Guayacán marks 21st anniv. with 1st crowdfunding effort
Editor’s Note: Due to the imminent strike by Hurricane María, GGI has postponed the deadline for its crowdfunding activity until further notice.
Grupo Guayacán, Inc. (GGI) announced the launch of its first-ever crowdfunding campaign, the “Guayacán Giving Day,” which concludes Sept. 21st. The campaign’s goal is to raise $21,000 for the Guayacán Endowment Fund launched last year as part of the organization’s 20th anniversary celebration.
This year, GGI, whose mission is to promote entrepreneurship and risk capital as drivers of social and economic development for Puerto Rico, celebrates 21 years of solid track record and impact for the island’s entrepreneurs.
Even in these challenging times, GGI continues its work to develop a new generation of local entrepreneurs, by offering access to education, mentorship and capital to take their companies to the next level.
The “Giving Day” campaign slogan, “21 Reasons for Giving,” references the organization’s 21 year history as well as the 21 success stories of Guayacán alumni highlighted through short videos published on GGI’s social media platforms.
The campaign features entrepreneurs who have participated in GGI’s cornerstone programs, including: I-Corps Puerto Rico, IDEA Seed Fund, EnterPRize, Guayacán Venture Accelerator, and the Guayacán Fellowships Program. Featured stories include: Antonio Sécola from AlChavo.com, Jorge Ruiz and Melvin Acosta from TransCita, Paula and Víctor Rivera from Atención Atención, Ramón Ortiz and Jennifer Serrano from Señor Paleta, Máximo Torres from Máximo Solar and Wanda Otero from Quesos Vaca Negra, among others.
“At Guayacán, we are proud to celebrate these 21 years of impact for Puerto Rico,” said Laura Cantero, GGI’s Executive Director.
“Through the Guayacán Endowment Fund, our donors are able to contribute directly to building a better future for our country by developing a new generation of entrepreneurs,” she said. “We invite everyone to join us for the ‘Guayacán Giving Day,’ making a difference through a contribution for Guayacán and for Puerto Rico,”
The campaign’s proceeds will benefit the Guayacán Endowment Fund, which provides recurring revenues and long term sustainability for GGI’s portfolio of entrepreneurial development programs.
The fund, which is established as a perpetual trust, was established in 2016 thanks to the support of 24 organizations and individuals that joined as Founding Partners. To date, GGI has raised more than $1.7 million for the endowment, a number that continues to grow through an intensive fundraising campaign with a 5-year $5 million goal.
The endowment allows contributors the opportunity to directly support sustainable economic development for Puerto Rico by furthering GGI’s mission of strengthening the local entrepreneurial and risk capital ecosystem. The Fund’s main sponsors include Banco Popular, Liberty, Ferraiuoli LLC, Church’s, Rebexa Group, and SOL Partners.
The “Giving Day” campaign marks GGI’s first effort at procuring small donations from the different members of the entrepreneurial ecosystem and other collaborators to continue building the Endowment Fund.
To learn more about this initiative, please visit: www.guayacan.org/givingday. Those interested in supporting the campaign can make their donation by Thursday at 7 p.m. at: www.guayacan.org/give.