Grupo Guayacán

CommitTed to Moving

Puerto Rico Forward

We pioneered entrepreneurship

development programs in Puerto Rico

Grupo Guayacán was founded in 1996 as a private-sector driven nonprofit organization. Our unique model combines private equity investment with several programs aimed at developing, strengthening and advancing Puerto Rico’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

strong entrepreneurial ecosystem = strong economy

We’re committed to the education and development of entrepreneurs. The tools, resources and opportunities we provide enhance their skills at various stages of their entrepreneurial journey and improve their probability of success.

We bet on calculated risk takers

Our mission

Grupo Guayacán offers a portfolio of global programs that provide educational and business resources to help entrepreneurs build their ventures and generate socioeconomic impact for Puerto Rico.

Our vision

We envision a Puerto Rico with a sustainable economy where entrepreneurs can grow businesses that contribute to a thriving and vibrant community.

Organizational Values

Community
Empathy
Unity
Integrity
Resiliency

Trust
Inclusion
Passion
Commitment

TEAM

LAURA CANTERO

Executive Director

ALEJANDRO GOICOECHEA

Operations & Fund Administration Director

KATERINA SÁNCHEZ

Program Director

NATALIA ARIAS

ENGAGEMENT AND Program Manager

FABIOLA COLÓN

Communications & Development Manager

Claudia Guerrero

Communications Associate

Patricia Ramirez

PATRICIA RAMIREZ

I-CORPS AND SCALE UP PROGRAM MANAGER

Natalia Galindo

natalia galindo

accounting

JORGE MERCADO

PROGRAM ASSOCIATE ENTERPRIZE

Gabriela Miranda

Operations Associate

Gabriela Delgado-Fernandini

ENTERPRIZE PROGRAM MANAGER

LAURA CANTERO

Executive Director

ALEJANDRO GOICOECHEA

OPERATIONS & FUND ADMINISTRATION DIRECTOR

KATERINA SÁNCHEZ

Program Director

NATALIA ARIAS

ENGAGEMENT AND PROGRAM MANAGER

FABIOLA COLÓN

COMMUNICATIONS & DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Claudia Guerrero

Communications Associate

Patricia Ramirez

Patricia Ramirez

I-CORPS AND SCALE UP PROGRAM MANAGER

Natalia Galindo
Natalia Galindo

Accounting

Jorge Mercado

PROGRAM ASSOCIATE ENTERPRIZE

Gabriela Miranda

Operations Associate

Gabriela delgado-Fernandini

ENTERPRIZE PROGRAM MANAGER

Board of Directors

ÁNGEL PÉREZ

Chairman

Francisco Uriarte

Director Emeritus

natalie Adsuar

Director

GABRIELA  ÁLVAREZ

Director

EUGENIO J. TORRES

DIRECTOR

maricarmen toro

Director

SAMUEL CÉSPEDES

DIRECTOR

humberto mercader

Department of Economic Development & Commerce – Director (Ex-Officio)

Ángel Pérez

Chairman

Francisco Uriarte

Director Emeritus

Natalie Adsuar

Director

GABRIELA  ÁLVAREZ

Director

Eugenio J. Torres

DIRECTOR

maricarmen toro

Director

SAMUEL CÉSPEDES

DIRECTOR

Humberto Mercader

Department of Economic Development & Commerce – Director (Ex-Officio)

Advisory BOARD

LAURA CANTERO

Executive Director and Chairperson 
Grupo Guayacán

BEATRIZ POLHAMUS

Enrique Adsuar Founding Partner 
Banco Popular

JORGE NAZARIO

Founding Partner 
CEGSoft

EUGENIO TORRES

Founding Partner
 Ferraiuoli LLC

RICARDO FERNÁNDEZ

Representative to the Endowment Fund Board of Trustees
PR Farm Credit

NAJI KHOURY

Founding Partner
 Liberty

CHRISTIAN FORMBY

Founding Partner 
Assurant

ANTONIO CASELLAS

Founding Partner
 HUB International CLC

LIANA O’DROBINAK

Enrique Adsuar Founding Partner
MCS

FRANCISCO PERICÁS

Enrique Adsuar Founding Partner 
Banco Popular

JORGE LÓPEZ

Founding Partner
 Fuller Group

CHRISTIAN GONZÁLEZ

Founding Partner 
Wovenware

MOVING

PUERTO RICO

FORWARD

Copyright 2024 © All rights Reserved.

LAURA CANTERO

Executive Director

Laura Cantero is Executive Director of Grupo Guayacán, Inc. Prior to joining Guayacán, Laura was Program Director at Foundation for Puerto Rico, and worked as Manager at the Latin America Financial Services (LAFSA) practice for Ernst & Young in Panama.She has over fifteen years of experience in the financial services industry (banking and insurance), specifically in the implementation and delivery of organizational effectiveness and corporate change initiatives focused on improving company performance. Laura holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from IE Business School in Madrid.

ALEJANDRO GOICOECHEA

OPERATIONS & FUND ADMINISTRATION DIRECTOR

Alejandro M. Goicoechea is the Operations & Fund Administrarion Director for Grupo Guayacán, Inc. Prior to joining Guayacán, he was an Associate Attorney for H&S Law Offices, P.S.C., specializing in corporate-civil affairs, and the Office Manager for MGA Consultants Inc. Alejandro holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Accounting from the University of Tampa’s John H. Sykes College of Business, as well as a Juris Doctor / MBA from Stetson College of Law. He is a licensed attorney of the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico and for the State of Florida.

