Sacred Heart Univ. opens ‘La Cepa’ call for creative businesses
Universidad del Sagrado Corazón (Sacred Heart University), known as Sagrado, has opened applications for “La Cepa: Business Growth Program for Creative Industries,” an initiative of the School of Arts, Design and Creative Industries to strengthen Puerto Rico’s creative business ecosystem.
The program seeks to help established creative companies expand their operations through technical training, mentorship and access to seed funding.
“Sagrado is deeply committed to strengthening creative entrepreneurship in Puerto Rico. To achieve this, we must make direct investments and analyze the growth opportunities of our companies,” said Javier J. Hernández-Acosta, dean of the School of Arts, Design and Creative Industries. “This initiative allows us to put our experience to work for the benefit of the business ecosystem.”
The program will provide technical assistance to 20 creative companies from across the island, which will participate in workshops focused on finance, marketing and business management. After the training phase, up to eight of the participating businesses will be selected to receive as much as $10,000 in seed capital, along with personalized mentorship to implement their growth strategies.
Eligible applicants include legally registered creative businesses in Puerto Rico with at least three consecutive years of operation and minimum annual revenue of $25,000. The program is open to a wide range of industries such as visual arts, design, music, digital media, cultural heritage, performing arts and creative services.
La Cepa’s three-phase structure includes a business training stage, a Demo Day before a multisector jury and an implementation phase in which selected companies will receive mentorship and funding.
The initiative is supported by Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, which provided funding to make the program possible. Applications will be accepted online through Nov. 14.
