AGP Executive Report

Coastal Climate Shock: A new University of South Florida report says massive sargassum blooms are now growing in large quantities across the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico—about 27–30 million metric tons in July—blanketing beaches, killing marine life, and disrupting tourism, with scientists warning “none of this is normal.” Puerto Rico Development vs. Green Backlash: Puerto Rico authorized the $2B Esencia luxury project in Cabo Rojo, including 500 hotel rooms and 1,200 residences, drawing opposition over public scrutiny and potential strain on resources despite promises of conservation, wetland restoration, and renewable power. Local Tech/Policy Watch: Puerto Rico’s government also cleared the $2B Esencia project amid environmental concerns, underscoring how permitting decisions can quickly reshape island tech-and-infrastructure priorities. Public Health Research: A culturally adapted dementia-prevention trial in Latin America (LatAm-FINGERS) reported improved thinking skills for participants using lifestyle interventions like exercise and brain training. STEM in the Spotlight: A Penn psychiatrist is leading planning for a major update to the DSM, with proposals for a more “living,” person-centered diagnostic approach.

Coastal Climate Watch: A new University of South Florida report says massive sargassum blooms are now growing in large quantities across the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico—about 27–30 million metric tons in July—smothering beaches, cutting marine life, and disrupting tourism. Local Development vs. Conservation: Puerto Rico has authorized the $2B Esencia luxury project in Cabo Rojo, including hotels, residences, golf, and a 24/7 medical center, while opponents warn it was approved with too little public scrutiny and could strain wildlife and resources. Water Security Risk: Analysts flag drought in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands as a potential hit to water costs, tourism, and sales-tax collections, with desalination and hauling water as likely pressure points. Tech & Governance: GovTech firm Glass was named to Government Technology’s AI 50 for embedding AI into public procurement and payment workflows. STEM Education: William Paterson University marks 25 years of Latin American and Latinx Studies with expanded fall course offerings, including options that connect to Puerto Rican culture and Spanish-based study.

Dementia Prevention Trial: A LatAm-FINGERS lifestyle study in Latin America reported improved thinking skills for older adults using culturally adapted exercise and brain training, aiming to cut future dementia risk. Coastal Science & Tourism Risk: New research links record sargassum blooms to unusual local growth in the Caribbean and Gulf, with millions of tons smothering beaches and harming marine life. Puerto Rico Development Watch: Puerto Rico authorized the $2B Esencia luxury project in Cabo Rojo, drawing green backlash over wildlife, resources, and the level of public review. Environmental Finance Signal: Analysts warn drought in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands could raise water costs and hit tourism and tax revenue, with knock-on effects for bonds. Government AI Procurement: GovTech firm Glass was named to Government Technology’s AI 50 for embedding AI into public procurement and payment workflows. Puerto Rico Culture & STEM Adjacent: The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture in Humboldt Park earned top U.S. accreditation, boosting preservation and future grant opportunities. Aviation History Tech: Explorers located the 1952 Pan Am Clipper Endeavor wreck off Puerto Rico using autonomous sonar, tied to modern preflight safety briefings.

Coastal Development Clash: Puerto Rico approved a $2B luxury project, Esencia, in Cabo Rojo—2,000 acres with hotels, homes, golf, and a 24/7 medical center—while environmentalists warn it could strain local resources and wildlife. Marine Science & Tourism Risk: A new University of South Florida report says sargassum is smothering Caribbean and Gulf coastlines, with 27 million metric tons recorded in July and scientists noting unusual local growth that’s already hurting marine life and visitors. AI in Government Procurement: Glass was named to Government Technology’s AI 50 for embedding AI across public purchasing and payments workflows, aiming to speed compliant buying. Education Tech Policy: A new federal push is expanding AI use in U.S. K-12, and Puerto Rico is among places developing guidance as districts wrestle with privacy and academic integrity. STEM & Community Recognition: The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture in Chicago earned top U.S. accreditation, boosting grant and exhibit opportunities for preserving Puerto Rican culture. Aviation History Tech: Searchers located the 1952 Pan Am Clipper Endeavor wreck off Puerto Rico using autonomous sonar, tied to modern preflight safety briefings.

