Happy Sweet 16 to Kingston BETA, the Caribbean’s first and longest running tech event series and startup community. The now iconic center of Jamaica’s Tech Scene!
Our technology event and community brand was launched on February 28, 2007 by its founders Ingrid Riley and Susan LeeQuee, Jamaica Pegasus Hotel for current and aspiring entrepreneurs, leaders, creators and investors working in the technology industry and its many sectors . That first event had 90 participants from 4 Caribbean countries and 4 speakers.
The aim
Ingrid and Susan had a vision to connect Jamaican and Caribbean people to the possibilities of this Digital Age and help them take full advantage of it by providing information, connections and community. To help reposition Jamaica and the Caribbean as a place where entrepreneurship, innovation, and excellence lives, Beyond the Beach.”
What we believe
Kingston BETA has always operated under the belief that “we live in an age of unprecedented economic opportunity due to technology. Anyone anywhere in the world, using technology like the Internet, their minds and their time, can create something that fundamentally changes the way we live, work and play.
Technology levels the playing field here in Jamaica and the Caribbean and presents a fantastic opportunity for the amazing innovations we can create when combined with what we do best in the world. It can create significant and sustainable success in individual Caribbean countries and our region and better position us in the Global Digital Economy.“
Sixteen years later, here are Kingston BETA’s impact and figures:
Our influence and numbers
- Produced over 300 events (meetups, startup pitch competitions, hackathons, conferences, bootcamps, startup weekends) in 10 Caribbean countries and diasporas in the US, UK and Canada.
- Kingston BETA Sinoffs: Caribbean BETA- the first tech entrepreneurship conference in the Caribbean, Digital JAM 2.0, Caribbean Bloggers Week. 3 Hackathons in the Caribbean, several Mobile App Competitions and Startup Weekend Jamaica as well as programming Caribbean tech entrepreneurship content for SXSW, AgriHack Caribbean and Black Tech Week (Miami and New York).
- Kingston BETA has directly inspired and facilitated over 100,000 Caribbean and Diaspora entrepreneurs.
- Kingston BETA went on Sabbatical on its 11th anniversary in June 2018.
- Back in May 2022, post-pandemic being curated by Norus Tech, led by CEO Jermaine Henry, a member of the Community.
- We were sponsored BY AND COOPERATION with VMinvestments, Development Bank of Jamaica, National Commercial Bank, Edufocal, GiftMe, Miami Hack Week, SXSWBlack Tech Week, World Bank, IDB, Microsoft, Jamaica Tourist Board, Social Start, M1 Productions.
- We have taken Caribbean Startups to Miami, Kenya, London, New York, Suriname and Trinidad for startup showcases and competitions.
- We have produced more tech and startup events than anyone else in the Caribbean. Period.
- Founder Ingrid Riley has received many awards including the prestigious Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ) 50Under50 Game Changer Business Leader Award + TechLink Game Changer Caribbean Award.
SNAPSHOTS of the tech community over the years.
Why do you do? People come to Kingston BETA events and join The community?
People attending the Kingston BETA are thinking about how to take advantage of this Digital Age with all its technology and opportunities to start a business or have a tech/digital career. We have people who want to start a startup, already have a startup, and are looking for a founder, tech talent, and new funding.
We have people out there who want to get hired at a tech company with the skills they have or the skills they want to learn. Kingston BETA is the hub of entrepreneurship, innovation and creativity. People come there to satisfy their curiosity, share their stories, pitch their ideas, make powerful connections, find opportunities and learn new things.
Kingston BETA is one part community, one part seed stage, one part the best tech industry network you can get, one part collaborative learning, one part investor deals, and one part tech talent resource/ digital, a part helps Caribbean entrepreneurs, leaders and creators become smarter about technology and business.
Kingston BETA Alumni Special mention
Who has been in our community….Edufocal Gordon Swaby found his co-founder at Kgn BETA and put his startup there Monique Powell Founder and CEO of Quickcartonline.com and Rory Walker Founder and CEO of Jamaicacarepackages.com are all part of the community.
When is the next Kingston beta?
RSVP HERE and I’ll see you there!
