Caribbean Startup Scene

CARIBBEAN

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL N E T W O R K

SCENE

H A B I TAT Volume 1: Issue 1

THE QUEST TO CREATE

STARTUP CARIBBEAN 1

“It takes a village to raise a child�...but a

COMMUNITY

to build a business

www.tenhabitat.com

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL N E T W O R K

H A B I TAT

Where Entrepreneurs Come To Grow

CONTE NTS 6:

Ahead In TEN

17: Bridging the Gap

Foreword by Belle Holder

7:

The TEN Difference

by Selwyn Cambridge

20: Barbadian Designers on

a world Stage

by Angie Stone

10: A Journey To Live More:

How one Female Entrepreneur

is Seeking to Make A difference

by Belle Holder

15: Impact for Good:

The Growth of the Social Enterprise

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by Peter Thompson

by Mark Hassell

24: One organisation’s quest

to create Startup Caribbean

by Tirshatha Jeffery

29: TEN Questions

with Marc Gibson

COVER STORY: 24

INSIDE TEN HABITAT: 7 The TEN Difference TEN Habitat’s Founder and Executive Director gives an insider’s view on how the organisation’s approach differs IMPACT: 15

The Quest to Create Startup Caribbean A look at TEN Habitat’s bold vision to foster a new thinking to support the birthing of investable ventures across the Caribbean

THE START: 10

Impact For Good Examining the rise of the Social Enterprise and how TEN Habitat is supporting Civil Society organizations THOUGHT LEADERSHIP: 17

A Journey to Live More A young female entrepreneur talks about her journey to build a business with a difference

INNOVATION: 20

Bridging The Gap Mark Hassell examines the need for better facilitation for attracting investment into startups

ENTREPRENEURS: 29 Barbadian Designers on a World Stage Four Caribbean designers join international counterparts to articulate the impact of design on education and commerce

TEN Questions With Entrepreneur Marc Gibson Comic book lover turns his passion for the artform into a business which celebrates Caribbean tales 5

Foreward

AHEAD IN TEN

A

Belle Holder The Media & Communications Manager at TEN Habitat.

Contact: bholder@tenhabitat.com

s a professional broadcast journalist and media practitioner, I have always been curious about people. Where have they been? Where are they going? How do they see the world and why?

Having said that, an entrepreneur also knows failure is never true failure, as long as they are open to learning and growing from the experience. What most people perceive as failure, becomes invaluable experience to a startup founder.

I have had the privilege of meeting and talking to some very wonderful people over the years. Though I may have forgotten their varying titles, or the date the interview occurred, I hope I will always remember how I felt in the moment, fully engulfed in the knowledge that it is an absolute honour to have someone share aspects of their personal story. I have learnt something from everyone I have had the opportunity to interview and to this day, after decades of experience in the business, right before I conduct an interview, I still get every bit as excited and a little nervous.

If any of this sounds like you or someone you know, then read on.

In this issue, Founder & Executive Director of TEN Habitat, Selwyn Cambridge shares how TEN approaches entrepreneurship development. The organization focuses on helping to nurture a path for entrepreneurship growth, an initiative I believe is primed to be the positive difference toward economic recovery.

I think it is my insatiable curiosity to explore, experience and learn new things that has most prepared me for my next adventure; TEN Habitat. It is a supportive environment of creativity, inspiration, innovation and business development, rooted in entrepreneurship.

The Dictionary definition of an Entrepreneur is; a person who organizes a business, taking on greater than normal financial risks in order to do so. However, the more entrepreneurs I meet, whether budding or established, I’m now leaning toward a more creative definition.

An Entrepreneur is really someone who is; • Creative enough to come up with an innovative idea • Crazy enough to think it is going to work • Smart enough to connect with people who can help

them to realize that idea • Determine & tenacious enough to put in the work

necessary for success

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Universally, women are recognized as change agents, in other words, empower a woman and you empower an entire community. First time Mom, Chenelle Lovell Phillips is on a journey to empower a community of women with her Live More Brands. Entrepreneurs like Chenelle, are on a constant pursuit to build scalable businesses and become successful owners. To do so, they need funding opportunities. TEN Habitat Adviser, Mark Hassell explores how to bridge the gap toward funding.

Every good entrepreneur embraces the concept of, ‘paying it forward’ and will relish opportunities to do so. Today’s consumers have a greater awareness of purpose vs profit and they will take their spend to companies that exercise good corporate responsibility. TEN’s Peter Thompson emphasizes the Impact for Good with the Growth of the Social Enterprise.

This issue of Caribbean Startup Scene takes us inside the bold vision of TEN Habitat to give rise to “Startup Caribbean”. My advice? If you have a new idea that makes you both excited and nervous, pay attention and explore those feelings, while you’re at it, take a tour of TEN Habitat and be sure to mark next year’s Start Up Summit on your list of achievements for 2019.

INSIDE TEN

By Selwyn Cambridge The Founder and Executive Director of TEN Habitat.

Contact: scambridge@tenhabitat.com

THE TEN DIFFERENCE

A

sk any entrepreneur about their journey and chances are they are very likely to tell you how rough and lonely it can be at times. For me, my journey through entrepreneurship was just as tumultuous and isolated as any other but I was lucky. I found the value of community and collaboration early on and never looked back! It’s the reason that TEN Habitat is built on the premise that, “It takes a village to raise a child, but a community to build a business.”

