La Lonja incorporates stress management into its startup support model
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The Port of Huelva's innovation hub launches a pioneering pilot program with GrowersGo to help entrepreneurs identify and manage stress, incorporating well-being into its support model.
La Lonja de la Innovación is incorporating stress management into the support it offers to its startups. The Port of Huelva's innovation hub, together with GrowersGo—a company led by Alejandro Villarán—has launched a pilot project aimed at ecosystem entrepreneurs to help them identify stressful situations and provide them with tools to manage them.
With this initiative, La Lonja becomes the first port innovation hub to systematically include this dimension in its startup support services.
Building and growing a company involves living with uncertainty, seeking funding, acquiring customers, managing teams, and making constant decisions. La Lonja is now expanding its support model to also care for the health and well-being of the people leading these projects.
“At La Lonja, we believe that looking after the health and well-being of our entrepreneurs should be part of the support we offer them. With this pilot, we want to do so in a practical way and continue improving how we support those who are growing their businesses,” says Rocío Díaz Pereira, Director of La Lonja de la Innovación.
From Huelva against Stress to the Port's Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
The initiative builds on the experience developed by GrowersGo in Huelva. In 2025, the Huelva City Council and GrowersGo launched "Huelva contra el Estrés" (Huelva Against Stress), a project focused on fostering collective well-being. Now, that approach is adapted to the entrepreneurial ecosystem tied to the Port of Huelva and the specific needs of those creating and scaling businesses.
Alejandro Villarán, CEO of GrowersGo and mentor at La Lonja de la Innovación, summarizes the project's approach in one idea: “Companies don't make decisions. People make decisions.”
The pilot will begin with an initial diagnostic and will combine an in-person workshop with tools designed to build habits and skills related to stress management. GrowersGo will also monitor participants' progress to identify needs and determine which tools yield the best results.
The insights gained will allow La Lonja to determine how to permanently integrate stress management and well-being into future programs, continuing to evolve its support model from the Port of Huelva's innovation hub.
