prtec newsletter dec 2011

 PRTEC ANNIVERSARY
CELEBRATION ………………….1
IS S U E 7
V O LU M E 2
D i c 2 0 11
 US Department of Commerce,
Economic Development Administration Awards Funds to
PRTEC …………………….2
Medical Cluster ………..…....3
PRTEC in
focus
BUILDI NG T HE ULTI MAT E BUSI NESS PARADISE.
WWW.PRTECONLINE.COM
PRTEC 10th Year Anniversary Celebration
On September 15, 2011, PRTEC celebrated with its partners and
collaborators, its tenth anniversary as an organization at the Mayagüez Resort
& Casino. To honor the organization model of integrating three sectors
(Private Sector, Academia, and Government), PRTEC invited a representative
of each as guest speakers. Lucy Crespo, HP General Manager, Dr. Jorge
Rivera Santos, UPRM Chancellor, and Salvatore Casale, Executive Manager
from PRIDCO, talked about their own particular views of the organization
and how their institutions have contributed to PRTEC during the past ten
years. Economist Gustavo Vélez presented the results of a study commissioned by PRTEC about the impact of the organization during those ten years.
According to Vélez, the main achievements were; the development of the first
regional model of collaborative economic development; the establishment of
Vitec2; the first high-tech business incubator in the island, the creation of the
first organized industrial clusters (Computer &Information Technology and
Medical Devices); and facilitating the creation of an aerospace industry in the
western region of Puerto Rico. Nelson Perea, PRTEC’s Executive Director,
presented the organization’s outlook for the next ten years. Over 120 special
guests were present at the celebration.
Sponsored startups continue to dominate Enterprize Competition
The winner of the 2011 edition of the Enterprize Business Plan Competition was Cutting Edge Superconductors
(CES). CES was founded by Dr. Yong- Jing Kim, a Physics professor at UPR at Mayagüez. CES plans to develop prototypes to its patented superconducting MgB2 wire which it claims has a higher current-carrying capacity than other available wires. Dr. Kim is the first prospect and early success story of PRTEC’s Innovación Colegial initiative. Cutting Edge
became the third, first prize winner of Enterprize to come out of PRTEC’s Innovation Ecosystem and to join Vitec2 ten- Dr. Yong- Jing Kim, founder of
Cutting Edge Superconductors won
ants. Other PRTEC sponsored projects that have won includes a second prize winner and three, third prize winners.
the latest edition of the Enterprize
Business Plan Competition
The US Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration Awards
Funds to PRTEC to Support Innovation and Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
With the goal of enhancing the regional com-
Also, this project aims to take ad-
petitiveness of the Western Region of Puerto Rico, The
vantage of the strategic assets in our region
Puerto Rico Technoeconomic Corridor, Inc. (PRTEC)
to stimulate the global competitiveness of
was awarded a $379,301 grant from the Economic
businesses operating in western Puerto Rico.
Development Administration (EDA) for the program:
Through
Strengthening the Entrepreneurial & Innovation
workshops,
seminars,
elevator pitch competitions, networking/
Ecosystem in Western Puerto Rico.
matchmaking events, technical assistance
This is a two-year (24 months) project that
and mentoring, and incubation services, the
looks to build on other efforts funded by EDA in the
project will support new entrepreneurial
region such as REDIS 2014, a strategic regional plan,
activity at public & private university cam-
The Guanajibo Research & Innovation Park (GRIP)
The program will be headed by Jaime R. Morales
puses in the region as well as growth and
Master Plan, and the Bioprocess Development & Train- who recently joined the PRTEC team. Mr. Morales expansions of existing businesses in three
ing Center (BDTC), a state of the art research and train-
has over fifteen years of experience in local and
regional innovation clusters (medical devices,
ing facility to support the Biosciences industry in the
regional economic development, most recently at
renewable energy, and aerospace/information
island.
the City of Caguas and INTECO.
