Pride of Workmanship Award

October 15, 2017October 1, 2021 Troy W. Agriculture, Entrepreneurship, Technology

As the founder of CropGuard, Troy was presented with the Pride of Workmanship Award 2017 by the Rotary Club of Barbados. CropGuard is an agriculture-centric ICT platform. It was made to build the capacity of farmers to control pests and reduce crop loss. The solution was a direct response to the CTA AgriHACK Talent Caribbean initiative and was developed under a coordinated team effort. CropGuard features a Mobile App, Web Dashboard, and an Open Data API to connect agricultural stakeholders, promote knowledge management and encourage youth in agriculture.

Caribbean Tech Entrepreneurship Programme

January 20, 2017March 24, 2021 Troy W. Ecosystem, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Technology, Thought Leadership

The Caribbean Tech Entrepreneurship Programme (CTEP) is a virtual hub for Caribbean startups and entrepreneurs. Through a series of Business Incubation and Acceleration activities, Caribbean Entrepreneurs will connect with Mentors and Facilitators who are driven to help transform their Startups. Catapult yourself into follow-on activities such as Internships, Acceleration Programs, Seed Funding, Tradeshows, Awards… CTEP aims to help Caribbean countries address unemployment and underemployment by leveraging opportunities within the Virtual Economy.

Transforming the Caribbean region and its talent using technology

Youth Agri-Preneurship Incubator Programme

January 19, 2016July 22, 2017 Troy W. Agriculture, Entrepreneurship, Thought Leadership, Training

How much do I enjoy education? So much so that I’ve translated this passion for education into my work and the way I change the world. Some of my friends call me the human resource developer.

On Friday, 15 January 2016, I was caught off-guard when I was recognized for the contribution made to the Youth Agri-preneurship Incubator Programme. From the planning stage through execution of the first cohort, it was an awesome experience to collaborate with the project manager, Mr. Kareem Payne, and his team on major objectives.

The programme, which ran for four months, sought to provide 20 young people with both practical and theoretical knowledge of the industry in the face of what Mr. Payne described as “a gradual but perpetual decline” in agriculture, which he said had left the island “in a very precarious position”.

From the immediate results from the first cohort of the YAIP, there is hope in the youth! Special commendations to the awardees namely Randy Belgrave, Ishara Williams, Kellyann Allicott and Fayola Agaja. Resounding congratulations to all of my recent graduates. You’ve crossed only the first hurdle!

While reaching for the stars, be reminded that knowledge without application depreciates over time; so put knowledge into action…

Nurture education into wisdom.

Bajan tech whiz Troy Weekes on regional integration and creating a web-based game-changer

November 7, 2015February 9, 2016 Troy W. Entrepreneurship, Thought Leadership

TECH TALK: Weekes, in convo with JAMCOPY’s Simone Bailey at the Pegasus-hosted conference.

When aviation pro Troy Weekes launched his kid-friendly online learning platform EZ Learner in his native Barbados circa 2009, he was smartly focusing on the bigger picture: ultimately taking his brilliant idea to the rest of the Caribbean and the Diaspora. So said, so done, and today his creation, which fuses technology and education, with marked emphasis on Caribbean culture, is a hit with students and education officials alike. There’s more to come. The thirty-something “Haile Selassie-ite” (an anointed Rastafarian) presented a master class on the final day of the just-concluded digital publishing conference The Online Mind inside the Jamaica Pegasus’ Legacy Suite, where TALLAWAH rapped with him about thinking big, technology’s key role in regional development, and why a conference like The Online Mind is right on time.

TALLAWAH: Troy, what led you to start your online platform EZ Learner?

Troy Weekes: I come out of an aviation, computer-science background, where my specialty was the user-friendliness of cockpits to reduce the workload for the operator. I completed my Masters in Human Factors at Florida Institute of Technology in 2005, and upon returning to the Caribbean, I decided to apply my skills to designing an education system online. In my area of specialty we create platforms to speed up the creative process in high-risk environments, so I thought, Why not use it to help advance the systems catering to the education of young children? So that’s how EZ Learner came about; it came to market around 2011. But while I was working on that I was still doing consultancy work in aviation, like working with a team on the certification of safety management systems at the Grantley Adams International Airport.

TALLAWAH: Did EZ Learner’s rapid growth and acceptance over these past four years surprise you?

