Grupo Guayacán seeking entrepreneurs interested in validating business ideas
Grupo Guayacán is inviting entrepreneurs to participate in the 17th edition of the I-Corps Puerto Rico program to validate business ideas.
The program will adopt a hybrid format this year, combining in-person workshops at the Healthcare Innovation Center in Ponce with virtual meetings.
The goal is to enroll 25 interested in validating a new business concept. Participants will be guided through the process and conduct interviews with potential customers to assess their business’ viability.
Thanks to Grupo Guayacán, the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC, in Spanish), and the Healthcare Innovation Center, the workshops are offered at no cost to participants.
Applicants must submit their online applications by March 1. Requirements include having a team of two to four people, proficiency in English, attendance at all sessions, and completion of program assignments. Experts wishing to mentor can also apply.
“I-Corps Puerto Rico offers a unique opportunity to test drive a business idea before investing in its development, using accurate data to evaluate the concept and significantly increase its chances of success,” explained Patricia Ramírez, program manager. “With the experience of 16 previous editions, we have worked with 347 teams and more than a thousand participants, graduating 271 teams, and giving them the tools to see their businesses prosper.”
For the first time since the program’s launch in 2015, Grupo Guayacán and Colmena66 of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust have partnered, allowing “Acércate al Grant” participants to further validate their ideas through I-Corps Puerto Rico.
“The training offered by I-Corps Puerto Rico can be a determining factor when a new business goes on to participate in other entrepreneurial training programs, strengthening its chances of obtaining financial support,” organizers said.
The selected teams will start the workshops in April in Ponce.