This belief really helps to set everything we do apart from the standard approach. Very early on we focused on developing a truly global community, allowing entrepreneurs to stay right where they are and build an internationally competitive business leveraging the best experiences and insights globally.

Doing this however, requires aspiring startup founders to have a very different mindset to the traditional, “small business mentality.”

Entrepreneurs are special people, they create, they solve problems and in today’s diverse and vast marketplace, entrepreneurs need all of the help they can get to succeed. At TEN Habitat, it is important for us to affect mindsets, we therefore place a lot of emphasis on, building a community around entrepreneurs. We know that helping them to solve problems faster, also means helping them to change their thinking and that requires exposure to wider networks, different approaches and an openness to share and collaborate.

AT TEN HABITAT, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO AFFECT MINDSETS, WE THEREFORE PLACE A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON, BUILDING A COMMUNITY AROUND ENTREPRENEURS.

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We help entrepreneurs to think globally. They may be building a business that will serve a domestic market, but they are encouraged to look outward to build a business with the ability to scale and attract investors. This approach requires team, capacity and extensive collaboration. It requires a network and a community, that founders can rely on.

When we tell founders there is a distinct difference between being self-employed and being an entrepreneur, many question it and even struggle with embracing it. However, our consistent engagement with many startups has revealed that these small businesses tend to be lifestyle driven and are more subsistence type ventures. The founders are often pushed by unemployment, or the need to earn extra cash on the side, and in most instances they tend to start small and stay small. Entrepreneurs on the other hand, are risk takers, driven by innovation and a purpose to solve a greater problem. They are seen as the crazy ones, often trying to solve problems that no one even thought of attempting.

Airbnb, the American online marketplace and hospitality service is a great example! When they started, many people turned them down with the disbelief that no right thinking person would let strangers into their homes. Airbnb is now seen as the world’s largest hotel, with about 3,100 employees. By 2017 Airbnb had generated $2.6 billion USD, yet they do not own a single room—that is entrepreneurship at work!

THE BIGGEST FACTOR FOR ANY ENTREPRENEUR IS FEAR, WHICH YOU HAVE TO EMBRACE AS A PART OF THE PROCESS. YOU HAVE TO LEARN STRATEGIES FOR DEALING WITH FEAR.

At TEN Habitat we’ve definitely seen an increase in individuals who are choosing entrepreneurship by design and others who have fallen into it; the accidental entrepreneurs we call them. For these accidental entrants it requires a rewiring of the brain. There is a mindset that comes with entrepreneurship, which includes having the ability to embrace risks and understand that failure is part of the process of learning. The accidental entrepreneur is usually very uncomfortable with that, simply because they are just trying to replace a job they lost, or supplement their income. That’s often an individual struggling with the process of being an entrepreneur and they need the community support to embrace the change that is needed.

The Biggest factor for any entrepreneur is fear, which you have to embrace as a part of the process.

You have to learn strategies for dealing with fear. In most cases people are afraid of something that has not occurred. We see how easily individuals get hung up about things that are really in their imagination, which have very little to do with reality. First, you must acknowledge exactly what is driving your fears; only then can you put steps in place to diminish them. This is another element that really sets TEN Habitat apart. Every day, we show entrepreneurs that money is not their challenge. There are two main reasons that entrepreneurs fail. That is the inability to execute and secondly, their poor access to effective networks.

What we have seen repeatedly is that entrepreneurs are idea factories. They are always pushing out good ideas however; they do not necessarily have the skillset to execute on those ideas. They try to do it all by themselves and they fail. Success requires a team and if entrepreneurs are connected to an effective network, they can access the resources to augment or compliment their capacity deficits. And it’s these well-executed ideas, which attract currency, and the money comes as a result.

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TEN Habitat mentor, Corey McClean in conversation with entrepreneur, Trecia Gibson

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THE START

Chenelle Lovell Philips and her Husband Steven with their son, Ashur

THE JOURNEY TO LIVE MORE How one female entrepreneur is seeking to make a difference

By Belle Holder

H

er positive vibrations resonate as she enters the room; her lifestyle choices show on her face, the type of skin that loves water and needs no makeup, her natural coif is hidden beneath a bejeweled turban. Somehow you immediately know that Chenelle Lovell Phillips is not making an ephemeral fashion statement, this is deeper.

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As a public health nutritionist and social epidemiologist, Chanelle also heads up a public health consultancy called Imhotep, named for the father of ancient Egyptian medicine, and translates to ‘he comes in peace.’ She is also the founder of LiveMore Brands, which imports selected health and natural products.

Her warm smile draws me in and I want to know more, so I ask, “What prompted your move toward self-employment?” The first time mom of a son, 18-month-old, Ashur, references her own father who was extremely instrumental in many aspects of her professional life and determinations.

“It is just the way it was going to be, Dad always told me don’t put your eggs in one basket, work for

“MY AIM IS TO

yourself. He was an agricultural economist who worked with the government and he was also an entrepreneur on the side.

Changes in his job prompted him to go fulltime as an e n t re p re n e u r.

He created the juice brand Guarana Natural. My first job was handling the product sampling for the business and getting involved in manufacturing and distribution,” Chanelle said.

IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE BY BRINGING BETTER CHOICES FOR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES INTO THE REGION...

