KINGSTON, Jamaica — As Jamaica accelerates its push toward becoming a digital-first society, United States (US) software company Intellibus has launched an initiative involving over 800 Jamaicans aimed at unlocking the island’s tech talent.

Dubbed “Crack the Code: Road to Hackathon”, organisers say the coding competition will serve as a structured pipeline for youth mentorship, skills training and direct job opportunities in the digital economy.

Over the coming months, the initiative will engage hundreds of young people, offering localised, community-driven competitions that feed into a national showdown.

Each participant will access the Intellibus Screen app and complete the Genius Quotient (GQ) tests —a standardised mechanism designed to assess skills, job potential and core digital capabilities of the individual.

Then, from each parish, 60 to 70 of the most promising minds will be selected to compete nationally, ultimately bringing together over 840 bright young Jamaicans on National Hackathon Day October 19-20th at the AC Hotel.

Along the way, participants will gain hands-on experience solving real-world challenges while receiving mentorship and training from both local and international tech experts.

Speaking on the initiative, Founder and Chief Executive Office of Intellibus, Ed Watal, noted, “Jamaica’s digital future depends on home-grown talent. Crack the Code is about finding those young Jamaicans with raw potential—young people who might otherwise be overlooked—and giving them not just exposure, but real pathways to employment and entrepreneurship in the digital economy.”

The initiative comes on the heels of the largest hackathon ever staged in the English-speaking Caribbean, also hosted by Intellibus earlier this year at the AC Marriott Hotel in Kingston, which saw over 300 young tech enthusiasts participating and vying for millions in cash, prizes and job opportunities.

Beyond competitions, Crack the Code organisers say the event will directly link participants to job and internship opportunities within Jamaica’s growing tech industry.