By Elesha George
A local tech business – The Local App Inc – has partnered with the US Embassy to offer students across Antigua and Barbuda a chance to be part of a programme to increase their awareness of opportunities in tech and how it can be applied to improve the economy.
Secondary, college and university students are being invited to participate in a hackathon called the BRIGHT Hack – FinTech Challenge – for a chance to win up to EC$10,000 in prizes. BRIGHT stands for Boosting Renewables and Infrastructure Globally by Harnessing Technology.
Students are asked to form teams of up to four people to represent their schools in this challenge which aims to get young people particularly excited about building the financial infrastructure in the Caribbean through tech.
“It’s actually a STEM programme that’s geared at getting students, in particular young folks, involved into thinking about the future and how can we improve things in our society so that wherever we live, work and play can be better.
“And the focus of this initial iteration of that hackathon is going to be focused on how can we improve financial infrastructure within our society,” said Elijah James, host partner and CEO of The Local App Inc.
This initiative builds on the success of the Esports College Fair held last year which engaged students in innovative and forward-looking fields.
The US Embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados, is hosting the FinTech Challenge and has sponsored special guest Marcus Kennedy, the General Manager for Intel Corporation – gaming, creator, and esports segment, as well as a senior director in the Client Computing Group.
Kennedy, a professional gamer, will guide students through the potential of esports and gaming as viable and sustainable career paths, while also shedding light on the significance of entrepreneurship and innovation as drivers of economic growth.
Kennedy will also engage gamers and app developers in a round table discussion that will include participants of Anu Con – a cosplay convention. Discussions will continue to cover topics like start-up financing.
Despite the connotations of the word ‘hack,’ James said hackathons are really about how we can fix and solve problems, much like entrepreneurship.
“The word hack is normally associated with something naughty like somebody trying to break in but really and truly hackathons are really about how can we fix and solve problems, like entrepreneurship,” he explained.
The competition is particularly timely given the evolving financial landscape, marked by the rise of digital payments and cryptocurrencies in the world. Through the hackathon, students will be encouraged to leverage their skills in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEM/STEAM) fields to drive entrepreneurship and innovation, fostering a mindset that embraces emerging technologies.
During the programme, participants will have the unique opportunity to interact with leaders from the tech and financial industry, providing them with valuable insights and guidance.
“There’s a maximum of four members per team and they don’t necessarily have to come from the same school or they don’t necessarily come from the same level. You can have a secondary school mixed with college or university or vice-versa,” James said.
Prizes will be awarded to all members of the winning team, including coveted items like laptops, printers, smartphones, Bluetooth speakers, and smartwatches.
The BRIGHT Hack – FinTech Challenge is scheduled to take place from September 6-8 and conclude at the UWI Five Islands campus.