Startup Huddle St. Lucia Fact Sheet
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Overview Startup Huddle St. Lucia is a free, monthly program designed to Educate, Engage and Connect Entrepreneurs. On the second Wednesday of every month, Entrepreneurs
come together to present their startup, reveal challenges and crowdsource solutions. From local founders, innovators, educators, and investors, to a global network of Entrepreneurial leaders, Startup Huddle chapters provide a unique platform to strengthen the startup community. From local and regional founders, innovators, educators, and investors, to a global network of Entrepreneurial leaders, Startup Huddle St. Lucia provides a unique platform to strengthen the startup community. Every Entrepreneur who participates in this program goes through three steps; 1. Attend - Entrepreneurs are required to educate themselves on what it takes to present at startup huddle 2. Participate - Entrepreneurs will get the best sense of the full experience by
attending an event. When they attend the event, they introduce themselves to one of the local community organizers and ask questions to learn more about the program.
3. Give Back - Once they’ve presented, it’s time to give back to the Startup Huddle community. These steps are in place to ensure the program’s sustainability.
a) Attend Startup Huddle St. Lucia when they can. It’s held on the second Wednesday of every month (so plan their participation and/or their trip!) b) Mentor/coach future presenters. Join our workshops or coaching sessions in person or virtually.
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c) Refer other startups to present. Especially those who may not have heard about the program. d) Invite other people to attend. They will be provided with outreach material that you can send to their contacts via email. e) Give advice and feedback on their Startup Huddle St. Lucia experience. f) Host Startup Huddle in their own country (for participants outside of St. Lucia).
The Startup Huddle History Startup Huddle is a global movement born in the United States to help one entrepreneur at a time. This movement is called 1 Million Cups. People attend each event to hear two to three entrepreneurs share their successes and challenges. Each speaker is given 6 minutes. After each speaker, there’s a question/answer session, as well as time for networking. Since that time many individuals have attended Startup Huddle around the world, and have taken Startup Huddle to their own communities- including Malawi, Niger, Tunisia, Jordan and other cities. All organizers have the same intent: to build their startup community. The goal is to help every community connect, engage and educate.
What Has Been Learned To succeed, the next generation of entrepreneurs need more dedicated assistance. The Global Entrepreneurship Network has developed a model to provide an easy and consistent event that will help communities connect, engage, and educate.
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St. Lucia has now joined the network in bringing Startup Huddle to its community as there is a healthy saturation of Entrepreneurial Spirit on the island. The team intends to especially highlight initiatives which address some of the sustainable development goals such as; (i) Quality Education, (ii) Decent Work & Economic Growth, (iii) Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, (iv) Affordable & Clean Energy, (v) Responsible Consumption & Production, and (vi) Climate Action. The Startup Huddle Chapters in the Western Hemisphere will be overseen by GEN Member Michelle N. Samuel and the Startup Huddle St. Lucia chapter will be hosted by SLUDTERA and organized by Michelle N Samuel and her team of Local & Regional Co-organizers. When Entrepreneurs present at Startup Huddle St. Lucia, it’s not a sales pitch, and it’s not an investor pitch. The goal is to have people understand what they do and some of the challenges they have had in building their business. Startup Huddle St. Lucia is an educational event, and for this reason, it will form part of SLUDTERA’s Entrepreneurship Readiness Program. All entrepreneurs who enroll in The Entrepreneurship Readiness Program and who meet the program presentation
requirements will receive a series of challenges and are required to present possible solutions to these challenges, as a product or social enterprise, that will address one or more of the identified sustainable development goals. Participants will receive assistance from Mentors if they choose to be assigned one. Other Entrepreneurs who apply to present at this event, must first meet the criteria in order to be approved. Entrepreneurs can present at any Startup Huddle chapter hosted on any island or in any country around the world!
