On Wednesday, September 18th, Ignite celebrated the conclusion of the Cohort 8 Core programme. The event brought together Cohort 8’s Core and Fuel Your Ambition series participants, mentors, board members, volunteer presenters, and experts at the Hub.

The evening began with mingling and refreshments, courtesy of Plant Based Fuel and Miles Ltd, while DJ Chubb provided lively music that set the party mood.

Cohort 8 member Janine Ogle-Dyer invited guests to leave "bricks" of advice for future entrepreneurs, while the shimmer wall, courtesy of C1 alumna, Catarina Rocha’s Ela Group of Companies, proved to be a great backdrop for group photos throughout the night.

The entrepreneurial awards were announced as follows:

• Ethos Award - Shanae Mallory
• Acceler8 Award - Rickeisha Burgess
• Beacon Award - Sam Bennett
• Dynamism Award - Vince (David) Hunt
• Heart Award - Janine Ogle-Dyer
• Entrepreneurs Choice Award - Brianna Ball-Roach and Rebecca Lawrence

Congratulations to the winners as well as everyone from Cohort 8! Special thanks to Tomika Smith (C7 Alumna) at Private Rendevouz for all her help transforming the space and Christina Sgobba (C1 Alumna) at Lemoncello for providing such beautiful cedar awards. Marcus George (C6 Alumnus) aka DJ Chubb for bringing the vibes.

This past summer, Ignite Bermuda wrapped up its fourth successful Young Adult Internship Programme that ran from July 9th to August 27th, 2024. We hosted a dynamic group of 15 young Bermudians, aged 18 to 25, who dove into the world of entrepreneurship.

The programme kicked off with a two-day orientation, setting the stage for weeks of immersive learning and hands-on experience.

The interns committed 12 hours each week, splitting their time between working directly in some of Bermuda's top startups, all of which are part of the Ignite Community, and engaging in expert-led workshops. These sessions covered everything from developing an entrepreneurial mindset to understanding budgeting and even AI. Participants engaged in group huddles, brainstorming sessions, and even pitches.

The interns tackled real-world projects with their host startups, that ranged from customer discovery and market research to investor relations. As the programme drew to a close, the interns stepped into the spotlight to present their projects and personal growth stories. This year's participants shared that the programme was "inspiring", "informative" and "encouraging".

The Young Adult Internship Programme aims to build a community of passionate, young entrepreneurs ready to make their mark on Bermuda’s small business scene. It was once again proven that with the right support, the next generation of Bermudian leaders is ready to shine.