Enactus Puerto Rico presents 39 college-student-led social enterprises
The Social Enterprise Summit drew participation from more than 480 students and business leaders.
Enactus Puerto Rico, an organization dedicated to fostering university leaders and social enterprises on the island, recently held its two-day Social Entrepreneurship Forum.
The event attracted more than 300 students from 39 universities, along with more than 100 recognized entrepreneurs and executives. Participants engaged in educational panels, social enterprise presentations, job fairs and business mentorship sessions, offering a comprehensive development experience for young entrepreneurs.
The 39 enterprises pitched at the summit were evaluated by businesspeople and private sector executives, who observed their innovation and creativity in addressing the island’s challenges while creating new industries to drive Puerto Rico’s economic development.
Eight finalists will be selected to compete in the grand finale at the national competition, which will be held in August. The areas of enterprise development include finance, tourism, agriculture, technology, art and culture, educational, recycling and environment, and community-focused enterprises.
“It fills me with satisfaction to see the excellent results obtained since we began implementing the new social enterprise development methodology three years ago,” said Alberto Estrella, president of Enactus Puerto Rico.
“It was not only a bet on the talent of university students but a genuine purpose to leave a solid legacy for our island’s economic and social development, addressing environmental, economic and social sustainability issues through the development of social enterprises,” he added, noting that “the event demonstrated the strength of the methodology for developing social enterprises and its significant contribution to the island’s economic and social development.”
Rody Rivera Rojas, director of Enactus Puerto Rico, said, “this year we set a new precedent with the participation of more than 39 universities, 300 students and 39 social enterprises. This great achievement is thanks to the hard work of students, professors, mentors, the Enactus team, the unconditional support of the board of directors, and collaborating companies.”
