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06/042020

Haiti Tech Summit Press Conference June 5, 2020

News

The world is changing. 2020 has not been an easy year for many. From a global health pandemic, to an economic recession, to global civil unrest- this will be a year that we will speak of for generations.

Yet despite the circumstances we have seen people show compassion, businesses adapt, and individuals re-define their values in a whole new way.

We hope this email finds you in good spirits as we re-engage you regarding developments within the Haiti Tech community.

About Haiti Tech Summit 2020

The 4th edition of Haiti Tech Summit is scheduled for October 2020. Yet originally we were to host it on June 5th. As a stakeholder of the Haiti Tech network we are pleased to invite you to the June 5th Haiti Tech Virtual Press Conference and Annual Stakeholder Meeting to announce our largest initiative to date in Haiti. Register to access the invite only stakeholder meeting here. Please note that over the next couple of hours, individual invitation emails will be sent to investors, sponsors, selected speakers and influencers for the annual stakeholder meeting that will occur right before the public press conference.

05/262020

Haiti National Career Accelerator Launches

News

[May 26, 2020] Port au Prince, Haiti. In response to the COVID19 global pandemic, Haiti Tech is kicking off a national and global response plan by launching a 3 part initiative tackling the country’s challenges around rising unemployment. Haiti Tech will bring together all previous sponsors, partners, speakers and stakeholders to accelerate employment opportunities within the country and revitalize the local economy via the country’s first nation wide digital accelerator for career development.

For historical context, Haiti Tech Summit was launched in 2017 with a 13 year mission to transform Haiti into a global hub via technology. With the world having to operate remotely and virtual due to the coronavirus pandemic – more stakeholders now fully understand why tech is not only a tool to accelerate Haiti but of vital importance to sustain Haiti during this crisis. Within the past 3 years- Haiti’s tech ecosystem not only stands as the #1 ecosystem in the Caribbean but has also welcomed the launch of initiatives by Airbnb, Google, Facebook and many more due to their work with the Haiti Tech Summit.

For 2020, Haiti Tech is going beyond startup/SME ecosystem development and providing practical funding and support to tackle the growing unemployment crisis that will soon further cripple the Haitian economy. Haiti Tech is launching the country’s first Haiti Accelerator (Career Edition) to not only train Haiti’s workforce for the digital economy of the future but to also increase the employment capacity of the country. More jobs, whether remote or local means more income which leads to a stronger local Haitian economy. According to World Bank public data records, Haiti’s official unemployment is at 13.7%. Unfortunately this will increase dramatically due to the coronavirus pandemic as more layoffs occur across the country. Our young professionals are going to be some of the hardest hit groups; facing a challenging time entering the labor market.

The initiative will kick off on June 5th (the original scheduled date of the 4th edition of Haiti Tech Summit) with a press conference and stakeholder meeting with the country’s leading influencers. This annual kick off meeting will be followed by a 30 day fundraising campaign, where the funds will be used to support local citizens who can not afford accessing the free virtual training and career program. The digital accelerator program dates are July 6-30, 2020. All funders and investors will be invited to meet with the program cohort during the program and will be featured at the digital closing ceremony scheduled for July 31st.

Applications for the program are now open. Who should apply? Deadline June 30th.

Unemployed citizens, recent graduates, limited work experience individuals who are currently looking for new opportunities. (First Round apply now)
Currently employed citizens who want to improve their career path with up-skilling training and exposure. (Second Round TBA. Submit your application; a second accelerator program will take place for experienced hires).
Citizens and global diaspora of Haiti- Join the first national service program where you will have the opportunity to give your time and services to a local business, university, government institution, or corporate entity in Haiti. (Third Round TBA. Submit your application; a third program will take place for national service fellows)

About the Program:

The Haiti Accelerator (Career Edition) is Haiti’s first and only national digital accelerator program created to train and develop Haitians for the digital economy of the future. Selected participants undergo a multi week digital training program, career development coaching and remote internship experience that will equip them to work with top local companies in Haiti or remotely with international companies. Internship placements will be at any of our 100+ partner network of local haitian businesses, diaspora businesses or global corporate partners such as (Google, AWS, etc). This initiative will be funded by the community under the Haiti Tech Fund. This is a $10k fundraising campaign to provide wifi, and funding support to local citizens who can not afford to work remotely due to lack of access to internet, office tools, and private space.

