What Fundación Kinesis does

Fundación Kinesis is a Puerto Rico-based 501(c)(3) non-profit educational foundation established in 2004 by José Enrique Fernández, headquartered at 1001 San Roberto St., Suite 103, San Juan, PR. The foundation addresses educational inequity in Puerto Rico — where 57% childhood poverty, 73% of adults lacking postsecondary education, and counselor-to-student ratios of 571:1 create severe barriers — by identifying talented students with financial need (3.5+ GPA for high school applicants) and supporting them from secondary school through graduate-level completion and career placement.

The foundation's product surface is a four-program educational pipeline: (1) Bright Stars, a high school preparation program for grades 9–12 offering college counseling, standardized test prep, financial literacy, technology certifications, and résumé development; (2) Kinesis Scholars, a renewable college scholarship program covering bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees at accredited US and Puerto Rico universities; (3) Summer Research Experiences (REU, SROP, E-SURE) hosted at the University of Notre Dame covering stipends, travel, and lodging; and (4) the Santiago "Chago" García Award for Teaching Excellence, a $5,000 annual award recognizing exceptional STEM educators. Specialized scholarship tracks include the Agricultural Sciences Scholarship Fund (with Fonalledas Foundation), the Hugh Andrews Scholarship for Hospitality and Tourism, and the Father "Pepito" Marrero Bright Stars Scholarship. There is no proprietary technology platform; service delivery is human-led through NACAC-member counselors, school partnerships, and mentor networks.

The business model is donation-dependent: revenue derives from corporate sponsorships (tiered gala packages from $5,000 to $75,000), individual donations, and nominal student program fees ($2,500 annually, reducible to $50 for demonstrated financial need). Distribution operates regionally in Puerto Rico via direct student enrollment, NACAC-member counselor referrals, and school partnerships, with downstream placement at top-tier US universities including MIT, Stanford, Boston University, UC Berkeley, and Notre Dame. Since inception, the foundation has supported 1,015 scholarship recipients, 1,253 Bright Stars graduates enrolled in universities, and distributed $14.7M (cumulative per 2024 disclosure) to $15.7M (cumulative per 2026 gala page) in scholarships.

Name

Fundación Kinesis

Legal name

Fundación Kinesis

Website

https://kinesispr.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fundación Kinesis is a Puerto Rico-based 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 2004 that supports talented students with financial need through high school preparation (Bright Stars), renewable college and graduate scholarships (Kinesis Scholars), and Notre Dame summer research fellowships, funded primarily via donations and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Support Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Degree-Level Scholarships (Undergrad/Masters/PhD/Postdoc) (EDAIAOAE), Field-of-Study & Discipline-Specific Funding (EDAIAOAD)

Keywords

• Educational scholarships
• College preparation programs
• Student mentorship services
• Talent development
• Nonprofit education

Headquarters

HQ city

San Juan

HQ country

Puerto Rico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sponsorships: Fundación Kinesis operates as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization funded primarily through donations, corporate sponsorships, and individual contributions. The organization holds an annual gala with sponsorship tiers ranging from $5,000 to $75,000, attracting corporate and individual sponsors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fundación Kinesis is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational foundation that provides college preparation, scholarships, and mentorship to talented high school and college students in Puerto Rico with financial limitations. It runs the Bright Stars high school preparation program (grades 9-12), the Kinesis Scholars college scholarship program covering bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, summer research experiences at the University of Notre Dame, and the Santiago "Chago" García Award for STEM teaching excellence.