technology).
hosts International Innovation Guru’s productive visit to
Puerto Rico
In early November 2011 PRTEC hosted various key activities with
an insightful exchange with a group of researchers whose intellec-
policy makers, business executives, and researchers whose intellectual prop-
tual property has commercialization possibilities. This was
erty has commercialization possibilities. The activities featured Eng. Roger
followed by intensive on-on-one mentoring sessions regarding the
La Salle, a widely sought after international speaker on innovation, opportu-
particular merits and opportunities for commercialization resulting
nity and business development and creator of the Matrix Thinking technique
from their research and intellectual property.
that is now used in more than 26 countries and licensed to one of the world’s
searches was physics Dr. Young-Jim Kim who one month latter
largest consulting firms. The first activity was held at PRIDCO’s headquar-
was enjoying the results of the PRTEC assistance, including the
ters’ with key staff of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology & Research
opportunity to meet one-on-one with Eng. La Salle, as he
Trust where Eng. La Salle, who is also a Director and Former CEO of the
was awarded the first
Innovation Centre of Victoria Australia (INNOVIC), commented on the
prize on the Enterprize
plans the Trust has to incentivize Research and Development. For key executives of the Medical Devices Cluster Eng. La Salle presented how the
Matrix Thinking technique he created can help benchmark the innovation
capability of their operations and in finding breakthrough opportunities.
One of the re
Business Plan Competition.
PRTEC looks forward to continue fostering the initiatives it
Eng. La Salle’s, who holds the "Chair of Innovation" at “The
Queens University" in Belfast, utilized his insights from being responsible
for a number of successful technology start-ups when he met with a group of
researchers from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez. He provided
undertakes on behalf the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Puerto
Rico with world class resources
like Eng. Roger La Salle.
PRTEC’s
Executive Board
President
Norma Mejía
Vice-President
Julio Cajigas
Treasurer
Abdón Ruiz
Secretary
Ana E. Cuebas
ment Company (PRIDCO), who spoke about the process to apply for
PRMA Representative
Victor Balaguer
those credits. The seminar also featured Ángel Enriquez from Ed-
SWIA Representative
Jorge Cabrera
CCOPR Representative
Virgen Aponte
PRIDCO Representative
Salvatore Casale
On July 7th, the Product/Process Development Committee
of the Medical Devices Cluster held the seminar titled “Research &
Development Credits Program of Act 173”. Guest speakers included Dr. James and Victor Merced from the Puerto Rico Develop-
wards Lifesciences and Felipe Méndez from Bard, who shared their
experiences with the tax credit program to support their R&D activities. Over 20 representatives from 11 medical device companies participated in the activity.
Interphex Puerto Rico 2011 took place during the month of
October at the Puerto Rico Convention Center. As in previous years,
PRTEC and the Medical Devices Cluster actively participated in the
event. The MD Cluster celebrated its annual General Manager’s
Mayagüez:
Hon. José Guillermo Rodríguez
breakfast meeting as part of the activities. In the meeting, three local
medical device startups (Sonar Sensing Technologies, Brainvent, and
Care Solutions Corp.) made presentations to cluster members about
Hormigueros:
Hon. Pedro García
Mayors
their products and potential market. A mentorship program was estabMoca:
Hon. Enrique Aviles
lished partnering the three startups executives with cluster companies
GM’s. After the meeting, the participants toured the exhibition floor
Dr. Jorge Rivera Santos
with representatives from Reed Exhibitions (Interphex organizers).
Academic
Dr. Elie Agiselas
Main Sponsors
Staff
Executive Director
Nelson Perea
Managing Director ViTEC
Héctor M. Carlo
Accounting Officer
Aurelis Cruz
Business Development
Rosa Uriarte
Specialist
Director Economic Development
Jaime R. Morales
Initiatives
Commercialization Specialist
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Gilberto Marquez
www.prteconline.com