7th edition of Boricua Emprende Fest draws 2K people
With 2,000 people gathered at the Puerto Rico Convention Center, the seventh Boricua Emprende Fest reaffirmed its role as what organizers call “the island’s largest business event.”
The festival was organized by the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust and its entrepreneurship program, Colmena66, along with Fase1 and parallel18. It brought together entrepreneurs, established companies, investors and business allies for a day of workshops, networking and cultural events.
This year’s edition featured more than 50 sessions across nine tracks on topics including capital access, marketing, exports and finance. Attendees engaged with more than 80 organizations at El Panal Expo, met with executives at the Mentor Lounge, and joined Coffee Talks hosted by Fase1, which included performances by Los Planeros de la Cresta and Hermes Croatto.
The BE Marketplace presented solutions for small and medium-size businesses, while La Colmena Pop Up Market and La Placita Market highlighted 36 local entrepreneurs offering products and services.
New elements were added this year. The Entertainment Track featured executives Manny Morales of Ticketera, Paco López of No Limit Entertainment and Emilio Morales of Rimas. A Podcast Village debuted with live recordings of shows including “Mentores en Línea,” “Cereal Empresarial,” “Ganando Siempre” and “Platea PR.”
A Wellness Hub addressed mental and physical health for entrepreneurs. The BE Boricua Pitch Competition, backed by Rural LISC, Mastercard and Nest, awarded capital and visibility to startups, while the CarbonoIII Impact Summit hosted pitches from six sustainability-focused projects.
Multiple alliances struck
Organizers used the event to announce business partnerships. Lucy Crespo, chief executive of the Science Trust, signed a memorandum of understanding with Jorge Figueroa, president of the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida, to build business links between Puerto Rican entrepreneurs and the diaspora.
The Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture also signed an agreement with AgroRecursos to support agribusiness innovation through training, technology and farmer assistance programs.
“Each edition of Boricua Emprende Fest reaffirms that the talent and creativity of our entrepreneurs are key to Puerto Rico’s economic development,” Crespo said. “This year, we not only brought together thousands of people, but we also established historic agreements that will open new doors for our entrepreneurs both locally and abroad.”
Denisse Rodríguez-Colón, executive director of Colmena66, emphasized the collaborative spirit of the gathering, saying it “reflects the energy and talent of our people, as well as the commitment of institutions and sponsors that believe in the power of collaboration to build a robust business ecosystem.”
Bravo Family Foundation panel
The Bravo Family Foundation added a financial lens with its panel, “Profitable Growth: Master Your P&L.” Blanca I. Santos-Rodríguez, its chief executive and chief financial officer, said, “Learning to use the P&L is one of the most transformative aspects for program participants. It’s the turning point where they begin to take real control of their company.”
Joel Ocasio, chief executive of Jibarito de la Cajita, said the profit-and-loss statement “isn’t fun, but it’s powerful. It’s like giving your business profitability an X-ray: it lets you see the invisible. The P&L doesn’t lie. If you have a business and the profits aren’t showing up … come to BE Fest, where you’ll learn how to see when it’s time to hit the gas.”
The festival ended with community gatherings under the Bembé del BE Fest banner, featuring 20 events held across Puerto Rico.
