FedEx Small Business Grant Contest (2026 Cycle)

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Amber Grant for Women

The Amber Grant supports women‑owned, for‑profit businesses across the U.S. and territories, including Puerto Rico. It focuses on the founder’s story and how funding will fuel growth.
Deadline: February 28, 2026
AMOUNT: $10,000 monthly; $25,000 annual opportunity

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Accelerate 2026 is a major Fortinet conference held in Las Vegas that brings together customers, partners, and industry experts for sessions focused on emerging threats, platform security, and real‑world cybersecurity innovations. Attendees gain hands‑on learning opportunities, product roadmaps, and insights into how AI is being integrated to enhance security and automation across modern environments.
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PRW&EA represents the Water Environment Federation and the American Water Works Association in Puerto Rico. These organizations are globally recognized for their commitment to promoting water quality and advancing the expertise of professionals in the field.

They encompass a wide range of professionals, including:Engineers and Contractors,Educators and Students,Treatment Plant Operators and Area Supervisors, Vendors and Executives
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Pharma Forum is the largest, most influential annual forum dedicated to uniting life sciences and event professionals to navigate the future of medical meetings. In this shifting COVID- 19 era, it serves as the ideal platform to address compliance implications for virtual interactions, the need for flexibility in contracting and re-entry strategies for face-to-face live and hybrid events.
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The Defense & Industry Symposium 2026 will take place on April 8-9, 2026, at The Box Elder Events Center in Box Elder, South Dakota. This event is a significant gathering for national, regional, and local leaders from industry, the military, and the community. It aims to explore the critical roles each sector plays in the national security equation and to strengthen both national security and local economies through defense investments. The symposium will feature insightful panel discussions, keynote speakers, and networking opportunities, all focused on advancing collaboration between defense and industry.
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A leading organization focused on bringing together like-minded corporationsand suppliers to promote equal opportunity and inclusion of all qualifiedbusinesses in the Life Sciences and Healthcare global supply chain.More Information and Registration →

Puerto Rico enacts several laws amending the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Code of 2011 and the Puerto Rico Incentives Code

Puerto Rico Supreme Court Confirms Enforcement Authority of the Office of the Women’s Advocate Over Private Employers

The Puerto Rico Supreme Court’s decision in Oficina de la Procuradora de las Mujeres v. Corteva Agriscience Puerto Rico, Inc. confirms that the Office of the Women’s Advocate (OPM) has broad authority to investigate private employers and impose administrative fines for violations of workplace laws protecting women, including those governing maternity, pregnancy, and sex discrimination. The Court held that OPM’s jurisdiction extends beyond public agencies and includes private entities, allowing it to conduct administrative investigations and levy fines of up to $10,000 per violation even while parallel civil lawsuits proceed in court. While only the judiciary may award remedies such as damages, reinstatement, or back pay, OPM’s enforcement powers function alongside court actions, meaning employers may now face simultaneous administrative and judicial exposure from the same set of facts. The ruling underscores OPM’s longstanding mandate under Law No. 20‑2001 and highlights the heightened compliance risk for employers, particularly in cases involving temporary workers and claims of pregnancy or sex‑based discrimination.
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House bill 420Puerto Rico proposes legislation aimed at reducing personal property tax on inventory 

Many companies update products reactively, but the strongest growth in 2026 will come from anticipating customer needs before they appear. That means:Interviewing your best clients quarterly to understand the challenges they expect in the next 6–12 months, not the ones they faced last year Building “fast‑prototype” versions of new services so you can test interest without heavy investmentAligning offerings with major shifts—AI adoption, regulatory changes, supply‑chain redesign, and customer‑experience automation

This positions your business as a forward‑looking partner, not a vendor—making you the first call when new spending budgets open.

References: IBM Insights Business and technology trends for 2026 | IBM

Alliances: Authoring Collective Wisdom

This essay is the first in a three-part series on collaboration and alliances, leading into our Collaboration: Alliances, Joint Ventures and Enterprise Transformation session at the NMSDC 2025 Annual Conference & Exchange in Miami, FL. Across these explorations, I develop why many collaborations fail, what makes them thrive, and how leaders can build alliances that author new futures. Each essay stands on its own, but together they form a progression: the why, the who, and the how of collaboration. A fourth essay, “What We’ve Learned,” will close the series with reflections on the journey and the lessons that endure.

Collaboration and Alliances: Authoring Collective Wisdom — The Pivot Mind

Collins Aerospace in Puerto Rico: 30+ Years of Building What’s Next

(HBR) – Nine Trends Shaping Work in 2026 and Beyond

The Harvard Business Review article outlines nine major trends reshaping work in 2026, emphasizing the widening gap between CEOs’ high expectations for AI‑driven growth and the limited real‑world returns most organizations are currently achieving. Although AI continues accelerating workplace transformation, Gartner data indicates that only 1 in 50 AI investments delivers transformational value, creating new tensions around premature layoffs, workforce readiness, and unrealistic efficiency assumptions. The piece highlights how rapid technological change, economic volatility, and political uncertainty are disrupting traditional employment norms while organizations simultaneously face emerging risks such as AI‑triggered job restructuring, misaligned productivity gains, and the need to rehire talent cut too early. It stresses that companies must balance human–machine workforce strategies, navigate evolving threats, and redesign work models to fully capture AI’s future potential.
[ 9 Trends Shaping Work in 2026 and Beyond]

