About

The Team

Fase1 is led by a women’s group experienced in entrepreneurship and with the ability to contribute positively to those who participate in the program.

Bárbara Rivera Chinea (she)

The executive director of Fase1 worked for more than 15 years at the Puerto Rico Department of Economic Development and Commerce, where she supported small businesses as a Federal Contracting consultant and Acting Manager of the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (aka FeCC). Bárbara also worked in the establishment of the Puerto Rico IT Cluster and has led agricultural development projects such as Recuperación Agrícola and Re-Grow Puerto Rico. For her, entrepreneurs are “los bravos de la película” so she is excited about working with them since the beginning of their initiatives. In her free time, Barbara enjoys dining out with friends, cooking, reading, and going to the beach with lots of sunscreen.

A quote she likes:
“Do what you love, and love what you do.”

Bianca Marina Corujo (she)

Bianca, our Operations Manager and former Startup Executive began her career in the entrepreneurial ecosystem working for two startups to which she was able to contribute her experience and education in business and digital business and innovation. One of the things that most motivates her to be a part of the Fase1 team is encouraging people to believe in their ideas and develop an innovative mindset to make them a reality. To disconnect and maintain balance, Bianca enjoys the beach and spending time with her friends.

A quote she likes:
“¡Lánzate! Los ‘no’ son gratis.”

Mariela Maldonado Martínez (she)

Mariela is one of our Startups Executives and is an entrepreneur herself. She is always looking to innovate and believes in the potential that Fase1 has to develop and promote those who seek entrepreneurship and come out with a validated and solid idea at the time of launching into the market. In her role, she hopes to create a relationship of mutual learning between herself and those participating in the program. In her spare time, Mariela enjoys spending time with her family, exercising, and traveling.

A quote she likes:
“Vamos por más.”

Amanda Laguerra (she)

Amanda began her journey in the entrepreneurial ecosystem as a market and social media researcher. In this role, she had the opportunity to mentor and provide workshops to teams with innovative projects. As a Fase1 Startup Executive, she hopes to serve as a resource and motivator for all who need her during their entrepreneurial journey. In her free time, this inveterate creative likes to paint her nails depending on her mood, do yoga, and read.

A quote she likes:
“Haz lo que puedas, con lo que tienes, eso será suficiente.”