Meet our new Executive Director focused on underrepresented entrepreneurs

Since parallel18 began, Sebastián Vidal, our past executive director, has dedicated himself to designing a Puerto Rican accelerator focused on serving local entrepreneurs and the rest of the world.

In 2015, the year that parallel18 was founded by the Puerto Rico Scienc, Technology & Research Trust (PRSTRT), the island faced the need to restructure its economic model and diversify industries through entrepreneurship. At that time, Sebastián embarked on the challenge of creating a Puerto Rican accelerator with a model similar to Startup Chile, where he collaborated before establishing in the island. Now, he transitioned to a new role and responsibility as Chief Innovation Officer at the PRSTRT.

This is why our new executive director Juan Carlos Hernández Torres is added to the parellel18 team. “Juca”, as we affectionately call him, encourages Puerto Ricans to create innovative solutions as a manifestation of the resilience that defines us because: “Puerto Rico has infinite talent. I want them to stay here because there is a great opportunity to make the island a universal destination for other countries to want to innovate with us “.

Our new Executive Director Juan Carlos “Juca” Hernández Torres. (Photo: Samuel Betancourt)