The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

ANOTHER tech company has been approved by government to operate a technology business in Grand Bahama, with an expected $2 million investment, it was announced yesterday.

The Office of the Prime Minister in Freeport officially confirmed that Skyward Techno-Bahamas, a software business solutions firm, has been approved to open a new location in Freeport.

The company intends to create up to 100 jobs for Bahamians over the next five years, according to a statement issued to The Tribune.

Businessman Kunjal Shukla owns the company, which was incorporated in India on November 15, 2010 and is currently in operation in Old Bridge, New Jersey, and Amedabad, India.

The company specialises in Android and iPhone app development and maintenance. It anticipates hiring five highly skilled Bahamians by the third quarter of 2019 and a full staff of 17 by the end of the year.

According to the statement, Skyward has also started discussions with the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) about training Bahamians to take advantage of employment opportunities at the company.

“In keeping with the government’s commitment to establish Grand Bahama as a technology hub, we are pleased to welcome Skyward Techno-Bahamas as a continuation of our aggressive efforts in the development of our Silicon Island,” said Minister of State for Grand Bahama Senator Kwasi Thompson.

The government passed the Commercial Enterprises Act last year to attract technology companies to the Bahamas. To date, some three tech companies have been approved under the legislation.

In July 2018, the first tech company approved was GIBC Digital, which assists business clients to re-engineer their data resources to help them stay competitive and optimise their data security. The company initially hired 25 Bahamians with a commitment to hire and train an additional 25 in specialised areas, such as automation, customer experience, data intelligence, and regulation and compliance.

The company had also launched an office in Nassau.

In January, the government approved a second tech company, Dev Digital, which specialises in software development, operated by Dev Digital CEO Peter Markum, Burton Rodgers and Alan Cates.

The company employs 135 people, with offices in the US, India, and Zambia. It had announced that it would hire anywhere between 15 to 20 persons in Grand Bahama.

At that time, Mr Thompson noted that the island was experiencing significant benefits of the law, and noted the applications under the act are approved within 30 days as a result of the newly formed investment unit of the Bahamas Investment Authority in the OPM in Freeport.