PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad — Caribbean tech-connector platform, TechBeach Retreat has designed a Corporate Innovation Accelerator Programme to address this challenge head-on. The program, which takes place from June 7 – July 2, 2021, is part of the TBR LAB digital education program and will be executed in collaboration with the DMZ from Ryerson University.
As job functions increasingly overlap and intersect, TechBeach has identified a critical need for key decision-makers to not only adjust the way they think but the way they learn. Through a community-driven, multidisciplinary curriculum, the 4-week program seeks to reimagine learning and development for Caribbean innovators and leaders by providing them with real-world insight from global experts.
One example of the massive shift occurring is the competition faced by financial institutions as fintechs and non-bank entities begin to outpace the traditional financial system. CNBC recently quoted JP Morgan chief executive officer, Jamie Dimon as saying, “Banks…are facing extensive competition from Silicon Valley, both in the form of fintechs and Big Tech companies,” such as Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google and Walmart, and “that is here to stay.” As such, it is imperative that companies reshape their approach and position themselves to compete.
“The world has changed and the way we prepare employees and leaders has to change with it,” says Kirk-Anthony Hamilton, Co-Founder of TechBeach Retreat. “Currently we’re all talking about digital transformation and innovation, but many organizations lack the internal will power, corporate culture, and even the global networks necessary to activate their visions. In our current state, global markets are outpacing local evolution. We aim to help organizations already operating at the enterprise level drive transformation and achieve success.”
Through TBR LAB’s Corporate Innovation Accelerator, C-Suite executives and team leads in areas ranging from Product and Business Development to Innovation and Sales, will tackle issues such as legacy mindset, limitations in authority, and the compulsion to operate in silos. Attention will be squarely focused on overcoming these handicaps to successfully implement digital transformation strategies and develop innovative work cultures that yield profitable growth.
Facilitated by seasoned tech executives, teams will design and run experiments to (in)validate their riskiest assumptions concerning desirability, viability, and feasibility. Sessions will also feature deep dives into a variety of topics, including the cloud and big data, blockchain, technology solutions, and the importance of embracing startup culture to drive intrapreneurship and rapid transformation.
TechBeach holds firm to its mission to expand the Caribbean’s technology landscape and co-founder, Kyle Malo-ney, is confident this program will harness synergies between established and emerging enterprises:
“Partnerships between large corporations and startups generally form the centerpiece for driving impactful innovation. We’re hoping to see a greater level of this occur in our region, as many of our veteran firms are prime for disruption from a nimble technology-driven upstart.”
According to Kirk Anthony-Hamilton, Caribbean companies invested in innovation have a lot to gain from the accelerator.
“This program is a bold departure from the cookie-cutter training traditionally offered in our landscape. We are leveraging an unparalleled global community that includes universally admired companies like Google, Amazon and Paypal. Participating companies will be gaining insights from people who aren’t just theorists, but who are actually implementing solutions and methodologies on a global scale.”