T.W.: That was the plan all along. We started out with one application centred on creative writing and composition writing. Now we have four applications, which are all integrated. And that’s just one aspect of the growth. We started out with a pilot programme of five schools in Barbados, then we moved to Trinidad for a pilot of about six schools. Then we went to St. Vincent and the Grenadines to do the same thing. We’ve also targeted the Diaspora in North America and the UK.

TALLAWAH: I read that you also reached out to Jamaican education officials. How did that go?

T.W.: In late 2014, we were asked to adapt EZ Learner for the Tablet in Schools programme as a content provider. And subsequent to that involvement we now have a Version 2 of EZ Learner on the market. Our programme focusses on indigenous Caribbean content to help kids across the region retain their heritage.

TALLAWAH: How can Jamaicans make the most of digital publishing opportunities to match your level of success?

T.W.: The first thing I would recommend is that you do research on the market needs and refine the idea that you’re passionate about. It has to be something that meets market demand. Another way to succeed is in this area is to build partnerships and connections with like-minded people and associate with similar entrepreneurs from across the region.

TALLAWAH: How would you summarize your experience of participating in this inaugural Caribbean digital publishing conference, The Online Mind?

T.W.: It was a revelation to me, in terms of the high volume of the publishing industry here in Jamaica, and the great work that JAMCOPY has been doing. In Barbados we don’t have anything like this. So a conference like this is ideal. This was a conference of players from different sectors creating an atmosphere of diversity and showcasing a range of products that we can bring to the world. They complement each other. It’s a recipe for renovation, with new markets to be penetrated – and a catalyst for regional integration and development.

TALLAWAH: How often do you visit Jamaica?

T.W.: Not often enough (Laughs). I first came here in 2013 through a World Bank programme called Pitch It Caribbean, and then I was here again for Digital Jam 2.0 in 2014.

TALLAWAH: What’s been happening in Barbados in recent times?

T.W.: [The government] recently relaxed a ban on cellphones in schools. There’s been a kind of shift taking place in terms of integrating technology in the classrooms. But there’s been a positive move as it relates to EZ Learner creating life-changing opportunities for students using it.

Source: Tallawah Magazine

Join Us at the #theonlinemind 2015!

September 24, 2015November 10, 2015 Troy W. Ecosystem, Entrepreneurship, Thought Leadership

I’m excited to be speaking at the upcoming Caribbean Digital Publishing Conference 2015 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel. I’ll be accompanied by executives and staff from the leading media and publishing companies to discuss the future of tech and media. The three-day conference will combine provocative keynote presentations with interactive roundtable conversations to leave you inspired and ready to take action.

The pace of business transformation accelerates year over year as new technologies emerge and best practices evolve. My participation in the conference will focus on building partnerships with leaders from innovative brands and companies, and to cultivate joint ventures that complement EZLearner’s value chain.

From product development, to customer experience, to internal operations our interactions will uncover insights and activate connections to remain agile and impactful in the digital world.

Join us at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, November 3-5, 2015 for #theonlinemind!

Business Incubation Management

June 9, 2015June 17, 2017 Troy W. Ecosystem, Entrepreneurship

Every startup has a birth but, unfortunately, not every startup survives and matures.

Surrounded by a flux of interactions, in an environment of change and chance, entrepreneurs maneuver and observe with keen attention. They intently watch the scene for “points of pain” and “opportunities for gain”. These entrepreneurs are bound to bring value to the table.

From the dense mind-space emanates a rippling thought that sparks a “treppy” idea. Context, when applied to the idea establishes a solution. Once born, are you ready to iterate and pivot that startup?

Yes! Alert and ready!

The earlier that the entrepreneur realises that access to an incubator is a worthy consideration, the better the chance that the business will have surviving.

A business incubator is an organisation that helps startups develop during the early stages of development and guides them to mitigate against the risk of failure. Incubators create a space for reflection and questioning to add value to the startup. Incubators assist startups through the provision of processes and micro-ecosystems, which connect to wider networks and macro-ecosystems.

Now imagine for a second that a new business incubator is also startup, with customers and partners and value propositions and…

After voluntarily seeking immersion into the flux of interactions during infoDev’s Business Incubation Management Training Program, I have witnessed “opportunities for gain”.

Have you Trepped it? See the echo?

Mobile Startup Camp in Washington DC

May 29, 2015February 6, 2016 Troy W. Entrepreneurship, Innovation

infoDev’s Mobile Startup Camp was designed to accelerate the growth of early-stage mobile entrepreneurs from Africa and the Caribbean. The five-day program of lectures and hands on workshops provided us with an opportunity to refine our product strategies, business models and marketing pitches, sharpen our negotiating skills, and network with investors and peers.

