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Op-Ed: Celebrating a milestone for local entrepreneurship

Puerto Rico is celebrating a major milestone for entrepreneurship that has been 25 years in the making. It all started with our founder Enrique Adsuar-González’s vision of forging a local industry driven by private capital to promote economic growth for Puerto Rico. 

A quarter of a century later, Grupo Guayacán’s achievements are a testament of what can be accomplished when a committed group of individuals, corporations, and nonprofit organizations join forces to drive change and create opportunities for a better future. 

It is no coincidence that Grupo Guayacán takes its name from a tropical tree with deep roots that takes a long time to grow but blossoms every year out of its strong wooden core. Since 1996, Grupo Guayacán has put forth a strong value proposition for both local investors, through our fund of funds franchise, and local entrepreneurs by providing them with access to world-class relevant content through our portfolio of capacity building programs.

Our programs are focused on developing the entrepreneurial capabilities needed to create and strengthen local companies, connecting them with the necessary people and capital that will allow them to grow and have an impact on their communities. 

In a vast field of opportunities, at a very different time in history, we planted a seed that grew, has multiplied, and will harvest into economic opportunities for many.

We kick-off our 25th anniversary program with the 25 Days of Giving campaign, inviting the community at large to join our cause and support the entrepreneurs we serve. The faces of our very worthy cause are a selection of 25 of our beloved Guayacán alumni. 

Their success is our success, and it is a privilege to be able to share their story. With more than 2,000 participants and over 720 entrepreneurial teams, it’s impossible to tell their individual stories one by one, but hopefully the 25 Days of Giving campaign will allow you to meet the faces behind success stories, the reason behind we do what we do every day.

Author Laura Cantero is the executive director of Grupo Guayacán Inc.

Puerto Rico’s current context and challenges force us to ask ourselves what lies ahead for Guayacán. We are focused on ensuring we continue to provide value for our entrepreneurs, whose success is instrumental for Puerto Rico’s recovery and long-term growth. Our upcoming celebration also lays the groundwork and sets the tone for the work ahead. 

Guayacán’s future growth will require us to continue to strengthen our fund of funds franchise, to continue to build the Guayacán Endowment Fund to ensure the long-term sustainability of our programs, and that we to continue to foster long-term deep-rooted collaborations with corporate partners which will allow us to expand our footprint and increase our impact. 

We live and thrive in an ecosystem full of challenges. Puerto Rico’s economic, political, and social realities demand we work creatively, effectively, and ambitiously to support our entrepreneurs in creating paths for prosperity. 

As part of that process, we call on our community of investors, alumni, sponsors, instructors, mentors, coaches, and supporters to join our mission of transforming Puerto Rico into a thriving entrepreneurial hub. Our 25-year track-record and the success of our entrepreneurs is proof that we can achieve it…one person at a time.

Cuento con ustedes, ¡para sembrar la semilla del futuro!

Clink on this link to donate.

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This story was written by our staff based on a press release.
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