Bravo advances private equity, entrepreneurial growth in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico-born billionaire investor Orlando Bravo, managing partner of global private equity firm Thoma Bravo, is using his business philosophy and philanthropic resources to help transform the island’s entrepreneurial landscape.
Through both his investment expertise and the work of the Bravo Family Foundation, Bravo is actively building a bridge between global private equity principles and local economic empowerment.
During a recent virtual roundtable titled “Beyond the Deal,” Bravo engaged members of Puerto Rico’s business media to demystify private equity and share how its core principles can accelerate the island’s development.
He explained that private equity (PE) investment isn’t just about capital — it’s about helping companies improve operations, expand markets and build long-term value.
“The private equity point would be very good and very important to improve Puerto Rico’s businesses and services,” he said.
Bravo described Puerto Rico as “virgin” territory for private equity and tech investment, highlighting its untapped potential.
“This shift can be important for Puerto Rico and for young people who aspire to enter the businesses of the future,” he added.
Philanthropy rooted in investment strategy
While Thoma Bravo invests primarily in established U.S. and European software companies, Bravo emphasized the importance of supporting early-stage ventures on the island through mentorship and education. His Bravo Family Foundation (BFF) is leading that charge.
BFF’s flagship initiative, the Rising Entrepreneurs Program (REP), delivers a proprietary curriculum inspired by Thoma Bravo’s operational model. REP equips early-stage Puerto Rican founders with tools in product development, sales, marketing and finance, while also offering one-on-one mentorship from investment professionals and portfolio executives.
Bravo noted that Puerto Rican entrepreneurs who build strong teams and achieve early milestones are better positioned to attract investment — locally or abroad. He suggested Puerto Rican founders should look for venture capital in the U.S. if local sources are limited, especially in the tech sector.
Investing in youth through entrepreneurship
Other programs under the foundation include Empowering Young Entrepreneurs (EYES), which introduces high school students to entrepreneurship through mentorship and technology training. This initiative aims to instill a future-ready mindset, focusing on skills in innovation and digital tools.
“We aim to ignite their passion and inspire their active engagement in driving our nation’s social and economic transformation,” the foundation stated.
In addition, the Exceptional Community Leaders (ECL) program supports nonprofit leaders in developing sustainable social enterprises. By helping organizations create revenue-generating ventures, ECL provides both employment and vital community services. The program strengthens leadership, fosters economic activity and encourages mission-aligned innovation in underserved areas.
Bravo said his inspiration to give back stems from his own journey — born in Mayagüez and later educated at Brown University and Stanford — where mentorship played a key role. He now integrates that philosophy into every layer of BFF’s programming, believing that “where you start should not limit how far you can go.”
A call to link capital with local impact
Despite the influx of private capital to Puerto Rico under Act 22 (now Act 60), Bravo acknowledged its limited impact on local innovation or job creation.
“Many do a lot of financial business, they do a lot of trading, but they are not starting companies. That’s what we’re seeing so far,” he said.
He advocated for a more meaningful integration of that capital with the island’s tech and software ecosystem, emphasizing the long-term benefits of aligning financial power with local development.
To that end, Bravo outlined three pillars for Puerto Rico’s economic advancement: investing in education tailored to the future economy, supporting high-impact entrepreneurship and fostering a competitive, open market environment.
“Puerto Rico has the talent and the drive,” Bravo concluded. “Our goal is to ensure it also has the tools and opportunity to lead in the global innovation economy.”
Through the Bravo Family Foundation and a clear investment roadmap, he’s working to ensure that vision becomes reality.
He cited Silicon Valley as a model for how education, entrepreneurial culture and open competition can combine to build a thriving innovation ecosystem.
