PUERTORRICAN COMPANY AMASAR RECEIVES THE ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT AWARD DURING PRE18 DEMODAY
Sirena Patterns were also awarded in the Women in Tech category; Huerto Rico in the Community Impact category; Lattuga Organics in the Environmentally Friendly category; and companies Watric And Outcome Project received special mentions.
San Juan, Puerto Rico. September 20TH, 2019 – Parallel18 (P18), the global business accelerator operating since 2015, carried out the pre18 second generation DemoDay where more than 30 local companies presented their products and services. During the event, six companies received awards in different categories.
Amasar won the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award sponsored by the Business Council of Latin America (BCLA). This award recognizes a company that represents resilience, innovation and impact. Amasar is a company dedicated to the production of flour of the bread fruit through dehydration, with high levels of fiber and gluten free.
In the Women in Tech category, the award was won by Sirena Patterns. This category was sponsored by Pilot 151 and Codetrotters. This company aims to encourage women’s participation in the technology industry. Sirena Patterns is an internet platform founded by fashion designer Tommie Hernandez that teaches people around the world how to sew on stretch fabrics. It provides its platform users with online courses and sewing patterns.
The company Huerto Rico received the Community Impact award, which highlights companies that care for social challenges. This award was sponsored by co.co.haus. Huerto Rico is dedicated to growing different ingredients for chefs who want to make a change. They currently specialize in mushroom cultivation on the Island. Also sponsored by co.co.haus, the Environmentally Friendly Award was awarded to Lattuga Organics for being a project focused on the use of sustainable ingredients. Lattuga Organics is dedicated to the production of organic products for the skin.
This second generation of pre18 comes under the motto “Puestos Pa’l Negocio”, which alludes to the Puerto Rican entrepreneurs willing and determined to develop the innovative component of their projects to be able to export them from the Island. The initiative arises to support and retain emerging entrepreneurs in Puerto Rico and is led by the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust (PRSTRT).
“This edition is a very special one commemorating the Second Anniversary of Hurricane Maria. Looking back, after the catastrophe, I meditated on our companies, all the work we had accomplished and whether we could recover. Today, two years later, I recognize, with great emotion, that we did succeed; and that everything was possible thanks to our people, their commitment and their talent.”, said Sebastián Vidal, Executive Director of parallel18. “These challenges have only made parallel18’s commitment even stronger in order to find, impulse and lead more start-ups to success; this is how we truly rebuild Puerto Rico.”
“The innovation and creativity of these young companies drives us to continue to strengthen an infrastructure that accelerates its path to their business goals. That’s our commitment, to cater to the needs of startups to contribute significantly to economic growth,” said Lucy Crespo, CEO of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust.
The companies that presented were: Island Bound, AssetShelf, PickUp Waste, Huerto Rico, Prento Farms, Tais , Affibox , FreshH2O Solutions, Watric Energy Resources, BeanWards, Papio, Beauty911, Lattuga Organics, Sirena Patterns, Amasar, Cabezoodos , LICKco , LabbGo , INSU , Sharp Focus VR , Fitverz , My Healthy WOE, CryptXLABS, FitWallet, Abexus, My DPO, Outcome Project, ALQMY, Synchrolog, Raincoat, and PinLatino.
Prior to DemoDay, all these companies received 12-week training and a $20,000 grant for their projects.
###
About parallel18 and Puerto Rico’s Science, Technology and Research Trust
Parallel18 is an economic development initiative that seeks to attract and develop high-impact innovative companies that can scale to global communities. The mission of the program, operated by the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust, is to expand, in the short term, the horizons of Puerto Rican and international entrepreneurs, and generate long-term economic activity. For more information, visit: www.parallel18.com.
The Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust, as described in Public Law 214, is a non-profit organization created in 2004 to boost participation and job creation in the global knowledge economy by promoting investment and financing of science and technology research and development. By investing in the research and commercialization of technology, the Trust serves as a catalyst for job creation and retention of highly qualified Puerto Rico residents. It is also responsible for Puerto Rico’s public policy for science, technology, research and development. For more information:www.prsciencetrust.org.