But her father’s influences didn’t end there, she added, “Dad and I had made a deal, I agreed to study nutrition and I’d get to study at the University College London. Unfortunately my father didn’t get to see me graduate, he passed away from cancer just before I did my undergrad thesis. That was 11 years ago. I’m so grateful that he put things in place before he died to facilitate my education. I stayed true to my promise.”

As if she is driven by that promise, Chanelle created the LiveMore Brands to facilitate healthier lifestyles in the Caribbean. Wearing a self-assured smile, she shared, “My aim is to improve quality of life by bringing better choices for products and services into the region. This is really a marriage of my scientific studies and my experience in manufacturing and distribution.”

Always keeping health in sharp focus, the LiveMore brands offer much more than product importation. The health professional at its helm, aims to educate women about feminine hygiene products. The brand will provide more natural options that are free from some of the toxins still being used in manufacturing such as dioxins. According to the World Health Organization dioxins, which are byproducts of the bleaching process involved in the manufacturing of tampons, are “highly toxic” and categorizes them as a “known human carcinogen.” Today, although the amount of dioxin in tampons is considered low, it is still present.

The average woman has an estimated 500 menstrual cycles in her lifetime. But, ask any one of them, “Do you know what’s in your tampon?” and you will most likely get a wide-eyed, nonresponse, it’s not the stuff our mothers talked to us about.

Current statistics around toxic shock syndrome is difficult to attain, as there is very little existing research about this health risk for women. Millenials however, want more access to more socially conscious products; Chenelle Lovell Phillips is on to something!

The debate over feminine hygiene products is an on-going taboo subject, between naturalists and product makers who have a guaranteed repeat customer base. According to Global Industry Analysts, the demand for these products represent U.S. $35.4 billion worldwide, and that number is expected to top $40 billion by the year 2020.

As a social epidemiologist, Chenelle’s LiveMore brands aim to empower women with knowledge, and enlightenment about the impact product choice can have on their health, through an education campaign. She shared, “Tests have shown that the skin on your forehead and genitalia has a more than 50 percent higher absorption rate that other parts of the body. In some cases putting nutrients on your skin has a faster effect that intestinal rates.”

It is the desire to share this type of information that led this female founder to TEN Habitat, where some of LiveMore’s products were tested by members of a focus group. “TEN Habitat’s advice has been extremely valuable and added to the growth for sure, I am fuelled by the results from their focus group and having people validate what I’m doing. I count it as one of those markers of success.”

Chenelle added that after becoming a part of TEN’s entrepreneurship hub, she has built relationships with key business partners as well as worked on logistics and product development, “I have to run some final tests and launch the products!”

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FOR THIS FEMALE FOUNDER, HER MESSAGE TO OTHER WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IS CLEAR, “GO FOR IT! YOU ARE STEERING YOUR OWN SHIP AND THERE IS NO PRICE ON THAT...”

Chenelle further explained, “My husband and I, we did everything ourselves before, I can now work on brand identity and add the logistics of my business, which I did not have previously.”

In November 2017, the founder of LiveMore brands attended TEN’s two-day Female Founders Bootcamp and won placement into their Hybrid Accelerator Programme. It was an opportunity for her to garner the tools necessary to conceptualize and focus in on how to build a sustainable business. “I have found the regular weekly check-ins to be effective in keeping the momentum going, being a part of this community of entrepreneurs has encouraged me to be more aggressive in seeking out and going after opportunities.”

She also acknowledges the importance of the consultations offered at the hub. “I see the mentorship element of the accelerator programme as key. From critiquing business models to providing insight into complimentary channels for customer engagement and revenue generation. I will definitely continue to seek the input and advice of a network of mentors as I continue my entrepreneurial journey.”

The long-term goal for Chenelle and her husband is to manufacture their own brands. She says her husband Stephen, who is Vice President of special projects for Bitt Inc. is very supportive and she values his input, “It has been a bit stressful being a full time mom and doing LiveMore. I’m not consulting as much, so the pressure is on him to be the primary money earner.

My scientific knowledge really influences a lot of my choices, so I

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committed to being a full-time mom and being my son’s primary caregiver for the first two years of his life.

Her face lights up the most whenever she mentions Ashur and she admits that just like many other ‘mom-trepreneurs’ the work/ life balance is one of her biggest challenges. “How am I balancing business with being a mom? Poorly” she said laughing.

“It’s tough. I would prefer to homeschool, but I think it would be good for him to go to go to a pre-school, so I’m gonna have to bite the bullet. Still, I’m realistic about his development and what is at stake. He is the most important thing in my life right now. I have to push to get the business going and still care for my son so that makes me even more determine.”

For this female founder, her message to other women entrepreneurs is clear, “Go for it! You are steering your own ship and there is no price on that. You won’t necessarily have the job security, but is any job secure these days?”

In keeping with her holistic healthier lifestyle choices she acknowledges there is something positive about the psychological benefits of being your own boss and bringing a product to market that can change people’s lives.

“I had a dream. I didn’t know how it would get fulfilled. I find myself working toward that everyday, I can see my progress and I feel I’m getting closer.”

www.tenhabitat.com

“QUOTE UNQUOTE” “ The female founders’ boot camp was an empowering experience. I felt as though I was finally able to put pen to paper and clarify exactly what my business is about and who are my ideal clients while networking in an entrepreneur friendly environment where I could receive honest, helpful constructive criticism.”

