UPR opens scientific incubator, secures $4 million for research and technology center
By THE STAR STAFF
A new scientific incubator featuring seven laboratories and four cleanrooms opened at the University of Puerto Rico’s Center for Molecular Sciences, while the government allocated an additional $4 million to expand facilities dedicated to developing and commercializing research-driven technologies.
The Advanced Science and Technology Research and Entrepreneurship (ASTRE) incubator occupies 20,000 square feet on the center’s fifth floor. Its development was supported by nearly $20 million in federal funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, using disaster recovery funds allocated after hurricanes Irma and María.
“ My vision is clear: develop in Puerto Rico and manufacture in Puerto Rico,” Gov. Jenniffer González Colón said in a written statement last week. She added that the goal is to give local scientific discoveries the space, equipment and support needed to become businesses, create jobs and generate economic opportunities.
ASTRE features seven fully equipped laboratories, four certified cleanrooms designed to control particles and contaminants during specialized scientific processes, and shared workspaces for entrepreneurs.
The incubator currently houses six resident companies and supports nine additional businesses through the UPR Innovation and Commercialization Center. Their projects include cancer therapies, high-precision sensors and dental aligners developed and manufactured in Puerto Rico.
“ASTRE represents much more than a physical space; it is a platform to strategically connect scientific talent with industry, academia and investment,” Center for Molecular Sciences Executive Director Eduardo Nicolau said. He added that the initiative aims to accelerate high-tech business development and strengthen Puerto Rico’s knowledge-based economy.
The additional $4 million from the Department of Economic Development and Commerce will complete funding for the UPR Center for Innovation and Technology Transfer (UPRCITT), planned for the building’s fourth floor.
The project received $7.9 million from the National Institutes of Health in September 2023 but required additional funding to complete construction. The new allocation brings total funding to $11.9 million and is expected to prevent the loss of the federal grant. Construction is scheduled to begin in November or December 2026, with an opening projected for May 2028.
The Center for Molecular Sciences employs approximately 150 people, hosts more than 40 Ph.D.-level researchers and serves over 200 students involved in research projects.
Officials project ASTRE will reach 80% to 100% occupancy by early 2027 and incubate 15 new companies by 2030. Its cleanrooms could generate nearly $990,000 annually at full capacity.
UPR President Zayira Jordán Conde said the facilities will help students work alongside researchers and high-tech companies while developing careers in Puerto Rico.
ASTRE’s operating model calls for covering recurring expenses through its own revenue rather than government appropriations.
In January 2026, the government also allocated $9.5 million to the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust, increasing the number of funded research projects from 13 to 46.
