EVENTS
Accelerating Change | The Caribbean Diaspora Angel Investor Summit
Private Investing in High-Potential Caribbean Startups
Friday, November 13, 2020
9:00AM – 5:00PM EST
This premiere event will bring together entrepreneurs leading high-potential Caribbean agriculture, energy, finance and technology startups, plus Caribbean diaspora and friends in the U.S., U.K. and Canada to discuss market-making solutions to bridge the capital access gap in the Caribbean.
This event is powered by the Guyana Economic Development Trust (GEDT). GEDT is a virtual startup incubator and accelerator, providing pre-seed funding, hands-on technical support and mentoring to standout startups borne from academic research.
GEDT is committed to achievement of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As such, its emphasis is on: SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth; and SDG 9 – Industry and Innovation
Schedule of Events
Event I
OUTLOOK
9:00 – 9:15 am – Welcome
9:30 – 10:30 am – Capital Markets & Regulatory Environment
10:30 – 11:15 am – Breakout Session
Event II
IMPACT
1:00 – 2:00 pm – Meet the Innovators: High-Potential, Scalable Startups
2:00 – 2:45 pm – Breakout Session
4:45 – 5:00 pm – Closing Remarks
Event III
OPPORTUNITIES
3:00 – 4:00 pm – Technology, Agribusiness, and Construction Startup Sampler
4:00 – 4:45 pm – Breakout Session
4:45 – 5:00 pm – Closing Remarks
Moderators
Zachary Harding
GROUP CEO
SSL GROUP
As Group CEO, Zachary has responsibility for SSL Growth Equity Limited, Stocks & Securities Limited and SSL Venture Capital (Jamaica) Ltd. Mr. Harding has developed a solid reputation in senior management and strategic marketing roles, enjoying stellar track records in positions including Chief Executive Officer, Head of Strategy and Director of Marketing at companies including ATL, Wisynco and Red Stripe (Diageo).
David Mullings
FOUNDER
BLUE MAHOE CAPITAL PARTNERS
David is also Chairman of Ingenuity Technologies, a Jamaican IT services firm, an Advisory Board member for the Google-funded Caribbean School of Data at the University of West Indies Mona School of Business and Management, and Investor Relations Specialist for Left Brain Capital Management hedge fund, ranked in the top 10 of best performing funds worldwide.
Rudy Ceres
FOUNDING PARTNER
CERES LAW PC
Ceres Law is an international corporate law firm based in New York, serving domestic and international clients in a variety of industries. The firm serves clients in the U.S., U.K., Caribbean, and several countries in Africa. Previously, Rudy was the Managing Partner for Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, at Cooke Robotham law firm, and a member of the International Trade and Commercial Litigation Client Service Groups at Bryan Cave LLP.
Event I | Panelists
Dr. Leyland Lucas
BOARD CHAIRMAN
GUYANA OFFICE FOR INVESTMENT
Dr. Lucas is also Founding Dean of the University of Guyana’s School of Business, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. He holds a MBA from Howard University, post-graduate certificate in Bank Lending from NYU; and a Masters and PhD from Rutgers Business School.
Marlene Street Forrest
MANAGING DIRECTOR
JAMAICA STOCK EXCHANGE
Mrs. Street Forrest is the Managing Director of the JSE and Director of both its subsidiaries. Under her stewardship, JSE became de-mutualized, and the US Denominated Market and the Junior Market were launched. She also spearheaded the Registrar Division of the Jamaica Central Depository (JCSD) where she served as General Manager.
George Edwards
GENERAL MANAGER
GUYANA STOCK EXCHANGE
The Guyana Association of Securities Companies and Intermediaries, Inc. (GASCI) is Guyana’s local Stock Exchange. Prior to joining the Stock Exchange in 2005, Mr. Edwards spent most of his working life in the areas of Banking and Finance, working previously with Barclays Bank and then the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry Ltd.
Richard M. Ornitz
CHAIRMAN
INFRALINX CAPITAL PARTNERS LLC
Richard is a seasoned and globally recognized infrastructure and investment market leader. InterLinx Capital, a Greenwich, Connecticut based firm, has several projects underway in Guyana. Prior to serving as Chairman of Infralinx, Richard worked with and represented global contractors and concessionaires of various nationalities, from different governments, investment banks, and multilateral finance institutions.