Product overview

Fundación Kinesis operates as a unified educational support ecosystem comprising Bright Stars (high school preparation program), Kinesis Scholars (college scholarship and support services), Summer Research Experiences (university partnerships with Notre Dame), and the Santiago "Chago" García Award for Teaching Excellence. These programs work together to provide comprehensive support from high school through college completion, including career counseling, financial aid, internships, and professional development for talented Puerto Rican students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bright Stars A high school preparation program (grades 9-12) for talented students with financial needs, providing career and university counseling, standardized test prep, personal finance education, technology certifications, and résumé development to prepare them for admission at top universities in Puerto Rico and the United States.
• Kinesis Scholars A renewable college scholarship program for bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degrees at top universities in the US and Puerto Rico, including academic support, job training, and workforce preparation with an average financial aid package of $67,800 per scholar per year.
• Summer Research Experiences Summer research opportunities at the University of Notre Dame, including Engineering Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (E-SURE), Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP), and Physics & Astronomy and Biological Sciences REU programs. Kinesis Fund covers expenses, stipends, and travel costs for eligible students.
• Santiago "Chago" García Award for Teaching Excellence Annual $5,000 award recognizing exceptional STEM educators (grades 9-12) in Puerto Rico who have made a transformative impact on students; usable for continuing education, education conferences, or classroom equipment.
• Kinesis Fellowship at University of Notre Dame Fellowship to enhance diversity at Notre Dame, providing $34,875-$42,000 annually for up to five years for doctoral students, and $20,000 annually for master's students who are US citizens from Puerto Rico.
• Agricultural Sciences Scholarship Fund Partnership between Fonalledas Foundation and Kinesis for students pursuing agriculture-related bachelor's or master's degrees including Agronomics, Agricultural Sciences, Forestry, Horticulture, and Animal Sciences. Requires 3.00 GPA.
• Hugh Andrews Scholarship for Hospitality and Tourism Partnership with the Scholarship Foundation for Hospitality and Tourism Studies for students pursuing hospitality, culinary arts, or business administration degrees at accredited US or Puerto Rico universities.
• Father "Pepito" Marrero Bright Stars Scholarship Scholarship exclusive to 5 students with financial limitations studying at Colegio San Ignacio de Loyola, covering Bright Stars program participation fees. Requires 3.75 GPA and active program participation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% university enrollment rate for Bright Stars graduates (1,253 since 2010)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers22 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Fonalledas FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Agricultural Sciences Scholarship Fund supporting students pursuing degrees in agriculture-related fields including Agronomics, Agricultural Sciences, Forestry, Horticulture, Animal Sciences, and Energy Resources at universities in PR or the US
• Scholarship Foundation for Hospitality and Tourism Studies, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHugh Andrews Scholarship for Hospitality and Tourism supporting students pursuing degrees in Hospitality and Tourism Administration, Culinary Arts, and Business Administration at accredited US or PR universities
• University of Notre DamecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Kinesis Fellowship supporting diversity at Notre Dame; doctoral students receive stipends of $34,875-$42,000 for up to five years; Master's students receive $20,000 annually. Also offers summer research experiences (REU) for Kinesis Scholars
• National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKinesis counselors are members of NACAC, ensuring adherence to professional standards in college admission counseling and access to professional development and network resources

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hispanic Scholarship Fund: One of the largest US-based Latinx educational nonprofits, providing scholarships, mentorship, and career services to Hispanic students. Directly comparable to Kinesis in mission (talent + financial need focus) and program architecture (scholarship + support services), though it operates at a national rather than island scale.
• Scholarship Foundation for Hospitality and Tourism Studies: Industry-specific scholarship provider partnering with Kinesis for the Hugh Andrews Scholarship. Comparable as a niche grantmaking foundation focused on degree-level scholarships within a defined industry vertical.
• Posse Foundation: Identifies and trains diverse cohorts ("posses") of students for leadership scholarships at top US universities. Comparable to Kinesis Scholars in the multi-year leadership development, cohort model, and elite-university placement focus.
• Jack Kent Cooke Foundation: Provides high-achievement scholarships and support services to low-income students from middle school through graduate school. Comparable to Kinesis in selection criteria (high academic achievement + financial need), support scope, and emphasis on top-tier university placement.
• Fonalledas Foundation: Puerto Rico-based family foundation and current Kinesis partner for the Agricultural Sciences Scholarship Fund. Comparable as a PR-rooted grantmaking entity channeling funds to higher education, with similar corporate-family governance structure.
• JJ Barea Foundation: Puerto Rico-based nonprofit founded by NBA player J.J. Barea focused on youth development and earthquake/disaster recovery. Listed as a Kinesis ally partner; directly comparable as another PR-rooted youth-focused foundation operating on the island.
• UNCF (United Negro College Fund): Manages scholarships, fellowships, and institutional support for Black students and HBCUs. Operates as a comparable grantmaking-and-support-services foundation for an underserved demographic, with similar donor-gala and corporate-sponsorship revenue mechanics.
• QuestBridge: National nonprofit connecting high-achieving, low-income students to top US universities through its Match and College Prep Scholars programs. Highly comparable to Kinesis's Bright Stars model in identifying talented low-income youth and placing them at selective institutions.

Regional players

• Boys & Girls Club of Puerto Rico: PR affiliate of the Boys & Girls Club of America serving youth development across the island. Comparable in targeting underserved Puerto Rican youth and operating in similar geographies, though focused on K-12 youth development rather than the higher-education pathway Kinesis specializes in.
• Fondo de Becas para Estudiantes de Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico-specific scholarship fund providing financial aid to PR students pursuing higher education. Most direct geographic peer to Kinesis Scholars, though narrower in scope (financial aid only, no high school prep or counseling layer).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kinesispr
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/FundacionKinesis
• Facebookfacebook.com/FundacionKinesis
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fundaci%C3%B3n-kinesis
• Instagraminstagram.com/fundacionkinesis

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fundación Kinesis