Results In For the First Ever OECS Business Solutions Think Tank and Hackathon

Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis (August 27, 2015) - The results are in for the first ever OECS Business Solutions Think Tank and Hackathon 13 -15 August spearheaded by the ECCB, Quintessence Consulting and eCaribbean Ltd.

After less than 48 hours of brainstorming, idea formulation and coding with guidance from mentors representing the top echelons of the OECS private and public sector IT community, the eleven teams comprising IT students, teachers, and other IT technocrats as well as entrepreneurs and thought leaders from across the eight countries of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) demoed their prototype applications to a panel consisting of 13 judges from the ECCU.

The judges had their work cut out for them as they evaluated the prototypes against four categories:
1. User Experience and Design
2. Innovation
3. Impact Potential and Sustainability, and
4. Sharing Resource/Collaboration

WINNERS
First prize went to DigiCrops, Montserrat. The team amassed a total of 179 points.

Digicrops is an online marketplace for farmers to sell their goods to buyers. Farmers can take a picture of their produce insert the required info and then it will be viewed by buyers who can purchase the produce.

The objective is to simplify the process of selling vegetables and other crops in the Caribbean by connecting farmers directly to buyers. The data analysis and other statistical support that will be provided to farmers to create added value that has the potential to enhance the planning and competiveness of farmers who use the app.

The team is comprised of 5 members: Dr. Samuel Joseph; Manish Valechha; Jhovan Daniel; Dexter Small and Enver Browne and Mentors: Francois Sharmaine and Felicia Linch.

The team will be awarded with a XCD$3,500 prize fund for the continuing development of their product, provided by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank.

Second prize went to Clink (Caribbean Link), Antigua and Barbuda. The team amassed a total of 139 points.

Clink is a one stop marketplace for Caribbean businesses and consumers to link up with each other and the wider world.

The application seeks to address the many varying challenges and pressures facing SMEs (small and medium enterprises) within the OECS and across the wider Caribbean, particularly inter-island trade.

The team is comprised of 6 members: Elijah James, Julianne Jarvis, Rawle Punter, Dirk Agard, Garrick Stevens and St. Claire Henry and Mentor: Telojo ‘Telly’ Valerie Onu.

The team will be awarded with a XCD$2,500 prize fund for the continuing development of their product, provided by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank.

Third prize went to EdConnector.ai, Anguilla. The team amassed a total of 138 points.

EdConnector.ai is a mobile chat application that allows teachers to engage in direct dialogue with the parents of their students. Teachers can update parents on the learning progress of their student children, identify areas requiring improvement and notify parents of any issues related to the child’s academic life at the school.

The team is comprised of 6 members: Rebecca Haskins, Danielle Henry, Khonn Hazell- Fleming, Kenvis Gumbs, Jose Vanterpool and Christoph Pradel and Mentor: Ardin Richardson.

The team will be awarded with a XCD$1,000 prize fund or the continuing development of their product, provided by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank.

BUSINESS ACCELERATION
In addition to the prize awards, the ECCB, Quintessence Consulting and eCaribbean Ltd. will work with the mentors and judges to provide support to all the eleven teams to catalyse the development of their prototype applications into viable products. The event organisers will also serve as catalysts to support the formation of an e-forum for the participants and encourage their participation in other hackathons outside of the OECS region. These initiatives are expected to support and nurture participants’ prowess in application development.

The prize giving ceremony will take place at the end of September 2015.