AniMints, the animation studio and creative support arm of Yaad Labs Ltd – A Jamaican Startup established in 2022, is on a mission to grow original Caribbean intellectual property (IP) through world-class illustration and animated storytelling.

Thanks to the Creative Caribbean Grant, AniMints successfully produced its first animated short series—“The Tipsy Turtles”—and laid the foundation for a new model of digital monetization powered by blockchain technology.

In simple terms, AniMints has taken the familiar model of content meets collectibles—like Pokémon’s relationship to trading cards or Disney’s cartoons to its merchandise—and applied it to the digital age. The studio plans to sell its main characters as digital collectibles (NFTs), giving fans the chance to own a piece of the show they love.

The grant funding was essential in completing the studio’s ambitious production goals: 30 character turnarounds, 101 detailed backgrounds, and over 640 seconds of animated content.

These assets form the creative backbone of AniMints’ business strategy—content that can now be directly monetized and leveraged to attract clients and collaborators across the globe.

With production wrapped and the series “export ready,” AniMints has already begun to see real results. The studio has received multiple client inquiries, secured paying animation contracts, and generated over $34,000 USD in NFT and digital collectible sales.

This early success demonstrates the commercial viability of blending Caribbean-inspired storytelling with cutting-edge blockchain distribution on platforms such as Twitter/X, Discord, and the Cardano Blockchain. Beyond immediate business outcomes, the project also had a meaningful social impact. The grant enabled AniMints to hire and fairly compensate six regional creatives, providing valuable income and experience in a challenging industry. Collaborations with other indie studios, such as Cmills Animation Studio, strengthened local creative networks and ensured production quality remained high.

Importantly, AniMints is already expanding its vision. Building on the success of The Tipsy Turtles, the studio is developing Anansi Tales, an animated series designed to preserve and modernize Afro-Caribbean folklore. By recording stories on the blockchain, AniMints hopes to both protect cultural heritage and ensure its longevity for future generations.

Since receiving the grant, Yaad Labs and AniMints have achieved significant milestones— raising capital, securing new funding, placing in the Top 10 of an international accelerator program, and signing a major collaboration with Draper University, one of Silicon Valley’s top venture networks.

The completion of The Tipsy Turtles marks a turning point for AniMints: the successful fusion of Caribbean creativity, digital innovation, and sustainable business strategy. With a proven model and a growing audience, AniMints is poised to make the region’s next great cultural export—one animated frame at a time.

The stage is set for what is expected to be another phenomenal Kairi People fete on Wednesday – this as organisers put the final touches on the Pigeon Point venue in scenic Tobago. Kairi People has never failed. Time and time again, organisers of the one of a kind fete experience, make it their duty to truly please their feting family.

Tobago Carnival’s list of premium fetes and Carnival events, includes Kairi People’s Runaway. Fresh off the Miami Carnival run, artistes are always eager to use the event’s stage as a springboard into T&T’s Greatest Show on Earth. Staple to the Kairi People stage, prominent band, D All Starz with frontline artistes, College Boy Jesse, Viking Ding Dong and Mical Teja, will deliver a range of hits, and added to this year’s cast are, Anika Berry and Grenada’s Blaka Dan.

The seaside venue offers patrons a breathtaking backdrop to a memory that will last a lifetime. This year’s Kairi People Runaway, powered by AMPLIA, is anticipated to be even bigger and better, following last year’s experience. It was there that artistes like Farmer Nappy, Ding Dong and Wadicks delivered more vibes than the people could have hoped for. The Kairi People team known for its organization and delivering a high standard across the board, offered patrons a packaged option inclusive of return flights between Trinidad and Tobago. Travel tickets now sold out, those who may not need travel tickets, are still assured of event ticket availability via committee members.

New songs dropped, Blaka Dan, Ding Dong, Anika Berry and College Boy Jesse are amped up and ready to bring big vibes to Kairi People’s Runaway, tomorrow.