The National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce was honored to join our friends at Parallel 18 earlier this month for their annual Demo Day and Venture Summit in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Demo Day was an amazing event highlighting 19 International startups attending the Gen11 cohort, with startups and founders from as far as Azerbaijan to Argentina. The NPRCC sponsored the Give Back Award, which is based on contributions to the local ecosystem.

The $1,000 Give Back Award winner was Nina Rodriguez-Quirós founder of Buzzzy, which is an amazing platform that matches clients needing creative design work with fractional creatives to improve the business flow and interactions between freelance creatives and clients! Nina donated many hours of design work, consulting, and was a valuable pillar of support for her cohort!

At the Venture Summit, we evaluated and recognized 3 startups for their exceptional pitches. These businesses were a combination of previous Parallell 18 cohorts who are currently seeking funding and increased visibility in the venture and investment sector. The voting results were incredibly tight, but the winners were as follows:

• 1st Place ($1000.00) - GyftGram, a Puerto Rico-based startup, redefining contactless payment processing via blockchain technology. Transforming digital gift cards into powerful promotional tools that build restaurant brands.

• 2nd Place ($500.00) - STREAM Technologies, a Puerto Rican-based startup that is the first accredited technology education center offering courses in robotics, and video game development with virtual reality to gifted and special education students.

• 3rd Place ($250.00) - NUME , an Argentina-based startup that is a full-life health platform for women that looks at all aspects of physical, mental, and financial health of women globally. They’re currently operating in Argentina, Spain, and soon Puerto Rico.

Along with the award, all of the businesses mentioned above will receive a free year of NPRCC Small Business Membership (valued at $250.00). Thank you again to Parallel 18, and everyone else that made this year’s Demo Day and Venture Summit a resounding success!

The National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce is excited to introduce Coral Cotto Negron as the newest member of our Puerto Rico Advisory Board. She will be a valuable piece in furthering our mission of supporting small businesses in the US and Puerto Rico.

Coral is an experienced product leader with a track record for supporting diverse organizations building successful products. Her focus extends from empowering Puerto Ricans both locally and in the diaspora, to contributing to the tech industry and workforce development in Puerto Rico. #GrowPR

Step into this past year's journey with our Louisville Chapter Year in Review. Explore the milestones, collaborations, and growth that define the community's economic landscape.

From successful business endeavors, and impactful community initiatives, to our 1st Annual Award Ceremony. This overview captures the essence of a year filled with achievement and unity.

The National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce joined our friends at the American Latino Veterans Association (ALVA) Career Expo which helps veterans transitioning into the civilian workforce by connecting them to opportunities in high-growth sectors.

Dr. Justin Velez-Hagan, NPRCC Founder, and U.S. Air Force Veteran moderated one of the many discussion panels.

Comment from our friends at T-Mobile - The National Spectrum Strategy is a critical step in the right direction.

On November 13, 2023, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) released its National Spectrum Strategy (Strategy)—a "high-level blueprint" articulating the Biden-Harris Administration’s national objectives for spectrum policy. The Strategy is a culmination of NTIA's efforts to collect public input and collaborate with the FCC on ways to support U.S. leadership in wireless technologies and services through improved spectrum management and access. The Strategy, which focuses on ensuring federal spectrum coordination, identifies more than 2,700 megahertz of spectrum for further study for potential repurposing. It also sets up a process for releasing additional spectrum, developing new spectrum management techniques, and preventing interference.

Under the terms outlined in the Strategy, NTIA, in collaboration with the FCC and other federal agencies, is directed to create an Implementation Plan within four months that establishes specific outcomes associated with the plan's four pillars:

• Spectrum Pipeline: Calls for in-depth, near-term study of 2,786 megahertz of spectrum for potential repurposing in the following bands: 3.1-3.45 GHz, 5.030-5.091 GHz, 7.125-8.4 GHz, 18.1-18.6 GHz, and 37.0-37.6 GHz. The studies are to be completed within two years.
   

• Long-term Plan: Establishes a coordinated, collaborative framework for long-term spectrum planning and evidence-based, trustworthy methodology for spectrum allocation decisions. 
   

• Spectrum Innovation and Management: Establishes a national spectrum testbed and a National Research and Development (R&D) Plan to advance innovation; launches a “moonshot” effort in the development of spectrum management and dynamic sharing technologies, including the use of artificial intelligence.
   

• Expanded Spectrum Expertise: Announces a National Spectrum Workforce plan and the prioritization of federal agency and public education about the role of spectrum. As an initial step, academic institutions, federal agencies, Tribal Nations, and private entities are invited to identify the needed education and training programs to equip the workforce for spectrum-related demands.

In a Presidential Memorandum that was released concurrently to the Strategy, the Administration reaffirms the joint management of spectrum resources by NTIA and the FCC, establishes a Spectrum Advisory Council as the principal interagency forum for senior agency leaders to advise NTIA on spectrum policy, and creates a White House-led dispute resolution process.

T-Mobile believes that these recent developments in furtherance of a National Spectrum Strategy brings us a critical step closer to filling an empty spectrum pipeline. This move is imperative for the U.S. to retain leadership and continue meeting growing consumer and business needs for broadband, and rightfully affirms NTIA’s leadership in spectrum management and the study of bands to free spectrum. We also believe it is critical that this effort includes making spectrum available for exclusive licensed service. T-Mobile thanks the Biden Administration for its leadership and has called on Congress and the FCC to do their parts to enable the rapid deployment of vital existing spectrum resources, including the re-authorization by Congress of the FCC’s ability to conduct spectrum auctions.

Join our friends at The National Conference of Puerto Rican Women in Philadelphia for their 2023 National Summit. Hear from an incredible panel of Latina leaders who will be discussing opportunities in tech community and culture. The event will also feature a demo to highlight The Lighthouse non-profit. Following the panel discussions and demo, there will be a networking reception. Use the link below to learn more and register.