Richard Isava
MANAGING DIRECTOR
GUYANA AMERICAS MERCHANT BANK
Mr. Isava ensures GAMB’s compliance with the regulations of the Bank of Guyana, Guyana Stock Exchange, and Guyana Securities Council. GAMB provides securities brokerage, securities issuance, investment advisory and investment management services. Mr. Isava is also chairman of the Guyana Bankers Association, and is a former member of the Guyana Protected Area Trust Finance Committee.
Javette Nixon
FOUNDER
SEAFORTH HOLDINGS LIMITED
Seaforth Holdings Limited is a diversified investment and holding company that focuses on impact investing and the development of emerging businesses and social enterprises. Javette is also a director of Vein Centers of Jamaica, a boutique medical practice that focuses on the treatment of venous diseases.
Event II | Panelists
Lisa Dublin
FOUNDER
ECOCARB GY
In 2019, Lisa and Dr. Dawn Fox, a lecturer at the University of Guyana, won the inaugural Guyana Innovation Prize, offered by the Guyana Economic Development Trust, for their patent-pending work on converting coconut waste in Guyana to activated carbon for water filtration.
Zara Harris
FOUNDER
REBUILD
ReBuild utilizes discarded plastics in the construction of environmentally friendly, heat-resistant tiles and pavers, among other things. Zara contributes to sustainable development on a global scale through her writing, speaking, production and green technology.
Kelshine Griffith
FOUNDER
SHINE AGRI MANUFACTURING
Kelshine, a graduate of the Guyana School of Agriculture, is the innovator behind the all new gluten-free sweet potato flour cake mix, which is the first of its kind in Guyana and the Caribbean. Kelshine has unwittingly tapped into the U.S. $23B natural foods market. The product is currently being prepared for export.
Jordon Freeman
FOUNDER
JA BIOPLASTICS
JA Bio Plastics offers a natural, degradable and compostable alternative to single-use plastic. Unlike the petroleum-based plastic that degrades over an average of a thousand years, the proposed biodegradable solution from JA Bio Plastics decomposes within a year.
Tandika Harry
FOUNDER
BEESTARCH
In 2020, Tandika Harry won the Guyana Innovation Prize. BeeStarch, which naturally extends the post-harvest life of fruits and vegetables. There are currently only three widely available, all-natural, non-wax fruit and vegetable preservatives available on the worldwide market. BeeStarch is available for fruit and vegetable farmers and packers.
Oslene Carrington
FOUNDER & CEO
GEDT
Oslene founded the Guyana Economic Development Trust (GEDT) as a startup incubator program that provides pre-seed capital—the Guyana Innovation Prize—and technical support to commercialize ideas in agro-processing and tech from the tertiary institutions of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, South America.
Event III | Panelists
Varun Baker
CEO
FARM CREDIBLY
Farm Credibly leverages blockchain technology to provide access to micro investments for underbanked farmers in Jamaica. Varun’s experience in applying technology to solve agricultural issues started 10 years ago as co-founder of the Slashroots Foundation, where he was tackling issues such as the theft of crops and livestock from farms in Jamaica.
Karni Paton
CEO,
EMPORIUM REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS
Emporium Real Estate Investments Inc. provides technologically advanced building construction and civil engineering in Guyana, as well as architectural services in Guyana, where rapid infrastructure developments are taking place as a result of significant oil and gas discoveries.
Jermaine Henry
CEO
FLOWFACTO
FlowFacto is a trade finance app co-founded by Jermaine, which allows for easier access to agricultural start-up loans. The supplier relationship management app allows small to medium-sized exporters to access capital, helping to introduce farmers’ products to new markets.
Eldon Marks
CEO
V75 INC.
V75 Inc., in partnership with Clinc Inc., a U.S. based tech firm, has built conversational A.I. experiences for over 25M users, worldwide. V75 creates enterprise-level, human-like interactions that automate operations, enhance customer experience and reduce operating costs. Eldon’s mission is to create opportunities for growth of the tech industry growth in Guyana.
Darilyn Smart
PRESIDENT
SMART FOODS CARIBBEAN LTD.
In addition to her role as President of her own firm, Darilyn is Chair of the Tobago Agro Processors Association, whose membership is 98% women-run enterprises, and which exists to raise the standard of food processing activities, introduce export possibilities and help the women contribute to Tobago’s economy.
Dr. Lawrence Lewis
DEAN, SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE
UNIVERSITY OF GUYANA
Dr. Lewis, along with a team of researchers at the University of Guyana have been involved in bioenergy and biochar research for over a decade. The team designed, built and now operates a local biochar kiln. The research and project were supported by the University’s Science and Technology Support Project. The design, which uses biomass, can lead to long-term green energy solutions.