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Why We Decided to Host a Startup Huddle 1. Entrepreneur Led: The most successful Startup Huddle events are led by
entrepreneurs who can help reach the entrepreneur community. The lead needs to be a been-there-done-that entrepreneur. 2. Community Run: Local individuals help run the pitch selection, content and
logistics. Because it is a free event, we don’t pay people to run the event or activities. It’s about the community; not about creating a job. We are constantly recruiting persons to join Team SHSL. Persons will be serving as Volunteers in
various capacities for as long as they’d like to, or for as long as the MOU states. The volunteer post with the unlimited posts is that of the Startup Huddle St. Lucia Ambassador. 3. Community Focus: 100% of the event should go towards making the
community a better place to support its startup founders. 4. A Startup Huddle is and educational program that holds the promise to
revitalize, empower, grow, and activate your city’s community of entrepreneurs through coaching/experiential learning, feedback and research.
What Happens At Startup Huddle St. Lucia? As an experiential learning opportunity, the Startup Huddle St. Lucia format is consistent with the format used in every other location where it is held, with the exception of a few additions made by Local Head Organizer Michelle N. Samuel.
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EVENT TIME LAYOUT: Open to the Public 9:30 am to 9:40 am – Prayer & Welcome - Meet our Organizersers 9:45 am to 9:50 am – Introductions - Meet the Expert Panel 9:55 am to 10:51 am – Presenter 1 10:05 am to 10:15 am – Q&A with the Expert panel 10:15 am to 10:20 am – Q&A with the Audience 10:25 am to 10:35 am – Announcements 10:35 am to 10:41 am - Presenter 2
10:45 am to 10:55 am - Q&A with the Expert panel
10:55 am – 11:05 am - Q&A with the Audience
11:10 am – 11:30 am - Networking and refreshments
11:35 am – 11:45 am - Media interviews
Prior to presenting, the founder prepares by enrolling in the Entrepreneurship
Readiness Program one of the milestone projects of SLUDTERA, incorporating lessons
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from the Kauffman Founders School “Powerful Presentations” series, and workshops. Presenters will also be assigned a Mentor, should they choose one. Each founder presents for six minutes, followed by a 10-minute question-and-answer session with the judges, then a 10-minute question-and-answer session with the audience.
The audience will comprise of students, Entrepreneurs, Financiers, Business Professionals, and other persons who the presenters would need to hear their presentation. For example, if the presenter’s goal is to get feedback on a new product, then the audience will comprise of persons from various backgrounds and locations, to facilitate a live real-time market research session through which the presenter can get almost immediate feedback. If the presenter is seeking to find a partner or Co-Founder, then the audience would comprise of persons who the presenter may have in an interest in partnering with. And so on. Presenters will engage in collaborative and honest conversations with like-minded people in the community. They will receive feedback via an audience survey. During the presentations, the audience will complete an online survey based on what each startup is presenting. The startups will also receive feedback from the event organizers. Startups will also be enrolled in follow-up workshops based on the nature of their presentation and other available opportunities for the startups. The culture surrounding Startup Huddle St. Lucia is that of a supportive, neutral space welcoming entrepreneurs to be open and honest about their businesses and the
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challenges they face. Everyone that attends Startup Huddle St. Lucia is there to support each other in their entrepreneurial journey. The progress of each startup will be monitored by the event organizers and their mentor. Another aspect of Startup Huddle St. Lucia is preparation for the YLAI program. Each startup will be coached and prepped in readiness for the application process of the YLAI program which is held annually. This will be done through the Entrepreneurship Readiness Program offered by SLUDTERA, and with the assistance of the U.S. Embassy, Bridgetown.
Benefits and Opportunities W ho is Startup Huddle St. Lucia For? Entrepreneurs – they come together to pitch their startup, reveal challenges and crowdsource solutions. From local founders, innovators, educators, and investors, to a global network of Entrepreneurial leaders, Startup Huddle provides a unique platform to strengthen your startup community. YLAI Fellows/Alumni – these are the individuals who are the Head Organizers in their respective island countries. As a post-YLAI program/event initiative, hosting Startup Huddle helps to further engrain what the professional fellows would have learned from their YLAI experience.