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL N E T W O R K

H A B I TAT

Kezia forde Perfected Class Grooming Services

Where Entrepreneurs Come To Grow

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“I see sea turtle conservation as an incredible challenge; to address the m in which human beings impact negatively on these animals and their hab remember one female turtle assiduously clambering over a curb and mak across the car park of a fast food restaurant, looking for somewhere to lay She had been nesting at this location for decades and then came back on concrete and lights‌the gentle persistence of these animals trying to co life cycles on beaches lined with hotels and cluttered with beach chairs a both moves and motivates me.â€?

Prof. Julia Horrocks Founder & Director of the Barbados Sea Turtle Project

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IMPACT

many ways bitats. I king her way y her eggs. ne year to find omplete their and umbrellas

IMPACT FOR GOOD The Rise of the Social Enterprise

By Peter Thompson

P

rofessor Horrocks and many others like her are credited with pursuing a life’s work dedicated not to profit, but purpose. The BSTP aims to restore local marine turtle populations to levels at which they can fulfill their ecological roles while still providing opportunities for sustainable use by the people of Barbados.

Peter Thompson runs the Social Enterprise Accelerator Programme at TEN Habitat.

Contact: pthompson@tenhabitat.com

Most charitable organizations are costly to run and passion driven. Unfortunately, charitable and non-profit organizations in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean have faced harsh economic conditions, which has had a devastating impact on their ability to achieve their objectives. Although there is an ongoing need for the services offered, the majority of registered organizations are dying, due mostly to their lack of organizational capacity to survive in the current economic environment.

They are characterized by small size, limited scope, modest institutional capacity, little collaboration, and fragile structures. Although thousands of these charities, exist in the region, only a small fraction are able to consistently deliver the social impact that their founders intended.

In contrast to the fiscal vulnerability of traditional CSOs, the social enterprise movement is increasing around the world.

In 2014 the European Union revealed that social enterprises account for one in four business startups in Europe. In

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Peter Thompson in conversation with Social enterprise founder, Mark Simmons

BY THE YEAR 2015 IN THE UK, 41% OF SOCIAL ENTERPRISES CREATED NEW JOBS, COMPARED TO 22% OF CONVENTIONAL SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED BUSINESSES.

the USA, leading MBA programs have doubled the number of courses they offer on social enterprise. In Barbados the UWI is offering a senior undergraduate course in the Department of Management Studies entitled “Social Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development.”

Social enterprises are also demonstrating very significant contributions to national economies. By the year 2015 in the UK, 41% of social enterprises created new jobs, compared to 22% of conventional small and medium sized businesses. Further, many social enterprises employ people who are from marginalized groups, such as people living with disabilities.

Some regional success stories include Mustard Seed Communities in Jamaica. Father Gregory Ramkissoon, a Catholic priest, founded the MSC, as a safe haven for abandoned children and children with special needs. Over the years they developed social enterprises to attain some level of financial independence for members. They started making candles and later expanded to include ceramics, greeting cards, fruits and vegetables, eggs and fish.

In the year 2015, the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, interviewed 167,793 adults in 58 different economies, to assess social entrepreneurship worldwide. They found that 3.2% of this global population was working to start up social entrepreneurial activity. Not surprisingly the study showed that social entrepreneurship is often associated with young, idealistic millennials. This demographic, paired with widespread zeal for social entrepreneurship, has positioned the social enterprise sector for explosive growth.

Another Jamaican example of social enterprise in motion is, Deaf Can! Coffee. The project started with one small coffee shop on the campus of a school for the deaf in Kingston, which has been significantly scaled-up to a larger and more cultivated café training centre, called the E3 Café. These high-end coffee shops are entirely staffed by people who are deaf, those who may otherwise face insurmountable hurdles in finding appropriate employment, thus creating a wonderful impact for good.

Non-profits can use social enterprise to achieve their charitable purpose and additionally generate profit. This has the potential to catalyze fundamental change by helping these organizations to evolve beyond a culture of traditional volunteerism and organizational poverty. Forward thinking regional organizations are already beginning to grow in this direction.

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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

BRIDGING THE GAP

(Part 1 of 4)

By: Mark Hassell

T

Mark Hassell leads Sales and Business Development for Eric Hassell Shipping and acts as a mentor and advisor to TEN Habitat.

Contact: mhassell@tenhabitat.com

he light bulb moment came in a flash! This one belongs to someone else, lets call him Jamal; he wants to launch the very first online Pudding & Souse location app.

He plans to have people submit their locations as they traverse around the island searching for pudding and souse on Saturdays. Jamal believes he can sell premium, advertising space to bars, shops and restaurants that specialize in their version of this Barbadian delicacy.

Operating alone, he plans to use his marketing background to work on all the advertising, branding and marketing on evenings and weekends. But, how does he develop the website? How does he get the app prototyped and coded? And what about his marketing budget?

For Jamal’s startup idea he will need about $30,000 for app development, advertising and six months of salaries for a couple of employees. His credit card is already maxed out, his friends and family certainly do not have that type of capital just lying around and the banks will not lend without two to three years of financial statements, which he does not have. So what happens next?

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Our fictional friend is facing some of the same issues that local entrepreneurs face everyday. These are some of the core reasons that Ten Habitat was started nine years ago and continues to work with entrepreneurs and new startups every day. In this four-part series, we’re going to explore some of the critical areas needed to develop a healthy and self-sustainable startup ecosystem.