This is part of our long term commitment to Haiti. This 3 part initiative will span the entire year of 2020 and beyond as we commute to revitalize the local economy via our ecosystem summit, local partner programs and now career development training.
If you are interested in partnering or supporting this initiative, email the team via hello@globalstartupecosystem.com.

04/052020

HaitiTechCovid19 Relief Package

News, Press Releases

In 2017, Haiti Tech Summit launched a 13 year mission to transform Haiti into a global hub via technology. With the world having to operate remotely and virtual due to the coronavirus pandemic – more stakeholders now fully understand why tech is not only a tool to accelerate Haiti but of vital importance to sustain Haiti during this crisis.

We’ve monitored the rise in digital meetings, webinars, e-learning and more in Haiti. Now let’s coordinate and amplify.

What is the Plan?

Over the past 3 weeks we’ve held long strategy sessions with our global partners and stakeholders to discuss their plans for Haiti during this crisis. Remember that the Haiti Tech Summit network boast 300+ speakers, 2000+ attendee alumni, over 89+ partners and148,000 subscribers. So we’ve been pretty busy getting them all aligned for what we are about to share with you now.

#HaitiTechCovid19 Relief Package

Over the next 6 months (April – September) we are going leverage tech to tackle 3 key areas of need for Haiti during this pandemic:

Part 1: Employment.

Part 2: Economy.

Part 3: Ecosystem.

Please note that the following Employment program is for Haitian citizens only. We will have an upcoming program for the Haitian Diaspora and “Friends of Haiti”.

Part 1: Employment #RemoteHaitiInternship

According to World Bank public data records, Haiti’s official unemployment is at 13.7%. Unfortunately this will increase dramatically due to the corona virus pandemic as more layoffs occur across the country.
Our young professionals are going to be some of the hardest hit groups; facing a challenging time entering the labor market. So at Haiti Tech we teamed up with our corporate network – Google, Linkedin, Salesforce etc to train interns for the workforce of the future in order to get hired for remote internships starting this Summer 2020. There are limited seats for the first cohort.

Apply for a remote internship here. Deadline is April 24th.

Given the current state of lockdown across the nation and the inability for people to travel to work we believe having the right skill set in order to be able to work remotely is one of the core means to empower young professionals for the job market, domestically and internationally. Many corporates in our network are actively looking for skilled talent in order to add to their workforce starting off with an internship. Below are some leading organizations featured in our network.

If you are looking to hire remote Haitian talent email us at info@haititechsummit.com.

03/152020

HTS2020 Postponed to October 2020, Here’s Why

News, Press Releases

Hi Influencer,

Thank you to our valued guests, partners and stakeholders of Haiti Tech Summit.

Over the past few days we have engaged our partners, attendees and stakeholders regarding their current state of affairs as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

At Haiti Tech Summit we value our commitment and responsibility to Haiti and its stakeholders.

In 2017 we shocked the world with a new narrative for Haiti and launched a 13 year roadmap to accelerate the country via technology.

In 2018 we announced Haiti’s scaling tech ecosystem and new opportunities for industry development.

In 2019 we overcame riots, political instability and level 4 warning protocols to host the summit with helicopters, military, and security partners.

In 2020 we will overcome a global pandemic and show another level of resilience and commitment to Haiti. Thanks to the inputs of stakeholders like you, we have decided to put safety first and postpone Haiti Tech Summit to fall 2020. Furthermore, its important that we provide this notice far in advance so you can plan accordingly. Sadly, not many programs in the country are able to honor professionalism and transparency and provide you this courtesy. Yet, we will maintain a high standard of credibility and re-affirm our decision to postpone the 4th edition of Haiti Tech Summit 75 days prior to our summit date.

