OECS tech startups shine in Silicon Valley

Eight entrepreneurs from the Eastern Caribbean completed a five-week accelerator Hero Program at Draper University Campus in San Mateo, California, from October 23 to November 25, 2023.

This is the second cohort of OECS startups to participate in the programme since The Regional Council of Guadeloupe also supported the participation of ten entrepreneurs from Guadeloupe in May 2023. The ten Guadeloupean candidates served as a pilot phase of the larger program which is expected to expand in the coming years.

The OECS Global Startup Hub comprises two components. The first is a two-week Virtual Accelerator Program in which 47 OECS entrepreneurs were given the opportunity to learn and network with hundreds of other entrepreneurs around the world in September 2023 while studying the Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship. The online program involved online lectures and included live group activities around global challenges with over 50 Silicon Valley mentors.

The second component is the Draper University Hero Program which is a five-week, in-person accelerator training course which provides the opportunity for entrepreneurs to explore and learn how to develop businesses from Silicon Valley founders and experts. Eight of the most innovative entrepreneurs from the Virtual Accelerator Program moved on to the Hero Program in Silicon Valley. This training provides assistance to accelerate business models through networking and mentoring with global industry experts, mentors and investors committed to supporting the participants’ entrepreneurial journey. The program also provides access to the Draper University Ventures pre-seed fund which is dedicated to investing up to $100,000 in chosen alumni companies.

The Hero Program culminated with a demo day pitch event where over 30 entrepreneurs from around the world had the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to a panel of investors. The OECS Commission commends Stephen Felix, founder of Medial Health, on winning the overall competition. Medial Health provides digital solutions to challenges in the global healthcare industry.

The OECS Commission also organised a mentorship session with JetBlue Ventures in San Francisco which is a major sponsor of the OECS Global Startup Hub. The mentorship session allowed entrepreneurs to learn more about the JetBlue Ventures ecosystem and to receive guidance on their business models from experienced venture partners at JetBlue.

The OECS Commission also facilitated an opportunity for the entrepreneurs to meet Dr. Earl Nicholas Brathwaite who is an outstanding Grenadian technologist, entrepreneur, and the founding managing partner of Celestia Capital, a venture capital firm operating in Silicon Valley. This session allowed the OECS entrepreneurs to receive advice from a highly successful Caribbean entrepreneur who has built several billion-dollar technology companies in the diaspora. This was a significant opportunity for the entrepreneurs to learn about Dr. Brathwaite’s journey and ask profound questions to inspire their own entrepreneurial pursuits.

The eight entrepreneurs from the OECS who participated in the Hero Program are Elijah James from Antigua and Barbuda, Javier Galloway from St Kitts and Nevis, Kimron Corion from Grenada, Sophia Searles from St Vincent and the Grenadines, Maricia Wilson from St Lucia, Annesta Fergus from Montserrat, Shianna Edgings from St Kitts and Nevis, and Stephen Felix from St Lucia.

Applications will soon open for the 2024 OECS Global Startup Hub where up to 150 entrepreneurs will earn a spot in the two-week Virtual Accelerator Program and the opportunity to qualify for the five week Hero Program.

The OECS participation in the 2023 Draper University Fall Hero Program was made possible in partnership with Caribbean Development Bank and JetBlue Ventures, and supported by Compete Caribbean Partnership Facility through the OECS TECHIE Programme.

In June 2024, the OECS Commission will also support the participation of up to 22 entrepreneurs in the Draper University Hero Program in 2024. These 22 candidates must first successfully apply and participate in the Virtual Accelerator Program.