Before I get into the details of presenting a business pitch to a charged panel of industry experts and angel investors, let me give thanks to all who guided, helped and encouraged me along this journey. Special recognition goes out my core team at EZLearner, for without you there would be no wings with which to fly.

Day Zero: Nov 10, 2013

Cheetah Code mini-documentary on DEMO Africa

To prime us up for take off into the Mobile Startup Camp, here is some suggested viewing, which features some of the entrepreneurs and people with whom I interacted over the course of the Camp.

I preloaded some web pages into my tablet for easy in-flight access. The main focus of these readings, which I have linked below, is preparation for investment. Kind compliments to Ben White of VC4Africa for these awesome posts. VC4Africa is one of the fastest growing communities of entrepreneurs and investors.

1) Crash course to writing a financial plan investors can understand

2) Combining Art and Science, how to put a valuation on your company

3) An easy to use tool to help you prepare for fundraising. Where do you score with the Quick Scan?

4) Checklist for preparing your venture for Due Diligence with investors or check this alternative for startups.

5) How to get investors to notice your venture? 5 easy steps

6) Tips for building social traction for your venture online

7) Entrepreneurs should conduct due diligence on investors

8) 10 things every startup founder should know about Term Sheets.

9) The key elements to understanding Venture Capital Term Sheets.

10) Read this case study on a Namibian Angel Investor’s experience backing a Kenyan startup

Well, wasn’t that enough reading for the trip?

So the time came for me to board the jet and speed across the horizon with a connection in Miami then destination bound for chilly the KDCA aka Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. To my humble expectation, there was more than smooth transfer all the way through the airport then to the front-desk of the Dupont Circle Hotel via private taxi service. There I met Helen Akanisi, Consultant at infoDev and coordinator of the event logistics. Helen introduced me to some of my fellow entrepreneurs from the African continent. My nose started to warm up after I finally sat on the bed pondering my game plan for taking on the upcoming week of training and investor preparation.

Day One: Nov 11, 2013

Business Model Canvas workshop

The Business Model Canvas workshop was led by Oltac Unsal, Senior Advisor at infoDev, and facilitated by the other coaches who were present. Our initial business model canvas was reviewed, critiqued and refined until a solid iteration was reached. During this exercise, a unit economics method was used to break down the cost structure and revenue streams, and to give a quick snapshot of the business profitability. A range of tools was recommended and used during the workshop. The Canvanizer is one such business modeling tool.

Founder Success Story

This was an entertaining session where the Founder of csMentor joined us for dinner and presented the background story of his business and passion through an interactive interview with Oltac. The Founder fielded questions from the audience and amused the young entrepreneurs with his fascinating journey. He reminded us that the team behind the idea is usually more attractive to the investors than the idea or the technology. This is where I met Valerie.

Investors invest in teams that are cohesive and have proven track records.

Day Two: Nov 12, 2013

Raising Smart Capital and the Role of Mentors and Accelerators

Mike Szymanski, Director of Business Development at the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology, described the incubator and mentorship program that is offered by MEST and the benefits it offers to young entrepreneurs. During his office hours, Mike assisted EZLearner by defining a risk valuation model for application to our company in order to identify potential areas for risk mitigation. Here is a copy of (1) Mike’s presentation and (2) a template for Advisor Agreements.

Investment Opportunities in Latin American and the Caribbean

Marta P. Aparicio, Consultant with Inter-American Development Bank, presented on the investment space within the Latin American and Caribbean context. Even though LAC countries recorded lower investment levels relative to their North American counterparts, trends supported gains in investment opportunities as the mobile technology innovation sweeps across the LAC region. Marta P. Aparicio gave credible statistical summaries from the IADB and emphasized the importance of building sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems to support our ventures. Fortunately, I arranged a time to sit down with Marta and delve into some practical tips and strategies for makingEZLearner more investable in the short-term. Some of Marta’s suggestions have been scheduled for immediate implementation.

Crowdfunding: Fad or Opportunity

Sam Raymond, Consultant at infoDev, informed the audience of the results from a new report that was commissioned by infoDev to study the promise and the risks of crowdfunding as a tool to finance innovation and growth in developing countries. The report provides an in-depth case study of crowdfunding’s potential in funding clean energy and climate technologies. After becoming engrossed in this smart capital raising concept some light bulbs immediately began to glow within my head space. Download the infoDev report here.

