‘Get on board or get left behind’

“We are living in a digital age and if you don’t get on board, you will be left behind.”

That’s the sentiments of Jamillah Lodge, business development officer for the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation.

She told the Bermuda Sun that “Bermuda is still small enough. People still find out by word of mouth and do the face-to-face.”

But she said the landscape is changing and those businesses that embrace technology are more likely to survive and thrive.  

In celebration of companies who are doing that, the Tech Awards will be announced on Thursday. 

The categories include: Local innovation of the Year; International Innovation of the Year; Best Youth Innovation of the Year; Best App; and the People’s Choice Award.

Voting for the People’s Choice Award took place on the Bermuda Sun Facebook page and Bermemes was one of the companies that proved popular as they mobilized a get out the vote campaign.

Ms Lodge said: “They did a great job in getting people to vote and that’s what it’s about.”

Friday will see a ‘Tech Talk Panel Discussion’ at the Chamber of Commerce. 

E-Monday’s name has been changed. She said: “That’s because the focus is less about an online sales day for etailers. 

“It is going to be more about education, outreach and supporting online businesses. 

“This will be the first seminar we’ll have and we’ll tell them ‘These are the things you have to consider in Bermuda — what’s required from a legal perspective’.

“The next seminar will be more about requirements in setting up an etail business.”

The panel discussion will talk about using technology to help your business run more efficiently. We’ll have entrepreneurs Alexandra Mosher and Darren DeSilva. Darren owns Water Now and he does a great job in using technology to make his business more successful — and he has a water truck. Most people would wonder why a water truck would need to use technology but he’s proven to be an excellent example of how incorporating technology in a company that does seem to be technologically-based can make a business run more efficiently, can increase his revenues as well as his customer service.”

Ms Lodge added Link Bermuda and Butterfield Bank will also be there to showcase what they have to help small businesses to help them be more technologically savvy.