Here’s why:

Health: The Coronavirus Pandemic is spreading and until countries come with a cure or structured system of operation, there will be a continued series of country lock downs put in place. We can not support the spread of cases into Haiti with international travelers.
Economic Challenges: There is a global concern that an economic recession may be likely due to the shutdown of business activities all over the world. We understand that companies and people need time to recalibrate their finances and business operations.
Community: With all that is taking place, we understand that people need to be with their loved ones. Mentally, we know you have to prioritize the safety of your family, friends and loved ones. It may be insensitive to promote our programming (though valuable) during this time when you need a period of reflection and analysis.

With that said, we are the longest running global tech conference in the country and as such have provided

Hundreds of thousands of dollars into the local economy with our vendor ecosystem- Hotel (Royal Decameron), HPS (Printing), Konfettidecor, Graphcity (Videography), Haiti Brand (Photography), Unico (Printing), Access Haiti (Internet), Dagmar (marketing and printing), Fre Designs (Badge printing), Hertz (Car Escorts) and dozens more. We will continue to spotlight these amazing local businesses.
Dozens of contracts and agreements for ecosystem development (Airbnb and Ministry of Tourism in 2017), Facebook and Google Partnership with Banj launches in 2018, Startup Grind Chapter launches, etc. We will continue to work with international partners to keep Haiti in their global expansion plans and make continued investments. Haiti is still the #1 tech ecosystem in the Caribbean as a result of these rapid movements.
Training and development with our continued workshop series and programs during Haiti Tech Week, Startup Lab and more. We will continue to run training programs with the community virtually.

Thus Haiti Tech Summit has now been moved to October 2020. Here’s what you need to know:

Attendees: All current ticket holders have the choice to use their ticket for October 2020 or defer their ticket to 2021/2022. We have a history of honoring all ticket deferment requests.
Sponsors: All partners are committed to the fall summit. We have multi year agreements with our partners and they are committed to Haiti for the 13 year initiative that is in place.
Speakers: All speakers have received communication of the postponement and have deferred their participation to October 2020.

Over the next 6 months as we work towards the fall program for the 4th edition of Haiti Tech Summit, we will be rolling out substantial digital programming to support businesses and career professionals.

We hope that you are in positive light, energy and company during this time. Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to collaborating together this fall.

Best Regards,

Haiti Tech Summit

(W) Haiti Tech Summit

(E) info@haititechsummit.com

03/122020

Haiti Tech Summit 2020 Date – Coronavirus Update

Uncategorized

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01/062020

Haiti 2020- #AfricansForHaiti- Join us on January 12th

News, Press Releases

The First Black Republic of Africa Meets the First Black Republic of the World. Ghana and Haiti will come together to transition Haiti into a new decade.

In 2010, Haiti experienced one of the worst calamities in recent human history. Over 250,000 people lost their lives in the catastrophic earthquake that spread across Haiti.

Over the years, many news have circulated regarding the future development of the country. Many are negative, bleak and unmoving. Yet there is a new generation of pioneers and influencers who are bringing a new narrative to the future of Haiti and it is sparked by diaspora of all regions- especially the leaders of Africa.

Join us for a forum commemorating the resilience of the Haitian people, 10 years after the earthquake.

#AfricansforHaiti

08/232019

YLAI Professional Fellows Program- Call for Applications

News

YLAI Professional Fellows Program

The application process for the next Young Leaders of the Americas (YLAI) Professional Fellows Program is now open. Applications for the upcoming cohort of YLAI Professional Fellows will close on September 18, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. EDT.

The U.S. portion of the YLAI Professional Fellows Program will occur between June 7 – July 17, 2020. Please double-check your calendar to ensure you will be available to travel to the United States during these dates.