(Deloitte) – The State of AI in the Enterprise – the Untapped Edge

Deloitte’s State of AI in the Enterprise 2026 report identifies a pivotal moment in enterprise AI adoption, where organizations have rapidly expanded workforce access to AI—rising from under 40% to nearly 60% in a year—yet still struggle to turn this access into sustained, transformative impact. While AI pilots are abundant, only about 25% of companies have successfully scaled 40% or more of their experiments into production, creating a persistent “proof‑of‑concept trap” in which enthusiasm outpaces operational readiness. The report highlights a widening gap between rising investment and lagging ROI, noting that most firms are using AI for incremental efficiency rather than reimagining business models or redesigning core processes. Key trends such as sovereign AI, agentic AI, and physical AI underscore growing concerns around governance, autonomy, and safety, emphasizing that organizational success will increasingly depend on embedding AI into workflows, strengthening data and infrastructure foundations, and aligning technology adoption with human capabilities.
[StateofAI_Report_vF]

(McKinsey) – How pharma is rewriting the AI playbook: Perspectives from industry leaders

The McKinsey article explains that while pharmaceutical companies are rapidly increasing their investment in AI—projected to grow the pharma AI market from over $4 billion today to nearly $26 billion by 2030—meaningful results will require more than simply adding AI tools onto existing processes. Industry leaders from Johnson & Johnson, GSK, Boehringer Ingelheim, AbbVie, and Genentech emphasize that AI’s real impact comes from fundamentally redesigning R&D workflows, modernizing data and technology infrastructure, cultivating cross‑functional talent, and building a culture that encourages experimentation within a highly regulated environment. Instead of “bolting on” AI, they stress the need for strategic clarity, reimagined end‑to‑end discovery and development processes, and thoughtful implementation guided by six key enablers that align culture, technology, and organizational goals.
[How pharma is rewriting the AI playbook: Perspectives from industry leaders | McKinsey & Company]
 

A major compliance and financial‑sector event drawing banks, fintechs, and corporate leaders.Focus: AML regulations, risk management, compliance updatesVenue: Centro de Convenciones de Puerto RicoIdeal for: financial institutions, legal teams, regulated industriesWhy it matters: one of Puerto Rico’s largest professional compliance conferences
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The Westin Copley Place10 Huntington Ave. Boston, MA 02116 United States
Pharma Forum is the largest, most influential annual forum dedicated to uniting life sciences and event professionals to navigate the future of medical meetings. In this shifting COVID- 19 era, it serves as the ideal platform to address compliance implications for virtual interactions, the need for flexibility in contracting and re-entry strategies for face-to-face live and hybrid events.
Register NOW → 

100% Bonus Depreciation becomes PermanentBusinesses can immediately deduct the full cost of qualifying assets (machinery, equipment, vehicles, etc.) purchased after January 19, 2025

Section 179 Expensing IncreasedFor 2026, the immediate expense limit is $2.5 million, phasing out after $3.63 million in asset purchases.

Research & Experimental (R&D) Expense DeductionFull and immediate expensing of domestic R&D costs (instead of amortizing), applicable to software and other research, made permanent

Qualified Business Income (QBI) Deduction Made PermanentThe 20% deduction for pass-through business income is permanent, expanded thresholds and a $400 minimum deduction for qualifying business income

1099 Reporting Thresholds RaisedStarting 2026, businesses only need to issue 1099-NEC and MISC forms for payments over $2,000 (up from $600). 1099-K thresholds also revert to $20,000 and 200+ transactions.

Payroll Tax Breaks for Tips and OvertimeNew deductions ensure no federal tax is applied to earmarked tips and overtime pay through 2028.

IRS announces first day of 2026 filing season; online tools and resources help with tax filing IR-2026-02, Jan. 8, 2026The Internal Revenue Service announced Monday, January 26, 2026, as the opening of the nation’s 2026 filing season. This year, several new tax law provisions of the One, Big, Beautiful Bill become effective, which could impact federal taxes, credits and deductions.

IRS announces first day of 2026 filing season; online tools and resources help with tax filing | Internal Revenue Service

• Centralizing your data so customer info, sales, operations, and marketing aren’t scattered across tools
• Standardizing formats, so AI systems can read and learn from your information
• Setting clear data quality rules to avoid “garbage in, garbage out” outcomes.

Strong data practices also make it easier to adopt tools like predictive analytics, automated reporting, and AI‑driven customer engagement.

Networking Insight: Strengthen relationship‑driven networks, not just contact lists. Most companies collect contacts but don’t build real relationships. The businesses that win in 2026 will be the ones that:

• Nurture a small circle of high‑value partners, not hundreds of weak ties
• Check in regularly with collaborators, suppliers, and clients
• Share insights or opportunities without expecting anything immediately in return

This creates a network that actually works when you need it—introductions, referrals, and early access to opportunities. 

References: Bloomberg.com & Harvard Business Review

 Switzerland Embraces Crypto RegulationFT’s Business Insight highlights Switzerland’s move to establish itself as a global crypto hub, leveraging its reputation for trust and stability. The country is creating frameworks to attract blockchain and decentralized finance projects, signaling a major shift in traditional banking norms. [ ft.com]

 AI Boom Drives Big Tech Spending SurgeNYT’s latest coverage shows tech giants—Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon—accelerating AI investments despite bubble concerns. Spending exceeds $70 billion for infrastructure and talent, with Nvidia emerging as a $5 trillion market leader in AI chips. [ nytimes.com]

 Berkshire Hathaway Prepares for Leadership TransitionNYT reports Warren Buffett is stepping back from active leadership, signaling a new era for Berkshire Hathaway. His farewell note emphasizes philanthropy and succession planning, with major implications for conglomerate strategy and investor confidence. [ nytimes.com]