Every Business Needs an Angel

Due to my expectations, this presentation led by John May, experienced Angel Investor, was the most highly anticipated. And, I must add, John May did not disappoint. His presentation was loaded with real life experiences and meaningful statistics that gave tremendous insight into the Angel Investor process. The industry trends were daunting and confirmed by a myriad of limitations that restricts angel investment to a limited few. Beneath all of this, there was hope! There was a clear identification of what increases the chances of succeeding with angel investment. I was fortunate to win a text co-authored by John May titled Every Business Needs an Angel.

Mock Deal Negotiation

This activity was one of the more insightful into the actual “behind-the-door scenes” conducted by investors on how they analyze ventures on the fly, and how they decide whether or not to move forward after witnessing pitches from entrepreneurs. There were two companies presented:

Aquicore, which is a company that combines cutting-edge data collection hardware with sophisticated analytics software to reduce utility and maintenance costs for mall and medium-sized residential and commercial real estate companies.

Public Relay, which is a company that provides an intelligence system for corporate communications in larger companies, government agencies, and trade associations. The solution transforms corporate communications through metrics-driven action tools and precisely targeted engagement with influencers.

What was most noticeable from this experience was the focus on (1) business model scalability, (2) team competence and track record, and (3) confident body language.

Day Three: Nov 13, 2013

Venture Capital, Angel Investment

Ben White, Founder of VC4Africa, explained how his company’s innovative network connects entrepreneurs with investors. VC4Africa is open for entrepreneurs to showcase company profiles and attract investment. Investors subscribe to the network in order to leverage analytics in order to make sound investment decisions.

Team Building and Partnerships

Tayo Akinyemi, Director of AfriLabs, presented on the growing AfriLabs network which comprises 20 hubs and labs across the African continent. Tayo explained the mission of the network to discover synergies between the lab, and enhance the visibility of the network’s actors by sharing success stories and best practices. Tayo helped EZLearner to time check and repackage our pitch deck for Demo Day.

Business Development and Marketing

Hailed by many as the favorite coach on deck, Ernest Akinlola, Managing Partner at Right Instinct, led the session on Business Development and Marketing. This session was loaded with real life applications of common business strategies and relationship building techniques. Here is a copy of (1) Ernest’s presentation and (2) a template for marketing strategy development.

Monetizing and Product Development

Now, if there was one bit of new information that excited me it would be this Value Proposition design. George Voulgaris, Business Partner at Vision Mobile, presented a set of research outcomes highlighting specific trends in mobile technology adoption. It was the insightful value proposition design process that gave me a range of new ideas to validate the fit of EZLearner for the new markets that we are about to explore.

Day Four: Nov 14, 2013

Putting it all together & Pitching 101

This was the day of one-on-ones with coaches to refine the pitch and make sure it was on time. This was one of the more hectic days as one would be struggling to trim down a pitch deck where every sentence has value. In the end, almost every second required a case as to why it should be in the deck. Thanks to Tayo for putting up a strong negotiation and helping us to prioritize our content. Compliments to Zoe Lu, Mobile Innovations Associate at infoDev, time management and coach scheduling was virtually a breeze. My sunset video interview with John Paul, Consultant at infoDev, was an opportunity to shine and I hope I did.

Troy Weekes meets Jon Gosier

I recall meeting Jon Gosier, Founder of AppFrica and D8A. Jon’s passion for creating smart companies was immediately evident. He asked a series of very relevant questions about EZLearner then proceeded to make incredible suggestions for accelerating our development. Jon shared experiences about his own education startup and his current data management company, the fascinating D8A.

Day Five: Nov 15, 2013

Welcome to infoDev

Each entrepreneur in the room was fully loaded and ready to pitch for five minutes. The Demo Day was opened by an inspirational speech given by Valerie D’Costa, Program Manager at infoDev. Valerie took the time to connect each of us with infoDev’s mission by showing us how we are all working together create successful outcomes that would positively impact the lives of others. Soon after heartfelt Valerie’s welcome, entrepreneur number one took the stage… He is my Ghanaian buddy, Kelldick Bakorkor from Orgaroo.

Of course I was looking forward to making a solid pitch. If you are an investor, you may want to view the video. Contact me and I will be sure to hook you up. Special thanks to Hanook Kim, Mobile Innovations Associate of infoDev, for shooting the EZLearner pitch video.

Closing Ceremony

Here I received a certificate of participation and a copy of the Camp’s yearbook from Maja Andjelkovic, Mobile Innovation Specialist at infoDev. The Mobile Startup Camp was intense and absolutely productive. I am now working on materializing the concepts gained from the many training sessions and networking experiences.