YLAI empowers entrepreneurs to strengthen their capacity to launch and advance their entrepreneurial ideas and effectively contribute to social and economic development in their communities. Since the initiative’s launch in 2015, more than 750 YLAI Professional Fellows from Latin America and the Caribbean have expanded their leadership and entrepreneurial experience through fellowships at businesses and organizations across the United States. Through the YLAI Entrepreneurship Institute and the individualized Fellowships, YLAI Fellows have accelerated their commercial and social ventures’ success and developed specific action plans to carry out upon return to their home countries. YLAI Fellows built networks, linkages, and lasting partnerships to attract investments and support for their entrepreneurial ventures. Program components have included:

Four-week Fellowship: In cities across the United States, YLAI Professional Fellows gain valuable professional development skills and experience at U.S. entrepreneurial organizations from each Fellow’s business sector. Fellows will collaborate with their fellowship host on their Entrepreneurial Leadership Action Plan (E-LAP), which the Fellows will implement upon return to their home countries.
YLAI Entrepreneurial Leadership Curriculum: The YLAI Professional Fellows Program includes online and in-person coursework, developed by IREX and Arizona State University (ASU), that combines technical entrepreneurship training and leadership development. Using the E-LAP, Fellows will sent and achieve their entrepreneurial leadership goals.
U.S. Orientation and YLAI Closing Forum in the United States: YLAI Fellows participate in the U.S. Orientation in Tempe, Arizona and YLAI Closing Forum in Washington, D.C., as well as networking events with business and social entrepreneurial leaders, and U.S. government representatives.
Post-Fellowship Sustained Engagement: After successful completion of the U.S. Fellowship and YLAI Entrepreneurship Institute, YLAI Professional Fellows continue their collaboration with U.S. partners and have access to ongoing professional development opportunities, mentorships, networking, and alumni activities. YLAI Fellows will have the chance to welcome a Fellowship host to their country through the Outbound Program, sharing their expertise on the entrepreneurship climate in their country.

Financial Provisions of the YLAI Professional Fellowship Program

There is no fee to apply to become a YLAI Fellow. The U.S. Government will cover all YLAI Professional Fellows Program costs. Financial provisions provided by the U.S. Government will include:

J-1 visa support. No visa support will be offered to dependents, as this is an unaccompanied program.
Round-trip travel from participant’s home city to the United States and domestic U.S. travel, as required by the program.
YLAI Entrepreneurial Leadership Curriculum coursework and mentoring.
U.S. Orientation in Tempe, Arizona and YLAI Closing Forum in Washington, D.C.
Four-week professional placement with host organization.
A limited accident and sickness benefit plan.
Housing and meal stipend during the program.

Who is eligible to apply?

Candidates will be considered without respect to race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexuality, national origin, disability or any other protected characteristic as established by U.S. law. Applicants with disabilities are eligible and encouraged to apply for the YLAI Professional Fellows Program. The YLAI Professional Fellows Program is open to young entrepreneurs who meet the following criteria:

Are between the ages of 25 and 35 at the Fellowship start date.
Are a resident and citizen of one of the participating countries*: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Maarten, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela.
* In the specific cases of residency in Aruba, Curacao and St. Maarten, citizenship in the Netherlands is accepted
Are eligible to receive a U.S. J-1 visa.
Have a demonstrated track record of successfully growing their own business or social venture for at least two (2) years.
Are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the United States.
Are not a U.S. government employee.
Are proficient in reading, writing, and speaking English.

The U.S. Department of State and its implementing partner IREX reserve the right to verify all of the information included in the application. In the event that there is a discrepancy, or information is found to be false, the application will immediately be declared invalid and the applicant ineligible.

Applications not meeting the above technical eligibility requirements will not be forwarded to the selection committee. If you do not meet the technical eligibility requirements for this program, we invite you to join the YLAI Network and visit exchanges.state.gov for information on other U.S. Department of State exchange opportunities.

What are the criteria for selection?

The YLAI Professional Fellows Program is an open, merit-based competition. There is no cost to apply. After the application deadline, an independent selection committee of regional and technical experts reviews all eligible applications. Those applicants selected to be semifinalists will be contacted to schedule an interview in October. All applicants will be notified of their status by January 2020.

