Trinidad and Tobago track stars Machel Cedenio and Jereem "The Dream" Richards are set to be in the frontline when network sharing app LUHU (Let Us Help U) is launched.
"We are going to see some of our well-known local heroes," LUHU co-founder Zwede Hewitt told the Express, "including Jereem and Machel . We are working alongside former national athlete Nyoka Giles who is building a database of athlete influencers we will be partnering with in the future. Trust me, we will see a couple big-name athletes affiliated as we aim to build a lifestyle brand."
Hewitt, a former Trinidad and Tobago quarter-miler, is keen for sport to be a beneficiary of LUHU.
"We are unrolling a feature specific to sport with the capacity to support athlete recruitment/talent development, sport event marketing, community/grass root engagement as our core areas of focus. Due to Covid-19 and some of the restrictions placed on sports and events, we decided to push the release a bit later in our roadmap, tentatively second quarter 2021.
"We see the Olympic Games partnering with technology companies such as Airbnb," Hewitt continued. "LUHU has the capacity to solve a unique problem of the astronomical cost faced by Caribbean folks when attending the Olympic Games. Using LUHU, you can connect to the diaspora from your hometown in the host country for resources such as accommodation and transportation."
Morocco-based Grenadian web developer and entrepreneur Kenroy George has been working tirelessly on perfecting the app before it goes public.
"We've been testing the app for the past four months," Hewitt revealed. "Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive; 300-plus beta testers of individuals with backgrounds from Olympic medallists to world industry leading executives to tech gurus are all in support of what we aim to accomplish and equally impressed with the quality of our product.
"Feedback and listening to what customers want is essential to the positive growth of any organisation. I think we had literally one individual in disapproval. However, progress over perfection."
As co-founders of LUHU, Hewitt and George bring their Caribbean flair to the app. The high-powered team also has an international flavour. American Phil Raaf, one of Hewitt's teammates when he competed for Baylor University in Texas, is LUHU's acting Chief Financial Officer (CFO), while the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) is Paulii Good, a Polish digital marketing expert. Her British husband, Steve Good is LUHU's lead business executive and go-to-market strategist.
"We have also been recruiting influencers/ambassadors from across the region," Hewitt noted. "Household and global names."
The LUHU team also includes T&T's Kyle Chung and Kwesi "Hypa Hoppa" Hopkinson. "Hypa Hoppa", a popular radio personality, is on board to advise on marketing strategies in a local context.
Hewitt explained that LUHU's upcoming launch will have a regional emphasis. "Upon app release, LUHU will be available pretty much globally.
However, we are launching and scaling from the Caribbean and Morocco - where co-founder Kenroy is - outwards to other emerging markets of the world.
"We expect by mid-2021 to see massive adoption in areas such as UK, Canada, Brazil and specific US states. LUHU is already available in seven languages. We believe that export technology is key to the sustainable development and growth of our nation."
LUHU is also very focused on the environment.
"Our #GoGreenTech initiative supports the positive impact arm of LUHU. We will plant one tree for every unique user on LUHU, with the aim of planting one billion trees in under five years of operation."
