18th Dimension Fest hosts 250+ participants, panel discussions
The event organized by parallel18 brought together entrepreneurs, investors and international startups.
As part of Global Entrepreneurship Week, the 18th Dimension Fest was held for the first time in Puerto Rico, drawing more than 250 participants, including entrepreneurs, investors and mentors. The event’s objective is to strengthen Puerto Rico’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and build strategic global connections.
Organized by the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust’s business acceleration program, Parallel18, the festival merged two flagship events: DemoDay for the international cohort P18 Gen. 12, featuring 21 startups; and the Alumni Venture Summit, which showcased 17 alumni companies to international investors and local business leaders. The latter event was sponsored by Hispanics in Philanthropy’s Inicio Ventures investment program.
“For the Trust, this event was a major achievement,” said Lucy Crespo, CEO of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust. “The 18th Dimension Fest attracted entrepreneurs and investors from around the world, offering a unique opportunity to showcase the innovation driving our economy and local development.”
“We knew high-value connections would be made, leaving attendees with a memorable experience. Parallel18 is one of the Trust’s flagship programs in entrepreneurship, delivering extraordinary results. All of this aligns with the Trust’s mission to invest in, facilitate, and develop the capabilities needed to continually advance Puerto Rico’s economy and the well-being of its citizens,” she said.
Packed agenda
The festival featured conferences and panels for startups and investors, including sessions such as “Trends in Venture Capital,” “How to Approach iInvestors,” and an interactive workshop by industrial psychologist Deborah Collazo.
Highlights included the panel “Puerto Rico as an Innovation Hub,” led by Crespo and Ella Woger of Invest Puerto Rico, moderated by Héctor Jirau, executive director of Parallel18. Another key session featured Carlos García of Trip Ventures and Ramphis Castro of Platform for Social Impact, discussing venture capital and economic development.
For entrepreneurs, panels such as “Futureproofing your Startup,” moderated by Denisse Rodríguez of Colmena66, included insights from Rolando Texidor (AeroNet), Manny Morales (Ticketera) and Alberto Lugo (INVID).
Recognitions and awards
The Alumni Venture Summit awarded $250 to each participating startup, with additional prizes from Inicio Ventures for the top three pitches. The participating companies were: Abartys, Amasar, CelerOps, Cuvro, Deaftawk, GameTask, Konti Design, Konvex, Let’s Burble, MedETechNi, Parrots, PSI Software, Quibble, Red Atlas, Ron Artesano, Skootel, and Tale+.
- First Place ($15,000): Amasar
- Second Place ($10,000): Tale+
- Third Place ($5,000): Let’s Burble
- Innovation Award ($500, sponsored by DECA Analytics): Parrots
- Legal Services valued at $5,000, provided by DLA Piper: Skootel
The festival concluded with the DemoDay of the 12th international cohort, where Gen. 12 startups presented their ideas to a panel of judges. The participating companies were: ATC, BioSnap, Buzzly, FinCrick, FlutterLabs, HighTide, IncentivesPRO, Let’s Fuel, MK Care, My Cloud Menu, No Limbits, Roam, Toggle Communications, Top Doerr, Utripper, Wallbit, Watermelon, Wealth2be, WeavAir, and Xerti.
The awards granted during DemoDay included:
- Innovation Award ($500, sponsored by DECA Analytics): No Limbits
- Legal Services (valued at $5,000, provided by DLA Piper and Ydea Law): Wallbit y ATC
- Giveback Award ($1,000, sponsored by Red Atlas): IncentivesPro.
- People’s Love Award ($2,000, voted by the audience): IncentivesPro.
“The 18th Dimension Fest is a testament to parallel18’s commitment to strengthening the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Puerto Rico and beyond,” said Jirau. “This unique event connects visionary entrepreneurs, investors and strategic partners in a space designed for learning, collaboration and transformation.”
