“If you can do anything globally, why not in a place where it is constantly around 30 degrees celsius, the sun is shining and people are happy?” Oscar Kneppers, Rockstart.
Aruba Skyline. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
For anyone who’s struggled through Lima’s grey humid winter, the idea of escaping to a Caribbean island to network with the sand in your toes is undeniably attractive.
The ATECH* Conference was created by the ATECH* Foundation, a group of leading entrepreneurs from Aruba, a small island in the Caribbean sea off the coast of Venezuela. It brings together promising startups from around the globe and lauds Aruba’s burgeoning but auspicious startup scene.
Aruba is home to a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem that receives strong support front the Aruban government. This includes incubators, accelerators, an entrepreneurship institute, a strategic ventures fund and even the Aruba Reimagined Area (AREA), an initiative that plans to open two smart districts on the island. The ATECH* Foundation works to foster this, and the Conference aims to to make Aruba a tech hub of the whole Caribbean area.
La Conferencia ATECH busca fortalecer el ecosistema de innovación en Aruba https://t.co/l0zJI9zvd5 #startups #conferencias #innovación #tecnología #Aruba pic.twitter.com/qzi9Rxa615
— Free Zone Aruba (@FreezoneAruba) September 25, 2018
“Building momentum year after year, we’ve brought together world-class founders, visionary investors and change-makers from all over the world. Having them visit Aruba – a tropical paradise that’s living up to its nickname Silicon Beach” – it makes for a magical event,” said Aruba’s Chief Innovation Officer and co-founder of the ATECH* Foundation Varelie Cross.
October 25 will be the fourth ATECH* Conference since its inauguration in 2015 and selects startups to showcase their ideas and products during a pitch competition, of which the winner will receive US$10,000 in prizes.
As well as the competition, the Conference also invites speakers from around the world to present ideas and incite discussion around the future of tech, investing in startups, personal growth, and digital marketing.
At 32 kilometres (20 miles) long and 10 kilometres (six miles) wide, the island of Aruba brings a local vibe to a global meetup that in the past has hosted speakers from giants such as Google, The Next Web and Airbnb as well as a plethora of promising startups. It is an opportunity for early-stage startups to network with experienced, established business owners and share mutually beneficial tips and contacts.
With the Conference just a month away, Tuesday September 25 is the last day for startups to register for the pitch competition, however, attendance tickets are still available on the site.
