Moraima De Hoyos-Ruperto

Doctor Moraima De Hoyos-Ruperto is Professor at the School of Business Administration (BA) of the University of Puerto Rico in Mayagüez (UPRM). She obtained a doctoral degree on Management at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. De Hoyos-Ruperto is a faculty member, researcher and Principal Investigator (PI)- Director in the Business and Economic Development Center (BEDC) of the UPRM, and currently she is offering courses within the minor of Entrepreneurial Development that is offered by the UPRM-BA and MBA programs. She has been an Instructor Professor of various initiatives led by the P.R. Trade Office, and she also has been a private consultant for various enterprises for more than 20 years. She has participated in various research activities that include studies about the factors that are hindering the entrepreneurial environment in P.R, how to promote the commercialization at the university, and how to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem with the university serving as a host. Moreover, she was part of the Board of Directors of the International Council for Small Business (ICSB) for several years, and member of the advisory board of “Echar Pa’ Lante” a national community initiative since its beginning, as well other related national entrepreneurial committees. Since 2014, she has served as PI, Co-PI and Senior Personnel of various outreach initiatives granted by EDA, Venturewell, EPA, CDBG-DR, DDEC and NSF. As a result she is founder of the first Incubator and Accelerator of UPR called Area-E, co-founder of the UPRM E-ship Network, UPRM NSF I-Corp Site, UPRM Pathway to Innovation Program and College Innovation. She serves as the coordinator of the annual national forum of entrepreneurial education for faculty in P.R. His expertise is innovation, entrepreneurship and ecosystem, resulting in publications in peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations in the USA, Latin America, Europe and Oceania.