Aviation Safety & History: Searchers using autonomous sonar located wreckage of Pan Am’s Clipper Endeavor (DC-4) off Puerto Rico, 74 years after the 1952 crash that killed 52 and helped drive today’s preflight safety briefings and flotation rules. Energy & Grid Tech: Tigo expanded eligibility for its virtual power plant program across the Mid-Atlantic, including Puerto Rico, aiming to let more solar-plus-storage homes earn utility incentives and support grid reliability. Road Safety in PR: Cemex received recognition from the Inter-American Development Bank for motorcycle safety practices across Latin America and the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico, citing a 54% reduction in related accidents over six years. Local Finance: San Juan is set to bring $122.2M in municipal bonds to market, the latest step since Puerto Rico’s 2016 oversight law reshaped local borrowing. AI in Schools: By June 2026, 37 states and Puerto Rico had issued AI guidance for K-12, as federal policy pushes schools to use AI while districts wrestle with privacy and academic integrity. STEM & Skills: Maryland students earned medals at the SkillsUSA national conference, highlighting hands-on career and technical education pathways.

Puerto Rico Energy & Grid Tech: Tigo Energy expanded eligibility for its Virtual Power Plant program across the Mid-Atlantic, building on existing availability in Puerto Rico—aimed at letting more homes with solar and battery storage participate in utility programs that reward flexible power and boost grid reliability. Local Infrastructure & Finance: San Juan is set to make a standalone municipal bond market debut, planning $122.2M in offerings backed by local property taxes, with ratings from Moody’s and Fitch—an update worth watching for how Puerto Rico funds public projects. STEM Education & AI: Prairie View A&M’s Dr. Ali Fares served as a judge for the Presidential AI Challenge, which drew more than 20,000 K-12 participants including Puerto Rico, with projects spanning water security, agriculture, healthcare, cybersecurity, and public safety. Internet Access: A new state-by-state internet index highlights persistent gaps in speed and quality, with Puerto Rico ranking among the top performers as broadband prices fall nationwide. Solar Policy Watch: “The 50 States of Solar” report says Puerto Rico and 45 states took distributed solar policy actions in Q2 2026, with net metering and community solar leading the agenda. Community Tech & Learning: The Library of Congress hosted Luddy students working on archiving and cultural preservation, including hands-on work with posters and other collections.

Puerto Rico Municipal Finance: San Juan is set to debut as a standalone muni market issuer, planning $122.2M in bonds—$112.6M in triple tax-exempt debt plus $9.6M federally taxable but Puerto Rico tax-exempt—rated Baa3/BBB+ and underwritten by RBC Capital Markets. AI in Education: Prairie View A&M’s Dr. Ali Fares served as a judge for the White House’s inaugural Presidential AI Challenge, which drew 20,000+ K-12 participants including Puerto Rico schools. Energy Resilience: The U.S. Virgin Islands is expanding a virtual power plant idea that links rooftop solar and home batteries to stabilize the grid fast after outages. Local Research Funding: UPR’s coastal research institute received a $1.39M grant to expand erosion planning. STEM & Community Learning: An interdisciplinary Puerto Rico experiential-learning program is bringing students to study community, environment, and sustainable development firsthand. Health Tech Research: A systematic review and meta-analysis weighs endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty for type 2 diabetes remission, glycemic control, and weight loss.

Distributed Solar Policy: A new Q2 2026 “50 States of Solar” report says 45 states plus DC and Puerto Rico took distributed solar policy action, with the biggest focus on net metering, community solar, and residential fixed charges. AI in Education: Prairie View A&M’s Dr. Ali Fares served as a judge for the inaugural Presidential AI Challenge, which drew 20,000+ students including Puerto Rico schools to build AI projects for real-world problems. Digital IDs: Oklahoma is moving toward digital driver’s licenses in Apple Wallet after a bill lets Service Oklahoma issue mobile IDs, positioning the feature as a companion to physical cards. Puerto Rico Research Funding: A UPR coastal research institute received a $1.39M grant to expand erosion planning, aiming to strengthen coastal resilience. Health Tech Collaboration: TGen (City of Hope) joined a national Parkinson’s disease Collaborative Research Network to study biological factors behind disease development. Local Tech & Logistics: Auto Driveaway launched “Arrive” for live vehicle pickup/delivery tracking via SMS/email links—no app needed. Science & Safety Watch: USGS reported an “experimental explosion” off Florida’s coast, near areas tied to Navy shock trials.

