About

Ipsum Technologies is a social enterprise which promotes the digital inclusion of persons with disabilities.

Our Mission

Our mission is to improve the quality of life experienced by persons with disabilities through inclusive design practices which facilitate greater access to digital products and services and to inspire innovative business models which eliminate barriers to social inclusion and participation.

Company Overview

Ipsum Technologies Ltd was incorporated by Winston Blackwood, Shawn Melville, Marlon Parieaho and Okera Baptiste on September 10th, 2014 as a limited liability company in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Ipsum Technologies is a social enterprise that is focused on creating opportunities for persons with disabilities to thrive in the growing digital economy. Since our incorporation in 2014, we have been developing assistive technology devices, accessible websites and multimedia content, and have acquired expertise in ICT accessibility.

Our Accomplishments

In 2014, Ipsum Technologies received a grant from the Ministry of Planning and Sustainable Development for its proposal, entitled ‘MobiAssist’, which was submitted to the 2014 idea 2 innovation Challenge Competition.

In 2015, Ipsum Technologies received its 2nd grant from the Ministry of Planning and Sustainable Development for its proposal, entitled ‘Blind Way Forward’ to the Lumination Challenge 2015.

Marlon and Shawn present on the Planting Seeds Show

In 2017, Ipsum Technologies was featured on Season 2 of the Planting Seeds show and magazine.

photo-2018-12-12-10-02-47_45375847225_o

In 2018, Ipsum Technologies was awarded the Winner of Category 1 for its submission of the MobiAssist to the Regional Competition for Latin America
and the Caribbean “Mobile Applications for Accessibility” in partnership with
SAMSUNG Brazil and SIDI.

In 2019, Ipsum Technologies was awarded as a winner of the Caribbean Tech Entrepreneurship Programme 2018-2019 Cohort 1 for its development of the Empowered Platform which was submitted to the Ideation Track and ranked #2 of 50 startups.

We're looking for Impact Investors

With more than one billion people in the world living with disabilities, it’s vital that technology reflects the diversity of the users to foster digital inclusion for all. There are at least 50 million disabled people in Latin America & the Caribbean (LAC) of which 80-90 percent are unemployed or outside the workforce. We are looking for impact investors who love helping others and are willing to contribute financially to our mission. Download our pitch deck to learn more about how your investment can make a difference.

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Sustainable Development Goals

Ipsum Technologies is committed to achieving SDGs for:
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Guidelines for the use of the SDG logo, including the colour wheel, and 17 iconsGuidelines for the use of the SDG logo, including the colour wheel, and 17 icons

Let's work together

Our team is committed to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals and we believe you are too! Let's work together on projects that build economic growth and address a range of social needs including education, health, social protection, and job opportunities.

Contact

Our Team

Shawn Melville

Managing Director

smelville@ipsumtechnologies.org

Biography

Shawn Melville is the Managing Director of Ipsum Technologies. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master’s degree in Renewable Energy Technology, both obtained from the University of the West Indies. He has won awards for social innovation and entrepreneurship through his participation in several local and regional competitions.

 In 2018, he was awarded winner of Category I at the ITU's Accessible Americas V Conference for the idea MobiAssist which is an assistive device to aid visually impaired persons while navigating. In addition, he collaborated and developed a comprehensive guide entitled, “Blind Way Forward”, to help persons living with visual impairment. On May 17th 2019, he received another award from the Caribbean Development Bank and Orbit Innovation for developing Empowered – a virtual platform which allows persons with disabilities to provide their services and products to employers and business from the comfort of their homes.

smelville@ipsumtechnologies.org 1(868)725-4068

Chinara Griffith

IT Manager

cgriffith@ipsumtechnologies.org

Biography

Chinara Griffith is the IT Manager at Ipsum Technologies. She is an IT professional and has approximately eight (8) years of experience and knowledge working in the Oil and Gas and Financial Services Sector. Her roles in this sector have included but were not limited to proposal development, process and quality improvement, enterprise content management, project management, business continuity and application development. Every company has a story to tell and these stories will not only engage, inform, surprise, delight and impact the audience, but will also deliver on measurable business goals. For the Empowered project, her role encompasses project management and application development.

