www.digitaljam2.com

One of the objectives of the Digital JAM 2.0 event is to showcase strong Jamaican technical and creative talent and nothing like an intense 24 Hackthon/Code Sprint to make that happen.

Goal: A Sports Hackathon/Code Sprint that will presumably use 24 hours to create some awesome apps for the Jamaican Sports Industry.

When: The Hackathon takes place on Thursday, June 28th, 2012, the first of the 3 day Digital JAM 2.0 event at the Jamaica Conference Centre.

Benefit to You: There’s nothing like a hackathon/code sprint to help you demonstrate your coding prowess and design talent especially if you don’t mind not getting much sleep.

It’s an opportunity to participate in an event that really brings your local developer community together: you’ll meet fellow developers and designers, see what they’re up to, and show what you can do.

Added to that the Jamaican Sports Industry is screaming for some app solutions why not give it to them.

For Who: Students, self taught and professional designers and developers, business/marketing heads who are new or experienced to participating in a Hackathon/Code Sprint. Ages 13-35.

Registration Deadline: You can register to participate in the 24hr Sports hackathon online. Deadline is June 21st, 2012.

Why the Sports Theme?

Jamaica, which has been dubbed the Sprint Factory of the World, is known globally for the excellence of our sports men and women. We have the oldest and most known high school sports championship in the world. And yet, most of the sports sectors ( school programs, meets, events) operate with high levels of inefficiency, word-of-mouth communications and at times informality.

There is a tremendous socio-economic development opportunity to improve and enhance the many of the sporting sectors, through the incorporation of technology into operations, as well as create new jobs youth seeking entrepreneurial opportunities in ICT.

Sample of problems across the sporting sectors:
- In most organizing bodies for the sport, there is no central database or record of athletes at various stages of development in education system

- Despite global appeal of sport personalities and brand Jamaica, no services or tools currently exist to “follow” favorite athletes or teams

- Despite Jamaica’s large Diaspora, whom most of which have strong connections to their respective high schools, there are no prominent services to facilitate financial  contributions or accessing information updates on the programs of the schools

-Despite the articulated importance sports at a community level, there is no central repository or listing of the sporting activities in a particular community that an individual can access to get more involved.

The Digital JAM 2.0 needs you to code some apps solutions in 24hrs, do you have what it takes?

RULES

1. Attend a Tech Camp in your area to get details on the hackathon- the problems, ideas, rules, prizes, the overall event, meet fellow coders and creatives and more.

Schedule of Tech Camps

Tech Camp Kingston Wed 9 May
Medallion Hall Hotel        |   5pm-7pm
53 Hope Road

Tech Camp Mandeville Thu 10May
Mandeville Hotel              | 3pm -5pm

Tech Camp Montego Bay Fri 11 May
MoBay Comm College       | 1pm-3pm

2. Your Team size: 2-4 people and at least 50% must be Jamaican. We also encourage you to have at least one designer/digital artist on your team. Your app has to solve a problem, work well and look good.

3. Age Limits: The members of your team must be the age of 13-35.

…Got your attention?! It’s the topic of our panel discussion next week at Kingston BETA’s February Edition. That plus big idea pitches on web and mobile apps from senior high school and college level teams. Plus power networking with some of the smartest minds in the tech industry. Here’s what’s in store for you.

Pitch Your Big Idea!

KINGSTON BETA

The Hub of the Caribbean Tech Startup Scene

Learn. Be Inspired. Network.

PANEL DISCUSSION

How is the education system fostering technology innovation?

Panelists

Henry Osborne, Technology Specialist – Northern Caribbean University

Lavare Henry, Vice Principal, Teacher Computer Studies – Campion College

Moderator

Dianne Harris, Experienced Caribbean Business Educator, Education Blogger

BETAPITCH

Students and teams from 3 top Jamaican high schools.

Students and teams from 2 universities

They will be pitching their big ideas for web and mobile apps.

AUDIENCE

Come prepared with the tough questions to ask about what is happening is schools and why and how is the future of Jamaica being prepared for the Digital Age.

When: Thursday February 23rd, 2012

Where: The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel. New Kingston

Time: 6:30pm

Contribution: JA$500 | US$5

Kingston BETA

“Growing Tech Entrepreneurship in Jamaica and across the Caribbean”

Join the Community

Follow us on Twitter: @kingstonbeta

Join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kingstonbeta

> A ConnectiMass Event<

http://www.ConnectiMass.com

Pitch Your Big Idea!

We’re in Search of  the Caribbean’s Most Promising Technology-centric Startups! Start the brainstorming. Calling all entrepreneurs, developers, designers,tech professionals and those aspiring- Do you have a big Idea?! Then share it with the fast growing Tech Community and get feedback from seasoned entrepreneurs, potential collaborators and investors.

