BDE to provide loans, credit lines, and technical guidance
Made in Puerto Rico (HEPR in Spanish) and the Economic Development Bank (BDE) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to expand access to financing options of up to $3 million for local companies and to strengthen business development initiatives across the island.
Under the agreement, the BDE will offer HEPR-referred companies direct loans, credit lines, and technical guidance throughout the application process. The partnership also includes joint educational programs, business training, and promotional activities to strengthen Puerto Rico’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Pedro Rosaly, president of Made in Puerto Rico, said the alliance is a critical tool for companies seeking to scale. “Access to capital is essential to the Island’s economic development, and this agreement allows us to bring resources and opportunities closer to the businesses that generate jobs and strengthen our economy,” Rosaly said.
BDE president Josué E. Rivera emphasized the need to expand financing and training opportunities to drive job creation, business expansion, and exports under the Hecho en Puerto Rico brand. “We are committed to creating, expanding, and strengthening Puerto Rican industries by offering technical assistance and financing options that help entrepreneurs invest in innovation and regenerate economic activity across all 78 municipalities,” Rivera said.
As part of the collaboration, HEPR and the BDE will coordinate business-education events across the Island, including sessions on access to capital, incentives, and permitting. The organizations will also host “Industry Days” to connect companies with potential vendors and contracting opportunities and to promote financing options and technical assistance available through both entities.
The partnership integrates HEPR into the BDE’s SSBCI Technical Assistance program, which is funded by a $3.9 million U.S. Treasury grant. Through this initiative, entrepreneurs receive free legal, accounting, and financial advisory services to strengthen their ability to secure loans or federal aid. HEPR will provide business plans, financial statement preparation, sales projections, and other support services.
The agreement was signed during “Conectando Contigo,” a monthly HEPR event at the organization’s HUB in Plaza Las Américas, where business owners and industry leaders gather to exchange ideas and explore growth opportunities. The event featured a panel moderated by Rivera, with entrepreneurs discussing how access to financing has accelerated their operations. Participants included Iván Marín Marrero of Econo Jayuya and Econo Yabucoa; Christian Castro Hernández, owner of Christian Cakery; and Rosaly, who also leads Islandwide.
Through this alliance, Made in Puerto Rico and the BDE reaffirm their commitment to strengthening the competitiveness of Puerto Rican products and services and to advancing the Island’s economic development.