Puerto Rico Media: Nielsen says it will stop its Puerto Rico audience-ratings service by end of 2026, raising the risk that the island enters 2027 without a widely used, independent measurement system for advertisers and broadcasters. Manufacturing Boost: NIST announced $46.5M for 14 Manufacturing Extension Partnership centers, including $939,133 for Puerto Rico, aimed at helping small and medium manufacturers adopt advanced tech like robotics, AI, automation, and additive manufacturing. Local Research Funding: UPR’s coastal research institute received a $1.39M grant to expand erosion planning, supporting better coastal resilience work. STEM & Climate Learning: SUNY ESF highlighted its Timbuctoo Climate Science and Careers Summer Institute, bringing hands-on environmental research and mentorship to New York City high school students. Cybersecurity Automation: Digital Era Group and Sevii launched an autonomous defense and remediation service that targets faster threat containment and remediation “without a human in the loop.” Tech in Logistics: Auto Driveaway rolled out “Arrive” for live vehicle pickup/delivery tracking via SMS/email links, no app needed. Space/Defense Watch: Pratt & Whitney won a major Navy contract for F135 engineering work tied to the F-35 fleet.

Puerto Rico Media: Nielsen plans to end audience-ratings measurement services on the island by end of 2026, raising the risk of Puerto Rico entering 2027 without a widely used, independent way to price and compare media reach. Manufacturing & Innovation: NIST announced $46.5M to fund 14 Manufacturing Extension Partnership centers, including $939K for Puerto Rico, aimed at helping small and medium manufacturers adopt advanced tech like robotics, AI, and automation. Government Procurement Tech: Glass launched an AI-powered procurement “Master Catalog” built with Puerto Rico’s ASG to standardize what governments buy and improve budgeting and oversight. Cybersecurity Ops: Digital Era Group and Sevii unveiled an autonomous defense and remediation service that can hunt, contain, and remediate threats at machine speed. Health Research: TGen joined a Collaborative Research Network for Parkinson’s disease, supported by ASAP and the Michael J. Fox Foundation, to study biological drivers of disease development. STEM/Community Learning: A Puerto Rico experiential-learning course is highlighted as an interdisciplinary model connecting classroom work to real-world community and sustainable development.

Puerto Rico Media Tech: Nielsen says it will stop its audience-ratings measurement services on the island by end of 2026, raising the risk that Puerto Rico could enter 2027 without a widely accepted, independent “audience currency” for ad pricing and platform comparisons. GovTech Procurement: Glass launched an AI-powered procurement Master Catalog built with Puerto Rico’s Administración de Servicios Generales (ASG), aiming to standardize what governments buy so spending data is easier to track, budget, and audit. Local Economy Watch: A new Economic Cycle Indices report says Puerto Rico’s economy has contracted for six straight months, pointing to slowing labor, weaker construction and manufacturing, and pressure from inflation and energy costs. STEM in Puerto Rico: Six Ghanaian teams qualified for the 2026 World Robot Olympiad finals in Puerto Rico this December, after winning national robotics qualifiers. Energy & Resilience: Enhanced Capital’s 2025 Community Impact Report highlights clean-energy deployment and jobs supported, including activity tied to Puerto Rico. Health Research: A study on the gut-brain link in multiple sclerosis explores how gut microbiota changes may influence CNS inflammation.

Media Tech: Nielsen says it will stop its Puerto Rico audience-ratings service by end of 2026, raising the risk of Puerto Rico entering 2027 without a shared, independent “audience currency” for advertisers and broadcasters. GovTech: Glass launched an AI-powered “Master Catalog” with Puerto Rico’s ASG to standardize procurement items and clean up inconsistent purchase data across government spending. Home Care Software: MK Care rolled out new digital tools in Puerto Rico for real-time home-care monitoring, structured care reports, and shared family access to caregiving logs. Energy & Infrastructure: Mayagüez is starting a $2.6M solar-plus-battery project for the Central American Stadium to cut electricity costs and provide backup during outages. STEM in PR: Six Ghanaian teams qualified for the 2026 World Robot Olympiad finals in Puerto Rico this December, underscoring the island’s growing role in robotics education. Economy Watch: Puerto Rico’s economy has contracted for six straight months, with construction and manufacturing still sliding and consumer demand pressured by inflation and energy costs. Aviation History: Searchers found wreckage of the 1952 Pan Am Clipper Endeavor off Puerto Rico, a discovery tied to modern in-flight safety briefings.

