The Business and Economic Development Center (BEDC), attached to the RUM College of Business Administration, is a program established in 1986 with the purpose of promoting economic and business development throughout the island. It is the only “University Center” in the Caribbean sponsored by the Federal Economic Development Administration (EDA), which seeks to use resources for the long-term sustainability of companies. It has been providing services to entrepreneurs in Puerto Rico for 38 years.

UEDA AWARD 2023

We are proud to be awarded the prestigious 2023 University Economic Development Association (UEDA) Award for Excellence in Innovation. This recognition is a testament to our team’s tireless efforts and dedication to fostering innovation and economic development through education. By receiving this award, we reaffirm our commitment to continue being an engine of economic and social change in our community and beyond.

Learn more

Conectando al emprendedor con oportunidades

Mission

Promote the development of a business ecosystem that mobilizes the multidisciplinary human and technical resources present in the University of Puerto Rico system; in order to stimulate innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development.

Vision

Contribute to the economic development of Puerto Rico, while strengthening the Campus’s role as a leading institution in the area of higher education on the island and throughout the American hemisphere.

Services

Visit us at the Business Administration Building in the 202B office, on the Mayagüez University Campus. We are open Monday to Friday: 8:00 AM -11:45 AM & 1:00 PM – 4:30 PM. We offer free services in areas of:

Startups

Technical assistance.
Business Training (in person and online).
Referrals and support for incubation programs.
Mentoring for business skills.

Existing Businesses

Technical assistance.
Acquisition of traditional and non-traditional financing.
Development of business plans and marketing plans.
Innovation processes and technology transfer.

I&E Ecosystem

Support to the Innovation and Entrepreneurship ecosystem through:

Events and strategic collaborations with state agencies, municipal governments or community organizations to promote an ecosystem that supports entrepreneurship and innovation.
These events may include seminars, workshops, certifications, among others.