Phillip Julien speaking with some of the entrepreneurs

The University of Trinidad and Tobago Business Accelerator/Incubator uSTART functions as an engine of innovation and enterprise, fostering an ecosystem that supports entrepreneurial mindsets of students, staff and alumni of the University. uSTART fosters this ecosystem through the provision of a physical business space and provides development services inclusive of access to hosted seminars, workshops, and other informative opportunities originating at uSTART with our partner organisations.

On Wednesday 12^th April 2017, uSTART hosted its second Master Class of 2017 with Mr. Phillip Julien, founder and Chairman of the Heroes Foundation. The Heroes Foundation (HF) is a registered non-profit organisation that was established in October 2002 to service the needs of youth in Trinidad & Tobago. The organisation is under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The Foundation’s reason for existence is to nurture the Next Generation of Heroes. Their goal is to "Transform our Nation’s Youth into a Generation of Selfless Heroes". It does so through the promotion of altruistic actions by the youth, and for the youth, such as the Youth Development Programme, and the Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentorship Programme. It is their mission to ensure that the young people they work with are exposed to opportunities where they may practice acts of selflessness, are exposed to mentorship activities, and sometimes, are themselves mentored.

Mr. Julien, a graduate of McGill University, Montreal, Canada, led a number of energy-based project development initiatives, and is currently the head of WorleyParsons in Trinidad, an international organisation that has been locally based for approximately 15 years.  It provides engineering, procurement and construction management services for the energy sector of Trinidad and Tobago, with clients having included BPTT, Atlantic, NGC and BHP Billiton.

Mr. Julien effectively communicated The Importance of Vision, The Social Side of Entrepreneurship and the Significance of Persistence and Dedication to the Master Class at uSTART, to an audience of twenty two (22) entrepreneurs. After fielding questions from the participants, he ended by reinforcing that entrepreneurship is based on a vision and persistence. 

The uSTART Master Class is a platform where industry experts and innovators impart their knowledge and experience to not only uSTART entrepreneurs, but also to those within the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Further, these sessions foster capacity building within the entrepreneurial eco-system at the uSTART Facility.

uSTART wishes to thank Mr. Phillip Julien for speaking with the entrepreneurs as uSTART continues to strive to achieve UTT and uSTART’s mission:

"To be an entrepreneurial university designed to discover and develop entrepreneurs, commercialize research and development and spawn companies for wealth generation and sustainable job creation towards the equity enhancement of the quality of life of all individuals, families and communities of the republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean."

Phillip Julien speaking with the crowd

Phillip Julien interacting with some of the entrepreneurs after the workshop