cgriffith@ipsumtechnologies.org 1(868)747-6498

Marlon Parieaho

Technology Evangelist

mparieaho@ipsumtechnologies.org

Biography

Marlon Parieaho is the Technology Evangelist at Ipsum Technologies. He has been totally blind for eight years. He is an active police officer and is also a passionate advocate for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the workplace. This passion caused both his colleagues and himself to receive awards in the idea 2 innovation and Lumination challenges and other competitions, that focus on enhancing the lives of people with disabilities. The mantra, 'nothing for us, without us' drives him to include himself in any project that involves raising the standard of living for individuals that would be otherwise overlooked and his intention in the Empowered project is to do just that change the way people with disabilities are perceived, interacted with, and valued. Marlon wants to change the world. One project at a time.

mparieaho@ipsumtechnologies.org 1(868)291-5488

Asenath McEwen

Business Development Manager

amcewen@ipsumtechnologies.org

Biography

Asenath Mc Ewen is the Business Development Manager at Ipsum Technologies and she works also as an Information Resource Clerk at the Disability Affairs Unit, Ministry of Social Development and Family Services. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing and is currently pursuing an International Masters in Business Development and Innovation from the Arthur Lok Jack Global School of Business. She has low vision, is an advocate for the empowerment of persons with visual impairment and holds sensitization workshops to educate the public, families and employers of the needs of persons with visual impairment. A past awardee of the Lumination Challenge Competition, she has contributed significantly to development of the Blind Way Forward which is a guide developed by Ipsum Technologies to help persons affected by visual impairment adapt quickly.

amcewen@ipsumtechnologies.org 1(868)793-9096

Candice John

Accessible ICT Instructor

cjohn@ipsumtechnologies.org

Biography

Candice Barbara John is the ICT Accessibility Instructor at Ipsum Technologies and she also works as an Information Technology instructor at the National Centre for Persons with Disabilities. In addition, she is the first Vice-President of Persons Associated with Visual Impairment. Candice obtained her Bachelor of Education from the University of Trinidad and Tobago and a Post Graduate Diploma in Literacy Studies. At present she is pursuing a Master of Arts in Leadership in Technical Vocational Education and Training and Workforce Development. She is also been a trainer with the Caribbean Telecommunications Union providing accessible ICT workshops to persons with visual impairment who use screen readers and magnifiers to access websites.

cjohn@ipsumtechnologies.org 1(868)465-9618

Winston Blackwood

Winston Blackwood

ELECTRICAL Engineer

wblackwood@ipsumtechnologies.org

Biography

Winston Blackwood is a co-founder of Ipsum Technologies and an accomplished electrical engineer with a wealth of experience in project management and business transformation. He holds a MSc. in Engineering Management, which further strengthen his leadership and management skills. He is PMP and SCRUM certified, demonstrating his commitment to professional development and industry best practices.

Winston Blackwood is a recognized leader in the field of electrical engineering, smart grid implementation, and digital transformation. He is a past awardee of the prestigious "Idea 2 Innovation Challenge Competition" and has made significant contributions to the development of the MobiAssist prototype - a groundbreaking device developed by Ipsum Technologies to empower visually impaired individuals to navigate their surroundings independently and without the use of a cane. This achievement showcases his innovative thinking, technical expertise and dedication to finding solutions that make a real difference in people's lives.

He is also an avid football player, which has taught him valuable lessons in teamwork, discipline, and perseverance, which he applies to his business pursuits. He is a highly experienced and trusted professional that can be relied on to deliver results.

wblackwood@ipsumtechnologies.org 1(876)551-9380

Niesha Nicholas

HR Manager

nnicholas@ipsumtechnologies.org

Biography

Niesha Nicholas is the HR Manager at Ipsum Technologies. She holds an associate degree in Human Resource Management, a Bachelors in Business Administration (with Upper Seconds) and is a recent graduate in ACCA global business services. She has held variety of positions working in different companies which has exposed her to legal, administrative, human resource and accounting services. She is currently participating in the Caribbean Development Bank’s Vybzing Programme which is focused on developing young entrepreneurs between the ages of 18-29. She is passionate about rendering help to persons who want to improve their life and has therefore dedicated her time to the development and promotion of Ipsum Technologies’ Empowered platform.

nnicholas@ipsumtechnologies.org 1(868)761-6811

Samuel Nicholas

Accountant

snicholas@ipsumtechnologies.org

Biography

Samuel Nicholas is the Account at Ipsum Technologies and is also currently employed at the Ministry of Finance as an accounting assistant. He is an entrepreneur and business owner with over ten years of experience in private and public accounting. He also has a background in IT and loves programming and web development. He has been fluent in languages such as HTML, CSS, Javascript, PHP, JAVA and C# for well over five years. In addition, he has over fifteen years of experience in computer and electronics repairs.

snicholas@ipsumtechnologies.org 1(868)734-5498