A Morning of Purpose, Connection & Collective Action

On Sunday, May 4, 2025, the Venture Philanthropy Blueprint™ (VPB) Power Brunch brought together a dynamic assembly of entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem builders at the AC Hotel Kingston. Hosted by Alain Leroy, with co-hosts Sharon Roper and Jodi Brockington, the event served as a catalyst for redefining how capital, culture, and community can converge to scale impact ventures across Jamaica and the Caribbean.

This Power Brunch followed the Beyond the Beach Summit (BTB), a premier Caribbean Impact Investment event held from May 1–3, 2025. Co-hosted by Entrepreneurs Across Borders (EAB) and SiliconCaribe, the BTB summit convened over 30 speakers, 15 visiting investors, and numerous ecosystem builders across multiple venues in Kingston.

Power Brunch Event Highlights

Diverse Attendee Profiles: The brunch united professionals across sectors—technology, finance, law, and social impact—fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. Notable attendees included Nathan Haddad, Wendy Beswick, Angel Beswick-Reid, Audrey Richards, Brando Hayden, Adam Cummings, Zahra Henry, Christina Thomas, Kirk-Anthony Hamilton, Nedra Daugherty, Stacey Hines, Melissa Powell, Almando Cox, Paul Stennett, Christine Daley, Judy-Ann Reid, and Christina Klinger.

Interactive Introductions: Facilitated by Jodi Brockington, participants identified themselves as builders, backers, believers, or a combination thereof, sharing their professional backgrounds and aspirations for impacting the small business community.

Key Themes & Takeaways

1. Redefining Venture Philanthropy

Alain Leroy introduced the VPB model as an innovative approach that integrates capital innovation, technological empowerment, and social impact to uplift ventures often marginalized by conventional systems. He emphasized bridging the gap between venture capital and traditional philanthropy to support sustainable social impact ventures. Alain highlighted the importance of collective effort, shared energy, and wisdom in shaping a foundational model for sustainable ventures.

2. The Kingston Blueprint

The "Kingston Blueprint," a collaborative initiative aiming to support the growth of impact ventures, was unveiled. This initiative focuses on establishing connections and fostering collaboration, with plans to expand to other locations, including New York City and Dubai. Emphasis is placed on building a network through both physical and digital interactions ("phygital") to facilitate ongoing support and knowledge sharing.

Stories of Impact

Attendees shared their entrepreneurial journeys, challenges, and visions. Collectively, these narratives underscored resilience, adaptability, and the transformative power of collaboration in driving social impact.

Almando Cox: Founder and CEO of ResolveIT Limited, an award-winning IT solutions company with over 19 years of success. Under his leadership, ResolveIT empowers organizations by enhancing productivity, safeguarding data, and facilitating data accessibility. Almando's commitment to digital transformation and service excellence has positioned him as a key figure in Jamaica's tech ecosystem.

Christine Daley: Founder of Daley Konsult and Daley Konnect, Christine transformed her creative passion for greeting cards into a multifaceted career services platform. Her ventures focus on integrating AI-driven digital transformation, sustainable logistics, and consulting to foster Caribbean business growth. Christine's journey from modest beginnings to becoming a champion for rural youth and digital innovation exemplifies resilience and visionary leadership.

Kirk-Anthony Hamilton: An architectural designer turned entrepreneur and investor, Kirk-Anthony is the founder of The Infiniti Partnership Inc. and co-founder of Tech Beach Retreat. His initiatives have been instrumental in positioning the Caribbean as a hub for global innovation, creating platforms that attract investment, influence, and media attention to the region.

Melissa Powell: Founder of Pocmi Inc., Melissa discussed her mission to facilitate professional migration and global talent mobility. She highlighted the challenges and triumphs of building a platform that connects employers with international talent, aiming to simplify the immigration process and foster economic development.

Nedra Daugherty: Director of Programming at Entrepreneurs Across Borders (EAB), Nedra brings over 20 years of experience in workforce development and leadership roles at Fortune 500 companies. Her commitment to connecting emerging entrepreneurs with experienced mentors has been pivotal in fostering economic self-sufficiency and sustainable growth within underserved communities.

Paul Stennett: As a podcast consultant and co-founder of Amazing Gains, Paul helps coaches and consultants attract and convert clients through podcasting. Hosting "The Transformation Blueprint," he interviews inspiring individuals to extract actionable insights for personal and professional growth, emphasizing the power of storytelling and audio content in building authentic connections and driving business success.

