COULD a Caribbean city develop into a Silicon Beach? As the Caribbean seeks to develop, it will need to be creative — and part of that means both attracting creative people and companies to its shores and supporting creative people and companies at home. One way, we think, could be to cultivate a tech hub somewhere in the region.
It wouldn’t be easy, but when you have one of the world’s most beautiful places to live, you immediately enter the conversation. As we noted in our Olympics piece earlier this month, the key is not whether these places in the Caribbean are ready to become tech hubs tomorrow. They’re not. It’s that, by focusing on developing the ingredients to become a tech hub, by harnessing existing strengths and enacting the necessary incentives to bring in entrepreneurs and investment, a tech hub starts to become a very real possibility.
The idea is to create an environment in which entrepreneurs, innovators and thinkers in the Caribbean can ultimately flourish alongside companies and innovators from abroad. Unlike the Olympics, this wouldn’t require large stadia — initially, it would mainly require legislation. Any Caribbean country could offer serious financial incentives to relocating companies in return for one key demand: that any company that opens its doors either employ or spend time training local people in its craft. People always speak of the need for improved education in the Caribbean -— but why not learn directly from people who are at the cutting edge of innovation? Like any part of the world, the Caribbean needs foreign investment and technological and knowledge diffusion. And creating the requisite infrastructure for these areas, from office parks to better Internet, would be significant steps. These are some of the places in the region that we think would make sense. Where in the Caribbean would you like to see a tech hub develop?
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
Grand Cayman already has the high-profile Cayman Enterprise City, which is cleverly using tax and other incentives to attract tech, media and other creative companies to the island. That’s really the model for the region — start with an office park, or a few warehouses. Offer unbeatable tax incentives, coupled with a remarkable quality of life. With good airlift, a high standard of living and a sizable expat community, Cayman is perhaps as well prepared as anywhere in the Caribbean to develop into a tech hub. If you build it, they will come.
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan is arguably the most developed city in the Caribbean, with an international airport hub, a thriving artistic and cultural scene and all of the infrastructural benefits of being part of the United States. The island’s debt is undoubtedly a major issue — but could attracting young entrepreneurs and creative types to the city help spur a Puerto Rican renaissance?
Basseterre, St Kitts and Nevis
One of the more charming downtowns in the region, Basseterre is part of an island with strong international airlift and a thriving Citizenship By Investment Programme. Most vital could be the country’s relationship with Taiwan — imagine Taiwan sending some of its own brightest entrepreneurs to put their startups a few steps from Port Zante, training or employing potentially hundreds of Kittitians and Nevisians. And with St Kitts’ recent push on green energy, could the island become a centre for green energy startups?
Christiansted, St Croix
After the closure of the HOVENSA refinery devastated the island’s economy, St Croix is still looking for a rebirth. Why not through a tech hub? The historic downtown of Christiansted is one of the more inviting, walkable areas in the region, the island has an international airport and St Croix has the added benefit of being part of the United States as well. The VI is additionally undergoing a major broadband expansion.
Jacmel, Haiti
Why not Haiti? While Port-au-Prince itself seems far too spread out, Jacmel, with an arts community, walkable architecture and beautiful beaches, might be an attractive place for a concentrated hub. Haiti could create a special economic zone in the area to attract foreign companies, with our aforementioned condition: in return for any incentives, tech companies that open their doors in Jacmel would have to employ or train local Haitians in their craft. Why not fund real, practical, on-the-ground development?
Nassau, Bahamas
Despite Greater Miami’s growing startup scene, Philip Levine, the Mayor of Miami Beach, recently made headlines when he said turning the barrier island into a tech hub was “the dumbest idea in the world.” So why not invite companies to Nassau, just about 180 miles (and a 30 minute flight) away? Nassau has one of the region’s best airports, a downtown with arts, culture and nightlife and, of course, Bahamian beaches.
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston isn’t just Jamaica’s capital — it’s one of the Caribbean’s intellectual strongholds, blessed with a top-flight university, a growing creative class and global cultural impact. It’s not without its issues — crime, for one — but creating the conditions for a tech hub could make Kingston not just a more developed city, but one of the great cities in the hemisphere. As with all of these ideas, it’s about what’s possible, not what’s easy.
Port of Spain, Trinidad
With the ongoing unrest in Venezuela, could Trinidad take advantage of its position just miles from the Venezuelan coast and attract top Venezuelan entrepreneurs looking to flee? Port of Spain has solid infrastructure, a large airport, one of the region’s most diverse cultural scenes and nearly unmatched nightlife. It would also help the country as it seeks to diversify beyond oil and gas.
Kralendijk, Bonaire
The smallest city on this list, Bonaire has an international airport, a thriving expat community and the allure of being part of the European Union. It also has one of the most laid-back ways of life in the region. With the right incentives, its proximity to South America could, like Trinidad, also help attract entrepreneurs from that continent.
Bridgetown, Barbados
Close to a terrific university, Bridgetown has some of the region’s best public transit, a thriving nightlife and, is statistically, the most developed country in the Caribbean. Barbados already has the global marketing power. Indeed, Barbados’ worldwide star, Rihanna, already markets the island’s tourism product — why not have her invite companies to open up shop in Bridgetown?
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
One of the true metropolitan areas in the region, Santo Domingo has a major airport, bustling nightlife and culture and a large walkable area. And the city’s already been looking to promote tech development, with the Taiwan-supported Santo Domingo Cybernetic Park, which first launched construction in 1999.
Willemstad, Curacao
With a UNESCO World Heritage Site, EU-level development and a fascinating, diverse culture, Curacao’s capital could be a natural fit for young entrepreneurs looking to open up their company.
Fort de France, Martinique
Strong infrastructure, great public transit, walkability and, of course, intoxicating food and culture — Martinique’s capital is quite an inviting place to live. It’s also part of the EU, giving companies direct access to that market as well.