Adrian Dunkley, Jamaican tech entrepreneur and founder of StarApple AI, has been named the Caribbean’s top artificial intelligence innovator by United Kingdom-based publication CEO Monthly.

Recognised globally for his work building advanced, socially driven AI systems, Dunkley is transforming what’s possible for the region, combining climate action, financial inclusion, and youth empowerment into a unified mission for impact.

Leading the Caribbean’s AI frontier

With over 15 years of experience in artificial intelligence and as the founder of Jamaica’s first AI company, Dunkley has developed solutions for fraud prevention, education, finance, public safety, risk management and more. His work merges AI with deep regional context, always aiming to make technology more human-centred and community-relevant.

At the helm of StarApple AI and several other ventures, Adrian has created one of the region’s strongest AI ecosystems, employing local talent, training hundreds personally, and exporting Caribbean-led innovations to international markets.

Introducing 14West, the Caribbean’s first AI fund for Social Impact

This year, the Jamaican entrepreneur is launching 14West, a groundbreaking AI fund designed to support Caribbean researchers, developers, and entrepreneurs creating solutions for real Caribbean problems. The fund offers grants, mentorship, cloud resources, and market access, helping to remove the structural barriers that have held back tech innovation in the region.

A climate vision backed by data

As a newly appointed member of the UWI Climate Studies Group, Adrian is now extending his expertise into one of the most critical issues of our time, climate resilience. His goal is to integrate AI into local and regional climate models, enabling more accurate planning around weather events, crop cycles, urban design, and emergency response.

This work will strengthen decision-making for Caribbean governments and regional organisations, reducing vulnerability and helping to secure environmental and economic futures.

Bridging financial divides through technology

A fierce advocate for financial inclusion, Dunkley’s AI tools have helped banks, credit unions, and fintechs reach those traditionally excluded from financial systems. His models enhance risk scoring, personalise credit offerings, and expand access to financing and capital for micro-entrepreneurs and informal workers.

He has advised leaders in both public and private sectors on using AI to make finance more fair, accessible, and data-informed.

Fuelling dreams, building a safer future

Adrian’s work is deeply personal. Having grown up with a learning disability, he understands how talent often goes unseen or unsupported. His efforts focus on helping young people, especially those with learning challenges or from disadvantaged communities, gain access to tools, mentorship, and real economic opportunity.

He develops tech education programs, supports school partnerships, and funds initiatives that help children turn passion into profession, and ideas into income. He also advocates for the use of AI in crime reduction strategies, public safety planning, and systems that promote social equity.

Adrian has set a bold target: To help build the first Caribbean-born, billion-dollar company rooted in innovation, purpose, and global reach. But he’s not focused on valuation for its own sake. For him, it’s a signal to show that Caribbean visionaries can lead world-changing ventures without losing their culture, ethics, or communities.

His strategy blends long-term investment, youth development, scalable innovation, and global partnerships. It’s not a sprint. It’s a movement.

“The Caribbean doesn’t need permission to lead. We just need the infrastructure, the opportunity, and the belief that we can,” explained Dunkley.

From boardrooms to classrooms, from AI labs to climate coalitions, Adrian Dunkley is proving that when you build with vision and lead with purpose, an entire region can rise.