Sharon Roper: An angel investor and co-host of the VPB Power Brunch, Sharon highlighted her involvement in a venture fund backed by African investors. She emphasized the importance of bridging the funding gap for talented entrepreneurs in the Caribbean and exploring African markets for growth and scaling opportunities. Her focus is on social impact projects related to agriculture, climate, and social housing, acknowledging the need to address these crucial areas for long-term economic sustainability.

Stacey Hines: A digital transformation strategist and President of Jamaica’s Technology and Digital Alliance, Stacey shared her journey from tech executive roles to founding Epic Transformation Ltd. She emphasized the importance of intentional living and holistic success, drawing from her experiences in leadership, entrepreneurship, and personal growth.

Voices from the Room

Participants also brought unique insights, contributing to a rich tapestry of experiences and perspectives.

Adam Cummings: Developing a weather app to change the entrepreneurship landscape in Jamaica.

Christina Thomas: IT and business consulting, focusing on creating humane environments in departments.

Zahra Henry: Running a consulting business focused on employee management, career coaching, and cultural creative industries.

The brunch was also attended by the following professionals:

• Angel Beswick-Reid: Life coach and former attorney.

• Audrey Richards: Investor and builder.

• Brando Hayden: Institutional finance and First Angel Network.

• Christina Klinger: Co-work space owner and business consultant.

• Nathan Haddad: Assisting businesses in building intellectual property value.

• Wendy Beswick: An attorney focusing on immigration law.

Partner Endorsement: Entrepreneurs Across Borders (EAB)

We are honored to include a letter of support from Chris Cochran, Executive Director of Entrepreneurs Across Borders (EAB), affirming their commitment to the VPB Power Series and the Kingston Blueprint initiative:

"Entrepreneurs Across Borders is proud to support the VPB Power Series event on May 4 at the AC Hotel in Kingston. This invite-only brunch will bring together key leaders, funders, and ecosystem builders to explore bold ideas for advancing the Caribbean’s innovation economy.

We’re excited to partner with VPB as they take on a vital and complementary role in the ecosystem—specifically in the area of impact organization funding and support. This is a space that deeply matters, but one that EAB cannot fully serve on our own given our team size, resources, and primary focus.

Rather than reinventing the wheel, we believe in partnerships that allow aligned organizations to lean into their strengths. VPB’s leadership in convening and amplifying impact-focused funders and supporters is a perfect complement to EAB’s work with emerging entrepreneurs and grassroots economic development.

We look forward to walking alongside VPB in this effort and encourage our community to support and engage in this important initiative."

Next Steps: Building the Kingston Blueprint

The VPB Kingston Power Brunch catalyzed several actionable initiatives aimed at sustaining and expanding the impact of the Kingston Blueprint. Key next steps include:

• Establishing the Diaspora Network in Partnership with EAB: Collaborate with Entrepreneurs Across Borders to create a Diaspora Network that bridges overseas Caribbean professionals and entrepreneurs with local impact ventures. This network will provide mentorship, access to capital, and global market insights to support the scaling of Jamaican enterprises.

• Forming the Kingston Blueprint Advisory Committee: Assemble a diverse group of stakeholders to guide the strategic direction, governance, and sustainability of the Kingston Blueprint initiative.

• Launching the Growth Operator Program: Identify and train individuals who can provide hands-on support to impact entrepreneurs in areas such as marketing automation, e-commerce, and operational scaling.

• Developing the VPB Power Podcast: Create a platform to share stories, insights, and lessons from entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem builders involved in the Kingston Blueprint.

• Conducting the Founder Assessment Survey: Distribute a survey to understand the needs, challenges, and opportunities faced by early-stage impact entrepreneurs in Kingston, informing the development of tailored support programs.

• Engaging with Strategic Partners: Identify and collaborate with organizations and companies interested in supporting the Kingston Blueprint through funding, mentorship, and resource sharing

Stay Connected

To continue the momentum and be part of the Kingston Blueprint's evolution:

• Join the VPB Collective: Complete our survey to become part of the movement and contribute to shaping the future of venture philanthropy.
  

Together, we can redefine venture philanthropy and create lasting impact in our communities.