 “Make an impact in 54 hours” was the task at hand for UWI Computer Science students, David Charles and Warren O’Connell when they competed in the local edition of Startup Weekend, a global technology driven competition powered by Google. The local leg, titled Startup Weekend to Improve Lives, Trinidad and Tobago took place on June 12-14 and saw participation from local technologists and budding entrepreneurs. The competition was co-sponsored by the Inter- American Development Bank (IDB).
Startup Weekend takes place in over 100 countries annually and challenges budding entrepreneurs to develop innovative ideas and make them a reality. Local participants were invited to pitch ideas, and through collaboration with other enthusiasts at the event, were expected to build a product that could potentially improve lives. Additionally, teams were asked to create a concept and develop a business model and market plan all within 54 hours. David and Warren, together with their teammates, certainly made an impact, taking home the top honour at the end of the competition for their app, Mobile Donate.
For David and Warren, participating in competitions such as Startup Weekend has become a hobby of sorts. Along with two of their classmates, Aaron Yuk Low and Nicholas Mendez, the group has taken an active interest in technology-driven competitions that would allow them the opportunity to apply the knowledge acquired in the classroom. This proactive approach to their education is fuelled by their collective aspiration of starting their own company one day. This time around however, David and Warren got an edge for the Startup Weekend event, as their team mates came in the form of mentors from the Campus Information Technology Services (CITS) Office.
Derrick Lewis (Information Technology Officer), Abigail Wren (E-learning Technical Specialist) and Akeem Deare (Software Developer) lent their expertise to the students and it ultimately made a difference for the team. Rounding off the group was Maurice Garcia, a graphic designer the team met during the event.
David, 22, who is currently a student intern at CITS, attributes the win to the guidance his team received from their CITS mentors. “I have entered competitions before with my other friends, but we never came first, we would come second or third. I really think the mentorship made the difference because they helped us especially with the business and market development part, we really relied on their knowledge and experience,” he said.
As is the tradition, this year’s Startup Weekend culminated with a series of presentations to local and international entrepreneurial leaders who determine the viability of each product and provide critical feedback. Mobile Donate, which was conceptualised by David, was named the overall winner by the judges. The mobile app provides persons with the capability to make contributions to causes/charities through the use of their mobile devices.
David said that he got inspiration for the app when he was watching television one day and felt the desire to help but felt he could not do so easily. While the app is not yet available for download, the team is working assiduously on its completion in preparation for the REACH Caribbean Innovation Competition (CIC) competition.
A major challenge the team faced at the competition was the negativity from naysayers. “We had a lot of naysayers, at one time we were surrounded by a crowd of persons saying it would not work. But one of the main things we learnt from the competition was the importance of guarding an idea, staying positive and not losing steam,” Derrick summed.
Overall, the team admits that the experience was motivational and they are excited about the next chapter. Following the competition, the team is now automatically entered into the REACH Caribbean Innovation Competition (CIC), a regional contest which will take place in August.
The REACH Caribbean Innovation Competition (CIC) is a regional contest and business start-up accelerator for young entrepreneurs. With financing from the IDB’s Regional Public Goods Initiative, the REACH Project will be executed The University of the West Indies in partnership with the World Intellectual Property Organization and the Young Americas Business Trust.
“I am most looking forward to winning,” David joked. “We have triumphed this past year in a lot of different competitions, but the experience and knowledge we gained is the best part,” he added. He also ended by saying that he hopes the team’s experience would inspire other students to realize their true potential: “We want to show people that they can have success while still being students.”
Shanelle Glasgow is a projects & events Officer in The University’s Marketing and Communications office on the St Augustine Campus. |