Globally, high-growth startup companies have been organizing themselves into startup ecosystems since the 1970s, starting with Silicon Valley. At present, accelerators have sprung up from Bahrain to Britain and from Malta to Medellin.

In order to build such a network locally and regionally, entrepreneurs will need the following: 1 Funding 2 Talented employees 3 Customers 4 Great Ideas Funding is that much needed access to capital that every new startup requires. Why is this an issue and how can we attract investment capital to Barbados? The answers to these questions need urgent attention or we risk falling even further behind as a country.

Commercial banks have pulled away from lending, so while there are a few options at the 5-15k financing level such as credit cards, pitch competitions, friends & family and online lending platforms like Carilend, there are no meaningful funding opportunities at the critical 25k - 100k level, which most high growth startups will need.

Why? Simply put, capital is not being incentivized to come to our shores. Our tax and economic policy system fails to account for either wealthy business angels, who want to provide seed capital and give back to the startup community; and they fail to account for professional venture investors and their limited partners.

In a 2017 report surveying the Global Startup Ecosystem and exploring what factors make an ecosystem successful, Startup Genome listed “Adapted Tax Laws” as a Foundational Issue, which is a core issue needed during all stages of creating and maintaining a vibrant startup ecosystem.

In a case like Jamal’s, he does not have access to funding options because those with the money to lend or invest are not seeing or receiving any favourable tax incentives to do so. An entrepreneur with a great idea is simply, not enough; funding sources need additional incentive to invest in the Barbadian market. As a country, we need to use tax relief or modify economic policy to attract wealthy individuals who have a successful business track record and large investment known as venture capital funds being managed by finance professionals.

These forms of funding are a normal function of how startup ecosystems have grown and developed.

There are a number of global examples of how governments made the decision to incentivize investment through tax relief and/or economic policy to attract capital & investment and spur tech startup growth. Those countries are beginning to reap the rewards.

With a population of less than 900,000, Stockholm has produced global brands like Skype, Spotify, Minecraft and Candy Crush Startup Genome - Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2017, Stages of Ecosystem Saga. This can be traced back to a key policy Development in the 1990s when the Swedish government offered a tax break for residents to purchase In TEN’s day-to-day operation in support of local entrepreneurs, personal computers. Pre-taxed income was used to buy one of the themes that constantly emerge is the startup owners’ computers and employers supplemented the costs. lack of access to capital to, “get their idea off the ground.” Finland, which can boasts of being the startup home of Rovio

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Entertainment Corporation and Supercell Oy took a different approach. REC is an entertainment company, developer, publisher and video games distributor founded in 2003, by the year 2016 REC had garnered 190 million EUR in revenue.

Supercell, which was founded in 2010, focuses on mobile game development; six years later the company’s revenue hit 2.1 billion EUR. After the global success of these two Finnish companies the government incentivized entrepreneurship and innovation in gaming, which was quickly followed by venture capitalists pouring money into their ecosystem. Today, most of the gaming startups in Helsinki have received some form of government assistance.

So what does this all mean? What should the new Barbados government do to spur entrepreneurship and attract investment capital to our shores? While the details of implementation are beyond the scope of this article, we suggest modifications to the existing tax code in the following areas:

Thankfully, we do not have to reinvent the wheel, simply click on the following link ( https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/ sites/taxation/files/final_report_2017_taxud_venture-capital_ business-angels.pdf ) for a 2017 comprehensive study by the European Commission entitled, “Effectiveness of tax incentives for venture capital and business angels to foster the investment of SMEs and startups”. In the study all EU member countries were surveyed to determine best practices.

Remember Jamal? Let’s fast-forward six months … he has successfully launched his “Best Bajan Souse” app! He has brokered deals with local bar owners to list exclusive drink specials via coupons in the app and retained a computer science student from UWI to work on app maintenance and updating.

He uploaded the app to the Google Play store and has even received a few five star reviews. Jamal achieved all of this, after a retired restaurant owner invested $40,000 in his business, received tax credits in the process and also mentors Jamal. The two meet regularly to discuss ideas and Jamal provides his angel investor with business updates.

In future articles, we’ll continue to track Jamal’s progress and challenges to see how we can continue to serve and bolster local entrepreneurs.

MAKE PROVISIONS FOR UPFRONT TAX CREDITS FOR ELIGIBLE INVESTORS PROVIDE RELIEF ON CAPITAL GAINS OR INVESTMENT INCOME CREATE LOSS RELIEF AND/OR TAX OFFSETS FOR ELIGIBLE INVESTORS TO ENCOURAGE RISK TAKING TARGET BUSINESSES BASED ON AGE, SIZE OR SECTOR TO ENSURE THAT INVESTMENT REACHES AND SUPPORTS THE DESIRED INDUSTRY DEMOGRAPHIC

INSPIRING DREAMS AND CRAFTING IDEAS INTO VIABLE VENTURES www.tenhabitat.com

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Barbadian designers, Shelly Mayers and Debbie Estwick

BARBADIAN DESIGNERS ON A WORLD STAGE

By Angie Smith

T

he economic prospects of the Caribbean region depend on higher levels of innovation. This by extension means, now more than ever before, that the role of design is paramount to our prosperity. This is because we see when design principles are effectively incorporated into strategy, not only does innovation result but also the success rate for that innovation dramatically improves. However, don’t take my word for it, just examine Design-led companies such as Apple, Nike or Coca-Cola. These companies continue to outperform their competition and according to a 2014 Design Management Institute assessment, they have outperformed the S&P 500 over a 10 year period by an extraordinary 219%.