KATERINA SÁNCHEZ

Program director 

Katerina is the Program Director for Grupo Guayacán, supporting entrepreneurial development programs for companies at different stages of growth. In addition, Katerina also forms part of the I-Corps Puerto Rico local Teaching Team and trained as a Teaching Assistant by the National Science Foundation in San Francisco in March 2017. Before joining Guayacán, Katerina worked as Manager for local entrepreneur Una de Beatriz. Previously, Katerina held an internship at the Economic Development Bank of Puerto Rico, where she worked for the Treasurer as a Financial Analyst. She holds a BA in Politics and International Studies from Fairfield University in Connecticut.

NATALIA ARIAS

ENGAGEMENT AND PROGRAM MANAGER

Natalia Arias is the Engagement and Program Manager for Guayacán Venture Accelerator (GVA). Natalia has a bachelor’s degree in Communication from Universidad Sagrado Corazón in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In 2008, she moved to Miami and completed a master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications at Florida International University. For over six years, she worked for local and global public relations agencies with clients ranging from technology and consumer products, to the entertainment and lifestyle industries. Longing to make a greater impact in the community, Natalia made a transition from public relations to the sustainability sector. Most recently she worked with a Miami-based nonprofit organization educating people about climate change. After living abroad for 11 years, Natalia decided to move back home to Puerto Rico and contribute her knowledge and experiences for the benefit of the island. Working with Grupo Guayacán has proved to be a fulfilling experience allowing her to support Puerto Rican entrepreneurs develop and execute growth plans for their companies.

FABIOLA COLÓN


Communications and Development Manager

Fabiola Colón is the Communications and Development Manager for Grupo Guayacán, Inc., assisting in the planning, design and execution of fundraising and development initiatives, campaigns and activities. Before this, she was Grupo Guayacán’s Communications Associate. Prior to joining Guayacán, Fabiola worked in the Web Content, Marketing and Communications Department of Banco Inversis in Madrid and as a Junior Account Executive for Buena Vibra Group in Puerto Rico. Fabiola holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a major in Marketing from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus and a master’s degree in Online Marketing and E-Commerce from EAE Business School in Madrid.

Claudia Guerrero

Communications Associate

Claudia graduated from The University of Tampa in 2019 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and a Minor in Journalism. She’s had internships in journalism and digital marketing including The Tampa Bay Times and in El Vocero, where she was later offered a position. Simultaneously she worked as a Communications Coordinator for the Puerto Rico Builders Association. Throughout her college career she worked as a Student Coordinator for a student professionalism program. She is currently getting her Masters Degree in Digital Narratives from the Sacred Heart University in Santurce.
Patricia Ramirez
PATRICIA RAMIREZ

I-CORPS AND SCALE UP PROGRAM MANAGER

Patricia Ramírez Gelpí is program manager for I-Corps Puerto Rico and Scale Up. Patricia has a Bachelor’s degree from Saint Louis University and a Certificate in Museum Studies and Art Restoration from the Universitá Internazionalé del’Arte fin Florence, Italy. She obtained her law degree at the Pontificia Universidad Católica in Puerto Rico and a Masters in Law on Intellectual Property at the George Washington University Law School in Washington D.C. She began her professional career in the legal department of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and later with nonprofit institutions of higher education, always with a focus on intellectual property. She has been part of the I-Corps Puerto Rico local Teaching Team since 2018.

Natalia Galindo

NATALIA GALINDO

ACCOUNTING

Natalia V Galindo has been part of Grupo Guayacán’s outsourcing team for over eight years. She has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Accounting, from Universidad del Sagrado Corazón, San Juan, Puerto Rico. She has worked in public accounting and management consulting for over twenty years, assisting clients in non-profit, construction, real estate and other industries. She commenced her career in Arthur Andersen & Co., where she worked in both audit and tax departments. She also held various controllership positions in the real estate development industry until she started her own consulting business. Natalia has also a master’s degree in arts, Creative Writing, from Universidad del Sagrado Corazón.

Jorge Mercado

Program Associate EnterPRize

Jorge has a BA in Political Science from the University of Puerto Rico’s Río Piedras campus. In 2022, he completed a Master’s degree in Democracy and Government at the Autonomous University of Madrid, specializing in public policy analysis and public administration. Prior to joining Guayacán, he worked in various positions within the Democratic National Committee, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and the Local Law and Government Institute of Madrid. As a Program Associate for Grupo Guayacán, he assists the EnterPRize Business Competition Manager in executing the program.

Gabriela Miranda

Operations Associate

Gabriela Miranda is currently working towards her bachelor’s degree (BA) in Art History with a Humanities Concentration from University of Puerto Rico. She has worked in various industries including public relations agencies, customer service, legal, banking, and more. 

Gabriela Delgado-Fernandini

ENTERPRIZE PROGRAM MANAGER

Gabriela has a BA in Foreign Languages and a minor in Sociology from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras campus and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Public Image, Event Management and Protocol. She has worked with ostracized and underrepresented communities in Puerto Rico since 2017, providing assistance in recuperation efforts after Hurricane Maria. Her academic research: “Who Gave You the Right?: Exploring Power and Politics in Journalism and Academic Work Chronicling Hurricane Maria” has been published in academic journals in Puerto Rico and Sweden. Initially, she began supporting EEI with Conectando tu Negocio al Exito and I-Corps Puerto Rico and as an PARACa Vista Fellow intern in 2022.