George Henry, CEO of Appfinity, recounts that while at Northern Caribbean University (NCU), he pursued his undergraduate studies to become an English teacher. However, after witnessing his friend’s ability to use MS-DOS as a grass roots method of building software programmes, Henry was immediately inspired to become a technology major and ultimately earned his degree in computer information science. His foray into the working world saw Henry teaching computer studies, building software and systems for educational and financial management purposes, and using his experiences to start his company.

Henry describes Appfinity as a fore-runner software-as-a-service (SaaS) company invested in conceptualising and building solutions for local and international clients. Henry and his team are keen on continuously developing the Jamaican economy through engagements with overseas companies to highlight local tech talent while supporting the country’s sustainability through foreign exchange revenue.

Appfinity’s tagline “Connect. Build. Optimise” is inspired by Henry’s vision of Jamaica’s digital economy. For him, “connect” refers to how he wants to connect Jamaica to the world while connecting more Jamaicans to Jamaica. He noted that building products and ensuring that they are optimised is key to achieving global connection seamlessly for everyone involved.

The Appfinity team are excited to have created a home-grown event management platform using international standards. Appfinity has produced over 200 events, forging partnerships with companies like the Jamaica Stock Exchange and interest groups like the Jamaican diaspora for an upcoming conference. Proud to be the premier annual general meeting (AGM) producer in Jamaica, the company is developing an upgraded version 2.0 of their event platform. The platform will allow organisers to have consistent pre-event, in-event and post-event communication and engagement with attendees using its built-in database.

Henry believes that for Jamaica to become a digital society, companies should take a global approach to doing business. He believes that this will have a ripple effect by inspiring other companies to do the same. He recommends that companies invest in technologies that meet global standards, which will ultimately allow them to be competitive in the international market and join the world’s tech giants.

As a tech entrepreneur, Henry is proud that he can support the growth and development of his team. For him, success is the ability to connect Jamaicans to the world through products and platforms built by local talent. Henry wants Jamaica to become the next Silicon Valley and to be known as a hub of next-generation technology solutions leveraging our geographic location to scale and pivot easily.