbean country, any age.

There were 35 attendees from 3 Caribbean Countries ( Jamaica, Trinidad, Bahamas).

Put through the Paces

Over 4 workshops over two days, attendees were put through the paces via idea pitches, interactive presentations, working in teams, receiving feedback and being mentored along the process by the three expert facilitators.

Their ideas were tested via the 4 modules:

How do you Know if your idea is a viable business ?

What is Your Business Model? How to monetize your tech-driven idea?

Defining Your Market and Your Go To Market Strategy

Investment Readiness and Raising Funds For Your Venture.

Eric Ries’s Lean Startup Methodology was introduced here also. At the end they came away know if they had a winner or they had more work to do. A win win scenario.

Follow Up

All attendees will now become part of the ConnectiMass network of Caribbean Tech Entrepreneurs and will be part of the Virtual Mentorship programme that continues for 60 days in Jamaica and across the Caribbean. From that 10  of the strongest ideas/teams will be selected to compete in a Caribbean wide challenge and the top 3 teams will go on to compete in a global startup competition in South Africa in May 2013.

Want to have a similar Startup Bootcamp to come to a place near you?

Want such a Startup Bootcamp for your school, organisation or Caribbean Nation. Get in touch with Ingrid Riley ingrid@connectimass.com | Subject line: Startup Bootcamp

StartupBoot Camp Materials for you

Want a look at the presentations the facilitators made. Read them here

Caribbean Beta Startup Bootcamp Book list – http://amzn.to/GetBmGen , http://amzn.to/GetCustDev , http://amzn.to/GetStartupManual #cbeta2012 #custdev #bmgen

Trivial
Team
Wayne Jones
Ricardo McPherson
Michael Farquharson

2nd Place – Wapcreate
Team
Rushio Billings
Rojay Robinson
Keyvoy Reynolds
Nicholas Brown
Here is their presentation on SlideShare.

3rd Place – PikSum 3D
Team
Warren Robinson
Nicolas Brown
Alvin Fowler
Kevog Reynolds
Here is their presentation on slide share

The Competition LineUp

There were 18 teams who entered the Caribbean BETA PitchFest this year.
They are:

Team #1: PPS Jamaica
Team #2:ClajaCom
Team #3:Ingenuity Limited
Team #4: JustKat
Team #5: Byte Solutions
Team#6: New World Designs
Team #7: Point Global Marketing
Team #8: Exceed DX
Team #9: Niugna
Team #10: Ticketr
Team #11: Hybrid
Team #12: Ajure
Team #13: Unite
Team #14: Jam Commute
Team #15: PPS2
Team #16: Wapcreate
Team#17: Inventive Learner
Team#18: PortalOrbits

ConnectiMass, Keystone Augusta, Connectid, JAMPRO, C.I.D.A, InfoDev, Digicel Jamaica congratulates all who competed this year and to those who won. We expect great things from everyone of you. For those of you who missed it this year. Get ready for 2013. The best is yet to come!

1. Follow Caribbean BETA on Twitter @caribbeanbeta and follow and use our hashtag #cbeta2012. We’re live tweeting for the Caribbean and world. Photos and  the essence.  Check out the Agenda here so you don’t miss a think.

2. You can follow BahamaLive as they blog for the Caribbean as well. Follow their live feed here

3. Follow @Digicel_Jamaica as they will be live tweeting as well.

Caribbean BETA 2011 Live Blog Reports are below

Our Blogger JJ Jackon, live blogged our one day tech entrepreneurship conference. Here is an archive of the 2011 reports with photos.

Caribbean BETA Tech Entrepreneurship Conference begins!

http://bit.ly/Q60w9j

Opening Keynote: Michelle Messina – “The Entrepreneurial Mindset. What does it take?”
http://bit.ly/Tap54h

Keynote: Marc Canter – “How to Build a Digital City – that sparks startups, jobs and innovation
http://bit.ly/SWeNVL

PANEL: “Show me the Money!”
http://bit.ly/SGuHcf

PANEL: “How I Did It. Success Stories from Caribbean Tech Entrepreneurs”
http://bit.ly/R571MJ

PANEL: “Understanding the Digital Economy – The Ultimate Trend Briefing”
http://bit.ly/VCfutg

BETA Pitch Fest   – Startup Contest
http://bit.ly/UMpThm

The Caribbean BETA PitchFest is where the smartest minds and most passionate people come to pitch their big ideas that can solve problems and create opportunities. They do it for connections, mentorship, development support and the braggable of having the Top Caribbean Tech Idea of 2012.

At the end of the contest we will select the top 3 winners.