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INNOVATION The amazing success of these design-led companies, have seen design internationally taking more and more of a front row seat in the strategy of global companies, as they strive to move beyond just making objects.

However, while our global competitors are learning how to think like designers, Caribbean companies still continue to struggle with the importance of even considering design, as being integral to their organizational success. It is why the elevation of these Caribbean designers to the world stage to demonstrate the work being done in the region and the thinking, which resides in this space makes this achievement such a huge deal.

For some, international recognition and success can only come for those who live “over and away” in more developed countries. Barbadian designers, Shelly Mayers and Debbie Estwick, were both accepted to present at a conference of the oldest multi-disciplinary society for the international design research community. The event was staged in June 2018, in Limerick, Ireland. Both Mayers and Estwick live and work in their native island and are the first Barbadians to present at the Design Research Society (DRS) on Caribbean design and have their work published across all recognised research databases.

The amount of published work and research in design from the Caribbean region has been limited to non-existent. Mayers and Estwick will be among the first designers in the Caribbean to become academic authors in design, published by the DRS. Two other Caribbean nationals, Dr. Lesley-Ann Noel, Trinidad and Dr. Maria de Mater O’Neill, Puerto Rico, were also published. Dr. Noel, the first Caribbean lecturer to be awarded a Fulbright scholarship to do a PhD in Design, recognised the underrepresentation of work from the Caribbean and published a call to designers and researchers across the region to write and submit papers on Caribbean design. Noel noted that, “I went to my first international design conference in Hawaii in 2012 and my second one in London in 2014. At both conferences I was struck by the lack of participation or representation by designers outside of Western Europe and North America. I knew we were doing good work, but nobody was hearing about it.” Noel, together with two other academics, Renata Marques Leitão (Brazil) & Aija Freimane (Latvia), created an opportunity for designers outside of historically recognised design territories (like Western Europe and the USA) to submit their work to the DRS and worked assiduously with authors to see work submitted. All papers were reviewed and assessed anonymously without the identity of the authors being known, before being considered for acceptance and publishing.

“I KNEW WE WERE DOING GOOD WORK, BUT NOBODY WAS HEARING ABOUT IT.”

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(L-R) Dr. Lesley-Ann Noel (Trinidad), Dr. Rachel Cooper (President of the Design Research Society) and Barbadian Designers, Debbie Estwick and Shelly Mayers

“...This opens the door for serious discussions around the more deliberate inclusion of design into corporate strategy, public policy and innovation objectives.”

Shelly Mayers, the Course Leader for the Barbados Community College’s (BCC) Graphic Design programme, wrote and presented on “Challenges in Barbadian Design Education – When Graphic Design & Product Development Collide”. Her discourse, based on the changing practice of design by students at BCC, looks

culture in policy development in order to reap social, environmental, technological and economic benefits.

Both Mayers and Estwick’s work will be published by the DRS and assigned a reference to ensure access in scholarly web searches and research databases.

TEN Habitat congratulates the Region’s four latest design authors for their success and contributions to design, research and innovation. We hope this opens the door for serious discussion around the more deliberate inclusion of design into corporate strategy, public policy and innovation objectives.

to tackle underlying issues in manufacturing, business and socio-psychological implications that hamper the manifestation of products. The paper includes recommendations for a new paradigm for Barbados, imploring that every citizen of Barbados needs to alter their mindset, while gathering support from a number of sectors, to introduce greater physical spaces for creativity, business and manufacture to flourish.

Debbie Estwick, a Design Adviser at the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC) wrote and presented on, “A Case for Caribbean Design Principles”. Her work presents and analyzes case studies from Caribbean design practitioners, using these to propose principles of good design that may be relevant for CARICOM states. Estwick presents the value of establishing fundamental design principles and integrating design and

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Presenter, Mari Mater O’Neil (Puerto Rico)

We believe in the power of

BIG DREAMERS working together to build something GREAT

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL N E T W O R K

H A B I TAT

www.tenhabitat.com

Where Entrepreneurs Come To Grow 23

ONE ORGANISATION’S QUEST TO CREATE STARTUP CARIBBEAN

By Tirshatha Jeffery

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C

aribbean entrepreneurs face a number of hurdles, despite the Region being, arguably, one of the most innovative geographical locations in the world. From award-winning rums like El Dorado and Mount Gay, to musical genres like soca and reggae that have penetrated and influenced the international music scene, to being the home of the inventor of the internet search engine, the region is well-known for producing ideas, goods and services that make waves in the global community.

Yet, despite these achievements and our inherent innovative spirit, we still struggle to stand out in the global arena when it comes to entrepreneurship and startup culture. A lack of access to funding, few effective networking opportunities and little to no interaction between entrepreneurship programmes can hinder the growth of Caribbean startups.

Caribbean Startup Summit 2018 participants

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TEN Habitat, a Barbados-based, internationally-connected community for regional entrepreneurs, wants to change that.

They have a vision for turning the region into the world’s newest hub for entrepreneurship and innovation, rivalling Silicon Valley, Beijing, Melbourne and even Israel. That vision they see is a “Startup Caribbean” where the rate of innovative, scalable ventures with the ability to impact global problems is comparable to much larger and more mature startup ecosystems.