The YLAI Professional Fellows Program candidate selection committee will use the following criteria, like the following, to evaluate applications and interviews:

Demonstrated professional entrepreneurial experience and knowledge.
Commitment to community or public service, mentorship, or volunteerism in your home country and to applying entrepreneurial and leadership skills, experience and knowledge to benefit your community and country.
Demonstrated understanding of how your personal and professional goals align with program objectives.
Demonstrated leadership, commitment to your organization’s or business’s success, positive attitude, initiative, and perseverance.

Application information

The application is now open. Applications will be open through September 18, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. EDT.

Additional information about the YLAI Professional Fellows Program is available in our Frequently Asked Questions.

07/032019

Forbes Announces Winner for Haiti Tech Summit

News

SNEAK PEEK | SUBMIT YOUR STORY | CONTACT

Forbes8 is proud to have been a partner at this year’s Haiti Tech Summit! At the Summit we hosted a pitch contest, heard the stories of founders, talked to VC’s and so much more. In the spirit of our mission to help entrepreneurs, we awarded a $1.5k cash prize (on the spot!) to the pitch contest winner, and will continue to award 4 more cash prizes throughout the year! If you’d like to stay updated on everything we’re doing to support the entrepreneurial community (and get a look into what Forbes8 is all about), subscribe to our newsletter here.

Live stream a Forbes event for free:

Forbes8 allows you to live stream Forbes events right on your phone or desktop. We put on over 20 events a year, and it’s difficult to get into the room. For the first time ever, Forbes8 is live streaming these exclusive events, allowing anyone to access incredible content across different verticals. Additionally, a typical attendee will spend about $2,000 USD to attend, but you’ll get to experience it virtually, for free! Click the link below and our chatbot will guide you through the process.

*Offer limited to first 50 respondents*

Want to learn even more?

Check out our site here, or drop us a line by replying to this email.

Best,

The Forbes8 Team

06/282019

Haiti Tech Week, Summit and Festival Dates Announced for 2020

News, Press Releases

Thank you for joining us for the past 3 years as we accelerate this movement to 2030.

Every year, Haiti Tech gets bigger and bigger. Over the past few years we’ve welcomed thousands people for Haiti Tech Summit and Haiti Tech Week. Now we expand to make it a full week experience for 2020. We are pleased to introduce the 2020 line up with 100 speakers and 5000 participants for 2020!

Haiti Tech Week was founded in 2018 to provide free training workshops for entrepreneurs and corporate executives.

Haiti Tech Summit

Haiti Tech Festival

To partner, speak or exhibit at any of these events, please email the team at info@haititechsummit.com.

06/272019

Haiti Tech Summit 3rd Announces Town Hall Meeting June 27th

News, Press Releases

Haiti Tech Summit, founded in 2017 by Forbes 30 Under 30 Entrepreneur, Mother and Wife, Christine Souffrant Ntim, is a 13- year initiative of the Global Startup Ecosystem (GSE) which brings together hundreds of entrepreneurs, investors, digital marketers and creatives together to Haiti to accelerate tech, innovation and economic development within the country.

HAITI TECH TOWNHALL

Connect with the founder – Christine S. Ntim
Ask questions about haiti tech summit 2019- what it took to host it and why
Ask questions about plans for 2020-2030
Learn how to manage events and programs during political unrest
Learn insights on branding and communications

Blog

The application process for the next Young Leaders of the Americas (YLAI) Professional Fellows Program is now open. Applications for the upcoming cohort of YLAI Professional Fellows will close on September 18, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. EDT.

Financial Provisions of the YLAI Professional Fellowship Program

Who is eligible to apply?

What are the criteria for selection?

Application information

HAITI TECH TOWNHALL

Connect with the founder – Christine S. Ntim

Ask questions about haiti tech summit 2019- what it took to host it and why

Ask questions about plans for 2020-2030

Learn how to manage events and programs during political unrest

Learn insights on branding and communications

Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2019-haiti-tech-townhall-meeting-tickets-64262805782