We’re having our first BETA Pitch Startup contest for the year at Kingston BETA on Thursday February 23rd, 2012.

Startups can be in Jamaica and in fact anywhere in the Caribbean and the Caribbean Diaspora as we do Skype video pitches, as long as it idea/startup is lead by or cofounded by a Caribbean national.

What is BETA Pitch?

BETA Pitch! is a bimonthly startup competition held at every Kingston BETA that’s about Discovering the Caribbean’s Most Promising Technology-centric Startups.

BETAPitch is a year long programme that’s focused on identifying and promoting Caribbean Startups. It also leads to BETA PitchFest which is the big annual Caribbean Startup Contest which is a major part of Caribbean BETA- the annual Caribbean Tech Entrepreneurship Conference held in Kingston,Jamaica.

Why BETAPitch ?

It’s an exceptional promotional and networking platform available to entrepreneurs who are about to launch or have newly launched their Internet/Tech/Mobile idea.

If you have an amazing project or business idea you want to share, attract incubation, funding and feedback from  the Caribbean Technology and Business community and the thousands of enthusiasts worldwide who follow the event-then  apply to pitch.  At BETA Pitch! you reach an audience of potential customers, successful entrepreneurs, investors, influential bloggers and tweeters who can catapult you to the next level and beyond.

How to Enter the BETAPitch

The Caribbean Startups-

We accept startups based in Jamaica and the Caribbean or startups around the world that are led by or has  Caribbean nationals as part of founding team.  Your startup must be in the Tech/Internet/Mobile Industries.

How The Competition Works

Each Company selected to participate will be given:
- 5 minutes pitch

- 2 minutes of Q&A always follow.

-All entrants and winners are published on sites and social networks of KingstonBeta.com, affiliate Caribbean Tech Blog SiliconCaribe.com.

Skype Video Pitches from Around the World
While Kingston Beta is staged in Kingston Jamaica, we accept startups based in the Caribbean or startups led by or including Caribbean nationals anywhere in the world. Those startup pitches are broadcast to our audience using Skype Video.

Cost?

It is free to participate in the BETAPitch Contest, but $500jmd/$5usd to attend  the Kingston BETA event.

Contact Us Now

Companies interested in taking advantage of this new opportunity must apply by emailing Ingrid Riley at ingrid@connectimass.com or calling 1 876 864 2440. | Dianne Harris  361 8703

by Steve Livingston on March 29, 2010

1.    What problem or need will your product or service fulfill and how is this better than what’s currently on offer?

2. How big is the potential market? What’s the potential “open goal”?

3. Do you have the right team? Is it well balanced with a decent mix of experience and raw enthusiasm?

4. How will you dominate your market? e.g. by having proprietary protected know-how that creates a barrier to entry for competitors or can you (quietly) build dominance in a small niche market then blast off from there?

5.    Can you deliver it now and if not, how and when?

by Serial Entrepreneur Neil Patel

Because startups like Airbnb and Dropbox are becoming very successful and making their founders millions, everybody wants to form a startup these days. But what most people don’t realize is that startups involve a lot of time, energy and sometimes even money. So although it may seem rewarding to startup a company, it can be painful. So do you think you are up to the task?  Well, if you are unsure, you should have your answer after you read this…    more

Who?

If you see yourself in any of these categories. Then we will see you at Caribbean BETA on Friday, November 25th, 2011 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.

Who Should Attend:
• Startup Entrepreneurs
• Aspiring Entrepreneurs -Individuals  who have an idea and thinking about starting a business that incorporates the Web and/or the mobile phone.
• College Students

• Organisations working on using Technology to change communities and industries.

• Businesses looking to position themselves for the upturn and want to get close to the future digital movers and shakers to learn about the trends, to partner and do business.

Register now. We have student rates and early bird specials.

Registration for Caribbean BETA the first of its kind tech entrepreneurship conference is now open ONLINE.  We have early bird specials on and special rates for Students. Register now then pay at the door. It’s that simple. You cannot afford to miss this event.

It’s a one day  Tech Entrepreneurship conference that’s about driving startup businesses, jobs and innovation in Jamaica and across the Caribbean. It will be on Friday, November 25th 2011 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston, Jamaica.

Caribbean BETA is the event where the smartest Caribbean minds in technology around the world, come to show and tell what they’re doing to change the world, to learn from experts, be inspired and get connected to talent, funding and opportunities.

It brings together the industry pioneers and fresh faces, thought leaders and technology giants from Caribbean and around the world. The event will include inspiring keynotes and workshops, refreshing panels and a BETA PitchFest contest with focus on hot sectors like mobile/web apps, social networking, multimedia content and gaming. Register Now