If there was ever a grandiose modern day vision for the Region, “Startup Caribbean” would arguably be it. The unwavering gumption to believe that this archipelago in the Caribbean Sea can compete with its monolithic neighbours in the north for ideas, startup density and innovation is nothing short of inspiring. However, TEN Habitat might just be the visionary organisation that is gutsy enough to believe in the vision – and can very well pull it off.

TEN Habitat has a track record for blazing the trail. Their approach to entrepreneurship and startup culture has gained them a reputation for being forward-thinking, ground-breaking and daring. They developed a framework that has shifted the mindset of what it means to be a Caribbean entrepreneur and have begun to solve problems identified by the local entrepreneurship community. As hosts of the Caribbean’s first and only hybrid accelerator, they provide entrepreneurs with a fast-track system that helps them turn their ideas into viable, scalable, investor-ready ventures, in just eight months. Their flagship annual event, The Caribbean Startup Summit, attracts entrepreneurs from throughout the region, who come together

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If there was ever a grandiose modern day vision for the Region, “Startup Caribbean” would arguably be it.

to network and learn from a global team of startup experts, founders and entrepreneur resource providers. They also offer continual guidance and support to members of the habitat and the wider entrepreneurship community through bootcamps, networking sessions and workshops that cover a wide range of topics integral to succeeding on the startup journey. Through this innovative framework, they have begun to shift the idea of what it means to be a Caribbean entrepreneur.

According to TEN Founder and Executive Director, Selwyn Cambridge, that is the goal. He says: “We believe that we can [create a global startup hub] in the Caribbean by utilizing the region’s naturally talented minds and our ability to innovate, but harness that in a way that creates more viable startups and not just a series of small businesses and self-employed individuals. That means the entire thinking needs

to shift [which is done by] affecting mindsets and exposing people [to] different approaches to business.”

Aceleron Co-founder, Carlton Cummins sharing his experiences with entrepreneurs at TEN Habitat Hybrid Accelerator programme

This change in mindset will help local entrepreneurs see themselves and their ventures in a different light. It is also integral to the vision of Startup Caribbean and to getting the necessary buy-in from academia, governments, existing entrepreneurship programmes, large corporations and civil society, all of whom must work together to engender this unprecedented regional infrastructure.

Through “Startup Caribbean”, TEN Habitat will continue to develop solutions to the problems identified by regional entrepreneurs. They have received funding support from the Inter-American Development Bank’s Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) programme, The European Union Commission and CIBC First Caribbean Bank, and established a startup support network with a global reach. This backing means that regional startups can benefit from the collective effort of a world-wide support community and take advantage of global markets and opportunities for scale.

While TEN Habitat sees the idea of a “Startup Caribbean” as a proudly regional initiative, they understand that developing a global network of partnerships is integral to the grand mission. Besides its global funding partners, TEN Habitat has also partnered with international startup ecosystem builders Communitech, a Waterloo, Canada-based community of entrepreneurs that have helped put the town’s innovation on the map, and the Global Accelerator Network (GAN). CEO of GAN, Patrick Riley, had this to say about working with TEN: “GAN is thrilled to add TEN Habitat to our global community of accelerators. Their acceptance into GAN is a testament to the amazing work they’re doing in the Caribbean. We couldn’t be more excited to support their vision because their values align so well with ours, including a focus on giving every startup the power to create and grow their business and making a meaningful impact, wherever they call home. On behalf of the entire community, including our more than 90 accelerators, incredible corporate partners, and mission-oriented investors, we couldn’t be more excited to welcome them into the GAN family.”

For TEN Habitat, the idea of “Startup Caribbean” must be a rallying call around the region. It must be the basis on which we see the positives of collective effort and pooled resources to change the trajectory of startups in the Caribbean. This means helping startups learn how to scale their operations so that

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attractive investment options are created for individuals looking to invest back home. “Startup Caribbean” will be full circle.

The vision for a “Startup Caribbean” may be audacious and revolutionary, but it is unquestionably achievable once backed by the culture of innovation that already graces the region’s shores. Not only will it mean the ways in which entrepreneurship is practiced and encouraged within the Caribbean have

changed, but it will also help Regional innovation to occupy a space in the global market that many may not think possible.

All of this will be achieved while retaining the entrepreneurial talent that exists right here in the Caribbean and enhancing the levels of innovation, transforming access to capital and improving the density of scalable ventures. Cricket, music and every major track and field meet have already been conquered.

Entrepreneurship, here we come.

(Centre) Electronic Arts, Senior Product Manager, Laura Teclemaria posing for pictures with two Caribbean Startup Summit attendees

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ENTREPRENEURS

TEN QUESTIONS

With Marc Gibson

By Belle Holder

My brain just got turned on its ear, shattering my perception of comic books. I couldn’t put it down, the personalities lifted off the page so vividly. I hunkered down and suppressed my urge for a bathroom break, just to find out what would happen next, page after page! Initially, I didn’t think these illustrated blends of action and short texts were for me, that is until I turned the pages of Bridgeland; Volume 1 written by Barbadian award-winning journalist, writer and publisher Marc Gibson. He uses his publishing company, Bolt From The Blue to satisfy his passion for storytelling. However this comic book creator isn’t telling just any fable, Marc’s characters ignite the allegoric diversity of Caribbean people, language, experiences and landscapes to a worldwide audience.

1

BELLE

You are both a professional writer and an entrepreneur, a double whammy of creativity, craziness, optimism and stress. Why did you decide to make the move toward being your own boss?