Telecom Upgrade for Puerto Rico: Claro Puerto Rico is investing $35M to land the AMX-1 submarine cable in Ponce, adding a redundant international internet route designed to keep connectivity steadier during storms and outages. Home Care Tech: MK Care rolled out new digital features in Puerto Rico for real-time monitoring, shared family access, and structured care reports to coordinate support for older adults and chronic conditions. Solar for Local Resilience: Mayagüez started a $2.595M solar-plus-battery project at the Central American Stadium to cut electricity costs and provide backup power during outages. STEM in the Spotlight: Six Ghanaian teams qualified for the 2026 World Robot Olympiad finals in Puerto Rico this December after winning national robotics qualifiers. Health Research: A new study reports Guyana among the hardest-hit in the Americas for neurological disorders, highlighting gaps in prevention and long-term care. Economy Watch: Puerto Rico’s economy contracted for six straight months, with slower labor conditions and weaker construction and manufacturing cited as recession signals. Aviation History, Solved: Pan Am’s 1952 Clipper Endeavor wreck was located off Puerto Rico after 74 years, tied to safety changes like mandatory pre-flight emergency briefings.

Telecom Resilience: Claro Puerto Rico is investing $35 million to land the AMX-1 submarine cable in Ponce, adding a redundant international internet route outside the island’s northern corridor to better handle storms and outages. Health Tech for Families: MK Care rolled out new digital home-care tools in Puerto Rico, including real-time monitoring, structured care reports, and shared account access so multiple relatives can track check-ins and patient well-being. Clean Energy at a Key Venue: Mayagüez is funding a $2.595 million solar-plus-battery project for the Central American Stadium to cut electricity costs and keep backup power during interruptions. Energy Research & Grid Reliability: Cornell researchers are backing a green hydrogen microgrid concept for Vieques to reduce costly, outage-prone power and lessen reliance on expensive diesel backups. Digital IDs: Apple Wallet is moving forward with digital driver’s license support, with Puerto Rico already live and more states adding the feature. Internet Access Gap: A new nationwide index flags Puerto Rico’s broadband performance using FCC data, while highlighting how some places still lag badly. Aviation History, Solved: A Pan Am Clipper Endeavor wreck tied to major safety changes was located off Puerto Rico after 74 years, using sonar and an autonomous underwater drone.

Puerto Rico Connectivity Upgrade: Claro Puerto Rico is investing $35 million to land the AMX-1 submarine cable in Ponce, adding a redundant international internet route outside the island’s northern corridor—aimed at keeping service steadier during storms and outages. Digital Health for Families: MK Care rolled out new home-care platform features in Puerto Rico, including real-time monitoring, structured care reports, and shared family access so relatives can track check-ins and caregiving updates from one place. Local Clean Energy Push: Mayagüez is starting a $2.595 million solar-plus-Battery Energy Storage System project for the Central American Stadium to cut electricity costs and provide backup during outages. Tech Policy Watch: Apple Wallet digital IDs are signaling near-term expansion to Utah and Virginia, following earlier rollouts that already include Puerto Rico. Aviation History, Solved: A long-lost 1952 Pan Am DC-4 wreck off Puerto Rico was located after 74 years, using sonar and an autonomous underwater drone, tied to safety changes that reshaped airline procedures.

Telecom Resilience: Claro Puerto Rico is investing $35 million to land the AMX-1 submarine cable in Ponce, adding a redundant international internet route outside the island’s northern corridor to better handle storms and outages. Energy & Infrastructure: Mayagüez has started a $2.595 million solar-plus–battery project at the José Antonio Figueroa Freyre Central American Stadium to cut electricity costs and keep operations running during power interruptions. Digital Health for Families: MK Care expanded its Puerto Rico home-care platform with real-time monitoring, structured care reports, and shared family access so relatives can coordinate and track caregiving from one place. Research & Public Health Data: A new report warns that data gaps from federal removals are creating “disease blind spots,” complicating how researchers track outbreaks and health risks. STEM & Education: The University of Puerto Rico coastal research institute received a $1.39 million grant to expand erosion planning, while UPR also secured a $9 million NSF grant to advance AI research. Aviation History Tech: Deep-sea sonar and an autonomous drone helped locate the 1952 Pan Am Clipper Endeavor wreck off Puerto Rico, a discovery tied to major safety procedure changes.