Tech Beach Retreat’s TBR LAB has rolled out its inaugural accelerator programme with 38 startups from 11 countries, including 13 from Jamaica. 

Executed in collaboration with the world-leading incubator for tech startups, the DMZ based at Ryerson University, the programme is designed to connect local talent with the global insights and resources required for them to scale successfully. The DMZ recently announced a major milestone with startups in its portfolio, achieving US$1 billion in funding. 

All 38 entrepreneurs enrolled in the eight-week course are eager to leverage the unprecedented access granted by the programme, including Cherie Williams, founder of Rent Yuh Ride, a Jamaican-based digital platform that connects travelers seeking rental cars with individuals who have cars to rent.

“The programme’s well-thought-out curriculum focuses on most of the challenges we face as a Caribbean startup. More importantly, we get to learn from mentors who have been in our shoes or have extensive experience in raising capital, scaling and increasing brand awareness,” said Williams, who already credits the programme with helping her team fine-tune their business objectives and key performance indicators. 

As part of TBR LAB’s first cohort, Williams participates in an intense curriculum alongside the co-founders of companies based in Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, Haiti, The Bahamas, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, the United States and the United Kingdom. They represent a wide range of industries, including food and beverage, online retail, health, and advertising. 

Among other things, startups will have access to US$600,000 in perks and resources through partnerships with some of the best tech companies in the world including Stripe, Hubspot and Amazon Web Services. Twenty participants will also have the opportunity to enroll in Shopify for Startups, a six-month programme facilitated by the global commerce platform.

Most notably, however, Williams appreciates the programme’s ability to nurture the connections required for the Caribbean to develop a sustainable and thriving tech cluster. 

“We have started to build a Caribbean startup ecosystem. As a result, we can share ideas, create synergies and build lasting relationships that can help catapult our business, aiding us in scaling efficiently across the Caribbean,” she said. 

With just over a month left in the programme, Eric Sonnier, director of accelerator programmes at TBR LAB, sees great potential in the first companies to matriculate into the programme. 

“There are quite a few startups in the inaugural cohort that have the potential to become household names in the region, and from there, scale to other markets,” said Sonnier.

“The startups are consuming knowledge from our global partners at a fast rate and seem eager to test, learn, and iterate – a winning combination at this stage.”

The start of TBR LAB signals a significant step forward for Tech Beach Retreat in its mission to revolutionise the tech landscape in the Caribbean. The US$4-million project is set to provide invaluable instruction, mentorship, and investment opportunities for regional startups and its participants are well-positioned to fast forward their ecommerce plans with a safe, secure and seamless processing system. The programme is being delivered through a US$1 million partnership with IDB Lab.