Life sciences incubator BioLeap opens call for 2nd cohort
The program opens applications for life sciences and STEM projects in fields such as biotechnology, AI-driven medical technologies and genomics.
BioLeap, the bioscience and STEM incubation program managed by parallel18, has opened applications for its second cohort. The program aims to help life sciences professionals and entrepreneurs scale their projects, with a focus on biotechnology, artificial intelligence-driven medical technologies, genomics and related sectors. Applications will be accepted until Dec. 13.
The 12-week program offers education and mentoring to teach participants the essentials of entrepreneurship and the business side of the life sciences industry. The curriculum is designed to bridge the gap between innovative local scientific research and its commercialization, while fostering the growth of a local, inclusive ecosystem.
Upon completing the program, participants will enter a 14-week technical assistance phase, where alumni will receive ongoing support in areas such as finance, operations, grant writing, marketing and communications. They will also benefit from assistance in research and development, corporate partnerships and access to capital.
BioLeap will offer participants access to educational resources, technical assistance and parallel18’s coworking space. The program provides a supportive environment where entrepreneurs can structure their businesses, develop prototypes and create patentable technologies for global commercialization.
“In addition of business education and support through parallel18, BioLeap participants receive access to collaborative connections and additional resources from various Puerto Rico Science, Technology & Research Trust subprograms, including the Technology Transfer Office, the Grants Program, [Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs], and Colmena66. These strategic alliances, together with the Trust’s other initiatives, foster synergies that advance the convergence of science, technology and innovative biotechnology solutions,” said Science Trust CEO Lucy Crespo.
Participants of the first cohort achieved significant milestones. These include delivering 49 business presentations to investors, submitting 11 grant proposals and raising $1.5 million in funding.
“During the six months of the program, we successfully raised a pre-seed round of $1 million for our company Cultimar Technologies. This was made possible thanks to the access we had to investors and mentors through BioLeap, parallel18 and the Science Trust. Without a doubt, the program put us in front of the right people at the right time, accelerating the growth of our company,” said David Miranda, CEO of Cultimar Technologies.
BioLeap is supported by the “Build to Scale” grant from the Economic Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce. This grant supports organizations that promote technological entrepreneurship and economic growth.
“In a field in which promising ideas often face a complex and lengthy journey from concept to market, BioLeap serves as a catalyst to streamline that process. BioLeap is not just an incubator; it is a driving force behind Puerto Rico’s emergence as a global hub for life sciences innovation,” said Héctor Jirau, executive director of parallel18.
The program connects participants to other parallel18 initiatives, including the pre-acceleration (pre18), acceleration (P18) and post-acceleration (Xpand) programs, providing a comprehensive pathway for growth and success.
“Our mission is to propel visionary projects from the lab to the marketplace, accelerating the transition from research to real-world solutions,” said Noé Crespo, associate director of BioLeap. “We’re here to empower researchers and entrepreneurs to elevate their groundbreaking technologies to the next level.”
