We are starting a deep dive into the Caribbean tech start-up and entrepreneurship ecosystem. With Selwyn Cambridge, the Founder and Executive Director of TEN Habitat in Barbados, and Anuskha Varsha Sonai, the President of Creative Tech Hub Caribbean in Suriname, we discuss, among other things: the tech entrepreneurship landscape in their respective countries;  the biggest challenge that tech entrepreneurs are experiencing; the posture of investors and the ease with which tech entrepreneurs can secure funding.

 

This episode is also available on SoundCloud, Apple iTunes, Google Play Music, Spotify, Amazon Music and on Stitcher!

 In the Silicon Valleys of this world, tech entrepreneurship can appear a glamourous endeavour – especially if companies are able to hit the jackpot, but started as scrappy ventures that had very modest, even impoverished, beginnings. However, what a lot of tech entrepreneurs, and wannabe tech entrepreneurs, eventually find out is that starting a business is fraught with challenges and can be a lonely experience. And for Caribbean tech entrepreneurs the challenges and sense of isolation can be even more pronounced, as the environment might not be as welcoming or as supportive as one might have hoped.

Noting that tech communities in the region might not be particularly close-knit, we thought it could be useful to start a series of conversations on tech entrepreneurship in the Caribbean region. Through these discussions, we hope to be able to shed a bit more light on tech entrepreneurship across the region, whilst also highlighting commonalities, potential synergies and opportunities.

 

Introducing our guests

Anuskha Varsha Sonai

Anuskha Varsha Sonai is an award-winning Caribbean business leader, serial entrepreneur and a certified futurist. She has been recognised for her ICT entrepreneurship, advocacy and action for a creative and digital economy ecosystem in the region and for more women and girls in ICT. In 2022 she became the first laureate of the prestigious Anthony N Sabga Awards from outside of the English-speaking Caribbean.

Anuskha, who is based in Suriname, is the Founder and President of Creative Tech Hub Caribbean, a cluster of companies comprising, 21Q Caribbean n.v., Cloud Engine n.v., Digital Talents Academy, Spang Makandra n.v. and Creative Talents foundation, that aim to develop young professionals to be successful in the Digital Economy.

 

 

Selwyn Cambridge

Selwyn Cambridge is a serial entrepreneur and the founder and executive director of TEN Habitat, a non-profit organization based in Barbados which focuses on developing investor-ready firms and engaging the Caribbean diaspora to co-invest into them. He also founded the Caribbean Startup Summit, an annual event which connects a global start-up community to regional entrepreneurs to share experiences and insights into starting and scaling viable ventures.

Selwyn is a marketing and brand strategist by profession, with more than two decades of regional and international experience in the communications and marketing industry and has been credited with multiple American Advertising Federation Awards.

 

 

Insights into our conversation

On the face of it, one would most likely expect that there would be vast differences in the state of tech entrepreneurship in Barbados and Suriname, and possibly between the Dutch and English-speaking Caribbean. However, surprisingly, not only do they seem to be at similar stages of development, but they are also experiencing similar challenges as well. Moreover, both Selwyn and Anuskha asked questions of each other, and as such, gain further insight into the situation in the other’s country.

Listed below are just a few of the questions posed to Anushka and Selwyn during our conversation.

Questions for Anuskha

  • Tell us about the Creative Tech Hub Caribbean?
  • How would you describe the tech entrepreneurship landscape (in Suriname)?
  • What is the biggest challenge that tech entrepreneurs are experiencing (in Suriname)?
  • You are a huge advocate of women in ICT. What are key challenges women still face in getting into tech?
  • How is the investor landscape and what is the posture of investors (in Suriname)?

Questions for Selwyn:

  • What does TEN Habitat do, and how is it supporting tech entrepreneurs and start-ups?
  • How would you describe the tech entrepreneurship landscape (in Barbados)?
  • What is the biggest challenge that tech entrepreneurs are experiencing (in Barbados)?
  • How is the investor landscape and what is the posture of investors (in Barbados)?

 

We would love to hear from you!

Do leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our Facebook or LinkedIn pages, or via Twitter, @ICTPulse.

Also, if you or a member of your network is interested in joining us for an episode, do get in touch.

Let’s make it happen!

 

Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that either were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise, might be useful:

 

 

Images credit:  Creative Tech Hub Caribbean;  S Cambridge;  Marvin Meyer (Unsplash); Mika Baumeister (Unsplash)

Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell

Podcast editing support: Mayra Bonilla Lopez