The Pitchfest takes place at 2:30pm sharp on the day long agenda, this Friday November 16th, Blue Mountain Suite, Knutsford Court Hotel, Kingston Jamaica.

The Conference starts at 9:00 am sharp and ends at 5:30pm.

If you signed up online for prepaid tickets, please pay for them at the door and collect your arm band. If you missed the prepaid ticket prices, please bring your cash, company/organisation cheques with you. For the EZ Pass ( at the door) it is $1,500jmd, this ticket gives you entry & coffee break and for the Networker ( at the door)it’s $3,250jmd, this gives you entry, coffee break and lunch.

Caribbean BETA PitchFest is a testimony that the tech entrepreneurship is growing.

Last year winners of the Caribbean BETA PitchFest 2011 were

1. Dmitri Dawkins

2. TUMP

3. Socialite

Read here

Caribbean BETA 2012 Competing Teams are

Team #1: PPS Jamaica
Team #2:ClajaCom
Team #3:Ingenuity Limited
Team #4: JustKat
Team #5: Byte Solutions
Team#6: New World Designs
Team #7: Point Global Marketing
Team #8: Exceed DX
Team #9: Niugna
Team #10: Ticketr
Team #11: Hybrid
Team #12: Pack-A-Barrel
Team #13: Unite
Team #14: Jam Commute
Team #15: PPS2
Team #16: Wapcreate
team#17: Inventive Learner
Team#18: PortalOrbits

We’re looking forward to the battle of Caribbean Tech Ideaas

As Day 2 and 3 of Caribbean BETA this year, we’re staging a Startup Bootcamp comprised of 4 killer workshops in partnership with WOrld Bank’s InfoDev and Jampro and you don’t want to miss this!

Where: JAMPRO Training Room. 18 Trafalgar Road, Kingston 18, Jamaica, W.I  

When: Saturday November 17th & Sunday November 18th, 2012

Times: Saturday: 10am-5pm | Sunday: 9 am-5pm

How much: $1,000 jmd | US$15 usd in total ( lunch and materials included)

Criteria: Passionate individuals with a tech-driven idea who want to be successful.  Sign up

Presenters: Angelique Mannella, Janice Dacres-Jones and Toni Eliasz.

Objective |  Meet, Listen, Work, Learn and set yourself up to launch your successful tech-driven business.

SATURDAY – NOVEMBER 17th, 2012

WORKSHOP #1
How do you Know if your idea is a viable business ?

Is my idea viable? How to put your idea through its paces – and see if it still stands up. Come to fearlessly pitch your best tech-driven idea that uses internet, mobile and social platforms to solve problems, create opportunities and change the world. Then be prepared to put it through the viability testing process and see if it passes.

Who is it For? : For any aspiring and current entrepreneur with a tech-driven idea that leverages the internet, mobile or social platforms for example- a website, web app, mobile service, mobile app and gaming. ( Individuals & Teams)
Time: 10am-1pm
Venue: JAMPRO Training Room, New Kingston

LUNCH: 1pm-2pm

WORKSHOP #2
What is Your Business Model? How to monetize your tech-driven idea?

Monetizing your tech-driven business ideas is about creating a business that will be sustainable and allow you the growth you are aiming for, and it also means implementing a certain certain business model, with which you will be able to successfully place your products and services on the market. You will learn about business model generation, selection, testing and implementation.

Who’s it for?: For any aspiring and current entrepreneur who has a working tech-driven prototype everages the internet, mobile or social platforms, just launched a tech-driven startup, has a tech-driven idea that’s been rated as viable and now wants to know how to select a business model that will drive revenue and the growth of their business. ( Individuals & Teams)
Time: 2pm-5pm
Venue: JAMPRO Training Room, New Kingston

SUNDAY – NOVEMBER 18th, 2012

WORKSHOP #3

How to select the best strategy for taking your product/service to market? How to reach your customers?
Time: 9am-12pm

LUNCH 12pm-1pm

WORKSHOP #4

Investment readiness and how to raise funding for your venture?
Time: 1pm-4pm

LAUNCH: VIRTUAL STARTUP BOOTCAMP CHALLENGE

Details of a two-month-long pitching challenge with virtual coaching
Time: 4pm-5pm

COST: $1,000jmd. ( Includes materials and lunch). Please pay cash at the door

Interested? SIGN UP here. LIMITED SEATS!