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Corporate – they come to find out what’s the next big or best thing and get to be the first ones to connect with the source, especially if it’s something that would benefit their business. Investors – they come to listen to the presenters or watch via live stream on Facebook to identify potential startups that they would be interested in working with.
Customers – they come to see what’s new in the market, ask questions about how products or ventures work. This is the customers’ ideal opportunity to ask all the burning questions that customers would not typically get to ask product designers/creators or project initiators. Students – they come to see what the possibilities are in terms of possible career paths besides working for someone. They get to understand student entrepreneurship/youth entrepreneurship and the benefits of turning a hobby or a talent into a business or social enterprise, thereby significantly reducing unemployment. They learn business management skills, public speaking and other key skills very relevant today. Team Startup Huddle St. Lucia is constantly negotiating with potential sponsors to provide participants of Startup Huddle St. Lucia, a little incentive which can go a long way in the upward climb of their idea, project, venture or business. The benefits of presenting at Startup Huddle St. Lucia are endless. After Entrepreneurs present at Startup Huddle St. Lucia, they will have the opportunity to be listed in SLUDTERA’s Entrepreneur Directory, so that their profiles and
businesses can be found by individuals and potential clients wanting to connect with
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them. There is no cost to be listed in this directory. Entrepreneurs will also be encouraged to become members of SLUDTERA. Learning and Development Founders get access to several courses and workshops through the Entrepreneurship Readiness Program, some of which are free and others which require registration, payment, and a minimum enrollment, in order to commence.
With help from their Mentors, Founders get the chance to develop their projects, ideas, and ventures. Resume/CV Building (for young participants) A certificate of participation from Startup Huddle St. Lucia, a program/event developed by the Global Entrepreneurship Network, and supported by the YLAI Network, the U.S. Embassy Barbados and local key partners adds a really great boost to participants’ professional resumes/CVs. Networking Opportunities Founders get to interact with their peers from St. Lucia, the Caribbean, Latin America, and around the globe in person and via SLUDTERA’s Intranet. Speak to and meet with industry leaders, business innovators, and youth from around the globe at the SHSL Organizers’ Committee Fundraising Ball, which will be held once a year (invitation only seating for 150 guests), and other events.
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After an Entrepreneur presents at Startup Huddle St. Lucia, he/she will be encouraged to become a member of SLUDTERA, the host of Startup Huddle St. Lucia. As a member, he/she will have access to all the services and resources that SLUDTERA provides. Their investment is a small subscription fee, paid either monthly or annually. Go to this link for details – https://sludtera.wordpress.com/membership-form. Once
he/she becomes a member of SLUDTERA, presenters will have access to and get the chance to;
● Address genuine challenges that exist in the country/region ● Share information, expertise, and knowledge with peers, in order to learn, grow and solve problems ● Help build a healthy and strong Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in the region ● Help strengthen the Startup Community ● Be selected to travel abroad to represent St. Lucia at key Entrepreneurship and Leadership events and functions. ● Get connected and become members of key organizations such as the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) and others who are flown in to participate, support and connect with Entrepreneurs. ● Take part in regional and international competitions/programs/events such as the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, the Global Entrepreneurship Congress(GEC), Black Enterprise Summit, and others.
● Better their chances of being selected as a finalist in the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative Program (YLAI) each year.
● Partial and Fully Funded Scholarship opportunities from SLUDTERA and ERP partners, SLUDTERA Community Members and the U.S. Department of State and other sources.
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● Internships (paid and unpaid) from SLUDTERA and ERP partners and other sources. ● Participate in select events and programs such as GIST Tech-I Catalyst Pitch Competition, etc.
● Potential to get funding opportunities from local and international investors. ● Workshops and programs to help fine-tune their skills, and businesses. ● Potential Partnership opportunities with local, regional and international businesses. ● The SLUDTERA Community (with membership) and all of its events, VIP dinners, award ceremonies, etc. ● Opportunities for the advancement of their knowledge through various resources established by SLUDTERA and its Community. ● Become the next SLUDTERA and Startup Huddle Ambassador. ● Be eligible to get listed in the Entrepreneur Directory on the SLUDTERA website ● Other opportunities to be announced.
