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/ Wednesday, December 15, 2021
Global Startups Gain Traction in Puerto Rico
33 startups presented their businesses at Parallel18 event
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Zoe Landi Fontana, The Weekly Journal
ith only four minutes to pitch, 33 startups hopped to the stage presenting novel ways to improve life and business. The venue, Parallel18, is part of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust that gives support to global startups, while positioning Puerto Rico as a hub for innovative business and technology. Participating entrepreneurs gain access to training, funding, and networking opportunities.
At the intersection of science, business, and government
A business using science to predict the future and prepare against catastrophes, the aptly named TerraFirma, provides solid ground in the form of informed scientific predictions, for individuals, businesses, and government. “Act instead of react,” said Fabiola Guzmán, founder of the company, regarding TerraFirma’s goals for Puerto Rico. The company has compiled information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data sets since 1944 and soil sets from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to create algorithms that visualize potential weather patterns on the island. TerraFirma’s founders were born and raised in Puerto Rico and understand how climate change will disproportionately affect the island. They recently received funding for another
business accelerator program, winning the first prize of $135k. TerraFirma software is working to establish connections to the government –FEMA, in particular– to provide crucial research necessary to make informed decisions in allocating disaster relief funds. The team is currently looking to scale their software development team.
Perfecting global business
How do you connect with a team that isn’t centralized? Managing an international team or remote workers is a demanding task. The following startups provide solutions to ensure consistent productivity and improve workplace health from anywhere.
Zen
participants accumulate points for not using their mobile device during work, and gives them a shot at winning a prize –money, a TV, etc.– chosen by the employer. PRYZE isn’t a gimmick or trend - it’s a way to bridge the gap between employees and employer, showing that both value their work. Fewer distractions results in increased revenue, lower costs, and increased employee retention. Co-founder Natalia Micheletti, a University of Puerto Rico alum, recently moved back to the island. Regarding the Puerto Rican market, Natalia says it’s “a small, tight-knit community... a place to make a good impact.”
Everyday life made easier
A number of businesses at the event were aimed at making everyday life simpler. From Zen team is an example of the very businesses finding caretakers for every need (Evocare), to it was made to serve –global companies that need grocery delivery in under an to connect through different time hour (Jetson), to technicians for zones and currencies, and deal home appliances and hard-towith the barriers of remote work. find parts (Piezas Rush), and even Founder Niraj Kumar commented for natural pet products (Pawls), that Zen Team “...connects Puerto there is a startup developing Rico to the rest of the world in a Parallel18 is to make mundane tasks less very easy way.” The company is part of the Puerto bothersome. based out of Puerto Rico while its Rico Science, And, protecting it all, is co-founder is located in Ukraine. Technology, and Privacywall - a search engine that Zen team manages contracts Research Trust that blocks unwanted data collection and payments, automates gives support to that, usually, we aren’t aware is operations, and completes HR global startups. even happening. Their mission is tasks, like evaluating employee to “...put consumers, businesses, satisfaction, all on one digital and governments back in control platform. “It’s easier than ever to of their data privacy and protect have a team scattered across the their most sensitive data.” globe with Zen team,” the website states. Founders, brothers and Stanford University engineers, Jonathan and Christopher Wu moved PRYZE to Puerto Rico in 2014 after a conversation with An essential part of maintaining a healthy the Secretary For Economic Development and workplace is minimizing distractions. PRYZE gets Commerce who saw the potential in their company employees off their phones, and back to work. By and the opportunity provided by Act 20. installing the PRYZE program onto their phones,
In fact,