Mike Johns

This week we interview Mike Johns, the Founder and President of Digital Mind State, the Los Angeles based company that bridged wireless technology and hip-hop culture. A true liaison between urban youth culture and the mobile industry, Johns has been successful at building and maintaining profitable business relationship with some of the biggest company names in mobile industry including T-Mobile, Zed, Fun Mobility, Nokia, Microsoft, amongst others. Motivated by leveling the playing field of the “Digital Divide,” he’s been dubbed “ambassador” of the urban/hip-hop lifestyle segment as well he’s achieved numerous “first” in the mobile entertainment space. He has provided digital marketing and consulting services to some of hip hop’s & reggae’s biggest names, including Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Beastie Boys, Souljah Boy, comedian Katt Williams, Dave Chappelle as well as Elephant Man & Beenie Man; is a pioneer in the field of mobile media. He is the Opening Keynote Presenter/Speaker at Caribbean Beta 2012 in Jamaica. He will be speaking on “Reggae Music 2.0: How will it succeed in the Digital Age of Music, Brand, Culture. at 9:50 am on Friday November 16th at the Knutsford Court Hotel. Here is our conversation with Mike Johns.
Q. What is your connection to Jamaica?
Jamaica is me, I am Jamaica. Mother & Father both Jamaican. I grew up sending most of my summers in the country, Jackson Town, Falmouth, Clarks Town, Ochie. Dad side is from Spanish Town/Kingston. Maroon at that!

Q. How did you get involved in the Entertainment industry and technology?
Entertainment was always a passion I started as a consumer of technology to a developer filling the needs of Hollywood’s entertainment industry when the mobile revolution just began.

Q. Describe your company Digital Mind State? How did you come up with the name?
Digital Mind State was created as result Hollywood and the world must think in a Digital State of Mind in everything we do. Literally everything is or will be going digital in the next five years from birth certificate to death certificate and everything in between! Having worked in the Telecom Industry aggregating and creating content with various celebs the need for establishing is one ‘digital real estate’ assets for celebs and brands came into fruition.

more

- that because we are now all living in the Digital Age, the playing field has become more level, the opportunities are greater and there are now many, many more routes to creating and finding jobs, owning a business and achieving personal success.

-that, while building a reciprocal and meaningful network of  business relationships will always be essential, having access to utilities of the internet and mobile phone and their ability to connect you to people, ideas and opportunity – means you are now more in charge of what you know, who you know and how far you go-  than ever before. So being connected online, is not just about entertainment anymore…but also about education and entrepreneurship.

So Caribbean BETA, is yes the annual tech entrepreneurship conference and Pitchfest competition, but it’s also the hub – that meeting place for people who aspire to meet with the others who are already building and doing things; to meet with people who are eager to share what they know and who they know, with others who are motivated and want that help.

Caribbean BETA is about connecting you to the people, ideas and technologies, that are shaping the way we live and do business in the Caribbean and with the world!

Our reason for Caribbean BETA and everything ConnectiMass the mothership organisation does, is to help aspiring and current tech entrepreneurs become more successful. Period. We want to see more Caribbean Tech Success stories and Tech Startups.

Join us on Friday November 16th, Knutsford Court Hotel, Kingston, Jamaica. 9am-6pm.

Ingrid Riley, Founder of ConnectiMass, Host of Caribbean BETA

Are you an aspiring or current tech entrepreneur ? Do you have a great tech-driven business idea or existing prototype that uses the internet, mobile or social platforms ? Want to win cash, connections, development support and bragging rights from angel/venture investors, founders of tech accelerators and tech incubators?

Enter Caribbean BETA’s 2012 BETA PitchFest Contest. The Caribbean BETA PitchFest is where the smartest minds and most passionate people come to pitch their big ideas that can solve problems and create opportunities. They do it for cash, connections and the braggable of having the Top Caribbean Tech Idea for 2012.

Caribbean BETA Startup Bootcamp.

ConnectiMass which stages Caribbean BETA in association with InfoDev will be staging a 2 day Startup Bootcamp on Saturday November 17th and Sunday November 18th at JAMPRO Training Room in Kingston, Jamaica. You don’t want to miss this. It’s an entire Bootcamp, mentoring, competition and prizes process you will want to be apart of. It’s only $1,000jmd in total includes refreshments. Get more details here

What is InfoDev ?

infoDev, a division of the World Bank that supports entrepreneurship and technology innovation, in partnership with CIDA, launched EPIC as a seven year program to create and grow competitive Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across the region. One of the EPIC focus areas is the “app economy”, i.e. industry created around mobile software and applications, due to the globally acknowledged potential to generate vast revenues, economic growth and high-quality jobs. The EPIC Mobile Innovation project aims to stimulate a dynamic mobile innovation ecosystem and grow competitive mobile startups across the Caribbean region.