eMonday becomes Inspire eBusiness

The Bermuda Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) and the Department of E-Commerce today announced that the eMonday initiative will now be known as Inspire eBusiness.

The Minister of Education and Economic Development, Dr. the Hon. E. Grant Gibbons, JP, MP, said, “The goal of eMonday was to support and encourage the development of local e-commerce and highlight the importance technology plays in enabling entrepreneurs.

“In 2013, we found that the extensive schedule of workshops was well received and supported by the entrepreneurial community and those interested in becoming online entrepreneurs. After additional research and a soft launch during Global Entrepreneurship Week in November 2013, we believe that evolving eMonday into a programme that focuses on education, awareness and facilitation provides greater support to those interested in starting an eBusiness and owners of existing eBusinesses who wish to wish to sell their products and services, both locally and internationally.”

Created and sponsored by the Department of E-Commerce within the Ministry of Education and Economic Development, the initiative is coordinated by the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation. Inspire eBusiness partners include the Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative of Bermuda and the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce –Business Technology Division.

The series of eBusiness workshops will kick off on February 6th and will take place weekly through to March 20th. Workshops will take place at the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce from 5.30-7.30pm. Registration is available online for each session atwww.inspireebusiness.bm.

Topics that will be covered include:

·         February 6th - Getting started, Part I - Payroll Tax/Social Insurance/Legal Considerations

·         February 11th – Getting Started, Part II - Consumer Affairs/Customs Considerations

·         February 20th  – Building a Website

·         March 6th - Payment Processing/E-Commerce for your Website

·         March 11th – Marketing/ Search Engine Optimisation & Google Ads

·         March 20th – Social Media – Facebook, Twitter & other Tools

Meanwhile, the Minister of Home Affairs, Sen. the Hon. Michael Fahy, JP, also announced an exciting opportunity for aspiring eBusiness entrepreneurs that will help to enable an integral component of the Inspire eBusiness Programme.

Minister Fahy said, “This year we will hold a competition to send two eBusiness entrepreneurs to an East Coast Start-Up Weekend at the end of February. Start Up Weekends are intense 54-hour hands-on events during which entrepreneurs and budding entrepreneurs share ideas, form teams, build products and launch startups”.

Competition applications are available from www.inspireebusiness.bm with a closing date of February 10th for submission.

Minister Fahy added, “There will be other opportunities to experience the global phenomenon that is Start Up Weekend. Later this year, we will also see the launch of a Bermuda-based Start Up Weekend and will encourage entrepreneurs and future entrepreneurs to participate.”

For more information about Inspire eBusiness, please visit www.inspireebusiness.bm.