MARC The percentage ingredients of that whammy cocktail are ever shifting, ha ha ha! I don’t think of myself as being my own boss, so truthfully that wasn’t my motivation. I just wanted to make a career of something that sat on the junction of my particular set of skills, my passions, and a comfortable income. That last bit is something of a work in progress though...

2

BELLE What is the biggest entrepreneurs?

misconception

about

MARC Probably that being an entrepreneur is easy. Pffft! If the majority of people knew the truth before becoming an entrepreneur, most would never leave the dubious security of working for someone else. It takes a special kind of crazy to be an entrepreneur; the kind that embraces the path that’s often less treaded and the very last thing from stress-free. It’s never going to be easy to build something that someone hasn’t done yet. When you are so far ahead of the curve on something, people will brand you a special type Marc Gibson likeness Illustrated by Shaquon Grovsner of crazy.

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Arthur and entrepreneur, Marc Gibson

3

BELLE

Your stories and characters are exclusively and quintessentially Caribbean, what is the biggest misconception about Caribbean people and our stories?

MARC We think that OUR stories, the things that rest at the very heart of ourselves, are somehow inferior. One of the things that keeps me going is the burning desire to not just create amazing characters and stories, but to make a space, a company, a platform, that shows that all uh we (yep, that’s where Alluhwi Comics come from) have phenomenal stories worthy of sharing with the world.

4

BELLE Most celebrated Caribbean authors like St. Lucia’s Derek Walcott and Barbadians Austin Tom Clarke, Cecil Foster and George Lamming, wrote novels, plays and poetry. What are the challenges you face by portraying your work in comic form?

MARC Man, listen… If I had a dollar for each time people have a belief that comic books and graphic novels are for children - I’d probably be able to invest in other businesses, including my own! Some people tend to place literature and prose, on a pedestal and look down their noses at the illustrative narrative. “A picture is worth a thousand words”, I think that’s how that goes. But to place a finer point on it, we are living in a highly visual world. Comic books and graphic novels are just as gripping and exciting with as much depth and variety as traditional forms of literature.

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5

BELLE You recently attended a writers’ event in Trinidad, what is the landscape like for Caribbean writers?

MARC Alias Entertainment Expo was fantastic! It was the first convention outside of Barbados that I’ve attended. It was a great opportunity to meet new fans, other comic book and graphic novel creators, and to interact IRL with fans who I would only have interacted with on Social Media through #alluhwicomics.

The fact that there are fellow creators in Trinidad with fascinating stories to tell is encouraging. At the Expo, readers quickly embraced and bought Bridgeland: Vol. 1 and signed up for

our new comic book Tangled Web: Episode One. That showed me how hungry people are for familiar stories with significant characters that look like us. If that doesn’t encourage more Caribbean writers and content creators, I don’t know what will.

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BELLE How did the success of the Hollywood blockbuster Black Panther change your perspective?

MARC Black Panther’s success didn’t change my perspective, it cemented it! For a while I’ve been saying, that we as People of Colour need to see more of ourselves in the content we consume. The success of Black Panther gave us a taste of people who look like us portrayed as heroes, champions, brave warriors, and snarky tech geniuses.

It also showed, again, how much of a pop culture impact comic books and their derived content can have. This film’s successes and the encouragement of TEN Habitat mentors like Roger Hennis, spur me on!

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BELLE What would it take for you to sell the rights to your stories?

MARC Ha Ha Ha… It would take the confidence that someone else loves and respects the story and the characters as much as I do.

But on the other hand, how easy could it be for someone to sell one of their children?

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BELLE You mentioned being inspired by TEN Habitat Mentor, Roger Hennis. How important is mentorship for someone who chooses entrepreneurship?

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BELLE What scares you the most about your journey?

MARC Not getting to where I want to get to. I worry that would mean I’ve let down and disappointed everyone who has journeyed with me. All of the supporters, the squad-mates, the friends, the family, those ones who’ve had my back. I’ve learnt that success is something that’s best defined by yourself. Success for me is tangibly proving that I am worthy of every drop of support I receive.

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BELLE 10. With which one of your characters do your most identify?

MARC I’m sure there’s some piece of my personality in each of my characters.

Sharon, in the upcoming Tangled Web: Episode One, has some of my snark.

Terrence, in the Bridgeland graphic novel series, is something of an entrepreneur like me.

Though I have had people read something that’s particularly murder-y or kinky/steamy and be like, “Oooh! I didn’t know he’s like that!” Sorry folks, that’s just careful research...

BONUS QUESTION What will your self-written epitaph say?

MARC Whoa, this just got dark! Ha Ha Ha….He desired, visualised, persevered, achieved.

MARC How important? Fairly so I’d say. Mentorship de-risks the venture - investors like to know there are persons involved with the experience to examine the business with a critical eye, and not just rubber stamp everything. Mentors are also vital because they are a ready resource of experience, knowledge, and skill.

Mentors also want the entrepreneur to succeed and typically don’t come with the blind spots friends and family do.

Tangled Web, Marc Gibson’s next book, which is an exploration of familial Caribbean archetypes amidst the allure of magic, conflict and passion, is available for pre-order You can learn more about the author and Alluhwi Comics on Facebook and Instagram and www.bftbecomics.com

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Don’t Miss Caribbean Startup Summit 2019 APRIL 26 & 27 www.caribbeanstartupsummit.com

Thanks to our partners

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