This is all based on; (i) the level of innovation from projects, ideas or startups and (ii) the availability of adequate funding from sponsors and fundraising events.
Startup Huddle St. Lucia Sessions 1. November 13th and 14th 2018
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Team Startup Huddle St. Lucia hosted 2 days of activities in partnership with the St. Lucia Chamber of Commerce for Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), which formed part of the calendar of events. The launch was held on November 13th at the Bay Gardens Hotel and the first Startup Huddle was held on November 14th at the Blue Coral Mall, 2nd Floor Conference Room. The presenters were Johanan Dujon of Algas Organics and Samuel Lubin of KL Productions. The special guest speakers were; Cameron Cushman the creator of 1 Million Cups from the U.S., Gregory Skeete 2016 YLAI Alum/Life Engineer Coach from Barbados, and Joshua Esnard, St. Lucian born/U.S. based Shark Tank winner and Inventor of The Cut Buddy. Joshua also sat on the Expert Panel on day 2 of the event. The audience comprised of Entrepreneurs, students of the Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary School, corporate partners, members of the public, local media, family members and friends. Audience attendance was 60 persons. 2. December 12th 2018 Presenters were Jessica Alexander of Sa Nou (St. Lucia) and Vernon Jean of Easy Click Market, who was the recipient of the Idea of the Year Award at the Business Awards in . Expert panelist was Justine Charles. The audience comprised of Entrepreneurs, students of the St. Joseph’s Convent School, corporate partners, members of the public, local media, family members and friends. Audience attendance was 35 persons. 3. January 9th 2019 A duo event was held - Startup Huddle St. Lucia in the morning with Presenters; Mylica Amedee of Melly’s Mix It Up and Eliza Francis Victor of Ti Mamai Events
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& Playroom with Expert Panelists Justine Charles and Hanna Gabrielle Fitz. Immediately following Startup Huddle St. Lucia was the Recognition Ceremony of the 2018 Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition Awardees, where 6 students were publicly recognized and awarded for the literary achievement. The events took place at the Bay Gardens Hotel and the audience comprised of Entrepreneurs, parents, teachers, principals, students, corporate partners, members of the public, local media, family members and friends. The Minister for Education, Innovation and Gender Relations Dr. Gale Rigobert, was also in attendance. Audience attendance was 65 persons. 4. February 13th 2019 The presenter was St. Lucian born/Trinidadian based Entrepreneur Vanetta Phillip and she presented on her company Evolution Public Relations Management. Expert Panelist was Delia Louis, award winning Media Relations Expert. The event was held at the Blue Coral Mall 2nd Floor Conference Room and the audience comprised of Entrepreneurs, parents, teachers, principals, students of the Castries Comprehensive Secondary School, members of the public, local media, family members and friends. Audience attendance was 30 persons. 5. March 13th 2019 The presenters were Martin Hanna of Penny Pinch and Jaylan Smith of Smith’s Agro and Packaging Services (S.A.P.S.), with expert panelist Emma Charles of Royal Bank of Canada. 6. May 8th 2019
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The presenters were Michelle N. Samuel of SLUDTERA and Samuel Lubin of KL Productions with expert panel Ms. Camille Paul of BELFUND and Mr. Claudius ‘Peto’ Francis of The Organization Therapist Ltd. 7. June 19th 2019 The presenters will be Vernesa St. Marie of Papillon Handmade and Jessica Alexander of Sa Nou St. Lucia with expert panelist Mr. Neil Serieux of BELFUND. Upcoming sessions will be held on the following dates in 2019 & 2020; ● June 19th 2019
October 14th 2020
● July 10th 2019
November 11th 2020
● August 14th 2019
December 9th 2020
● September 11th 2019 ● October 9th 2019 ● November 13th 2019 ● December 11th 2019 ● January 8th 2020 ● February 12th 2020 ● March 11th 2020 ● April 8th 2020 ● May 13th 2020 ● June 8th 2020 ● July 8th 2020 ● August 12th 2020 ● September 9th 2020
