On Air the Next Business Hits in PR

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, April 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Next Sunday, April 12, Telemundo and Puerto Rico TV will premiere Hit3001.com, Puerto Rico's first reality show for business ideas. In a joint effort between Puerto Rico's Public Broadcasting Corp. (PRPBC), the Economic Development and Commerce Department of Puerto Rico (EDCD), and in alliance with Telemundo, this new program is expected to assist and mentor emerging Puerto Rican entrepreneurs in establishing their businesses. This group of aspiring entrepreneurs will seek the public's approval, as they pitch their business or product idea while convincing the judges why they should be selected as the next hit for Puerto Rico. Details of the season premiere were shared by Alberto Baco Bague, Secretary of the EDCD, Cecile Blondet, President of PRPBC Jose Cancela, President of Telemundo and Francisco Zamora, PRPBS's Executive Producer for Hit3001.com during a press conference.

Hit3001.com, the TV Program
Hit3001.com will be broadcast by Telemundo every Sunday at 10:00 p.m., and will be retransmitted every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday though Puerto Rico TV. The season will include 12 one-hour episodes. During each program, four entrepreneurs will expose their concept, product, or business model. Business leaders Atilano Cordero Badillo, Melba Figueroa, Luis Augusto Vargas and Carlos Cobian will do the coaching. Their main role will be to evaluate each case and recommend ways to direct the business ideas in order to achieve a successful business. The public will have the opportunity to support the contestants and through their votes one winner will be chosen per week. All 44 entrepreneurs who participate will receive different types of coaching and professional support depending on the business or product proposed.

Each week the winner will receive a $20,000.00 incentive from the EDCD agency and $10,000.00 to be used for advertising in Grupo Ferre Rangel's (GFR) media products. As an innovative element, every participant will have the chance to generate additional capital through Antrocket, a local crowdfunding platform. The winner will also receive a special prize of $100,000.00 from Telemundo.

Historic Collaboration
This is an alliance without precedent. The PRPBC will produce the program's season, which will be transmitted by Telemundo and retransmitted during the week by PR TV, Canal 6, a collaboration that will result in an unparalleled amount of viewers that will enjoy and take advantage of the ideas and recommendations proposed by the contestants and expert business panel. This production will also provide additional job opportunities for the local television industry. "Television should be a reflection of the best of us. All our efforts should be directed to educate and create a critical and reflexive conscience. Clearly, we have to renovate and this historic alliance with Telemundo shows that our commitment is the economic development and improvement of Puerto Rico," emphasized Blondet.

"As a mass communications media, we are pleased to be part of the collective efforts to better Puerto Rico. Hit3001 started last year in Telemundo and we trust that this new edition, in collaboration with Puerto Rico TV, will also be a hit. This program will be a very entertaining one and will show the ingeniousness of Puerto Rico's future business leaders," stated Jose Cancela. With the beginning of Hit3001.com, Telemundo consolidates its Sundays' reality show block, which starts with La Voz Kids.

"For People Television, the development of Hit3001.com is a great satisfaction, a format that will break models related to television production in Puerto Rico", added Francisco Zamora, the programs' Executive Producer for PRPBC.

Business Development
Hit3001.com is a key part of the entrepreneurship development initiatives to strengthen Puerto Rico's business sector, one of the pillars included in the economic development master plan. The program gives continuity to the Hit3001 por Puerto Rico 2013, EDCD's effort to promote and stimulate the development of local companies, so that business proposals move forward and become a reality.

"We want more people to consider the possibilities of undertaking new projects in Puerto Rico. Hit3001.com will allow for others to share their experiences of success, struggle and endurance. We believe in the creativity and innovation capacity of our people and Hit3001.com will be a tremendous platform to present our country's diverse abilities and strengths," expressed EDCD's Secretary.

Hit3001.com participants will also obtain a grant from Grupo Guayacan to be used in business development programs and expert counseling, including accounting, human resources, laws, technology, export, investment and marketing. Seriously Creative will also help participants to generate an effective pitch to explain their ideas to the viewers. The Exportation and Commerce Company (ECC), the Industrial Development Company (IDC), the Economic Development Bank (EDB) and the Science, Technology and Research Trust (STRT) also collaborate in this project.

"We support this collective television effort because we are confident that it will contribute to Puerto Rico's entrepreneurship strengthening as it will generate native capital and employment opportunities, a vital part of the Island's economic transformation," added Baco Bague.

The business development initiatives implemented include measures that facilitate the establishment of enterprises in Puerto Rico, such as Law 62-2014, which establish public policy favoring small and medium businesses, Law 120-2014, which provides the first permanent incentive for the small and medium businesses, and Law 136-2014, which incentivizes young entrepreneurs. It also integrates other efforts to speed up permit consents with the Puerto Rico Office of Budget Management's SIP portal, and more guidance efforts like the LinkedIn portal and  the "Fuerza PyMEs" forums.

SOURCE Puerto Rico Department of Economic Development and Commerce