- Jonathan Soto-Nieves left Porto Rico in their twenties to join the Marine Corps.
- After leaving the active service, Soto-Nieves began a technological career in the defense industry.
- Last year, he returned to Porto Rico to start his new defense systems company.
This also filed test is based on a conversation with Jonathan Soto-Nieves, the 40-year founder and CEO of ITERRA Solutions, a company based in Puerto Rican focusing on cybersecurity and the defense industry. Soto-Nieves moved from Virginia to his country of origin of Puerto Rico last year to launch the startup.
The following has been slightly modified for more clarity and length.
I was born and I grew up on the outskirts of San Juan, Puerto Rico. I come from a city called Hatillo, which is in the countryside and very rural.
I always say that being Puerto Rican is the best thing that has ever happened to me. The country is very focused on the family and culturally dynamic. In addition, the beaches and the mountains make Very idyllic Puerto Rico.
Growing up, I have never really seen myself leaving Puerto Rico, but my brother joined the Sea body And I had always been intrigued by the army.
I decided to join the Marines in 2010 And moved to the continent when I was 24 years old. I was in active service for almost 10 years. I made six deployments. I was in Afghanistan, I went to Africa, South America and Europe.
To be a navy shaped me in whom I am. I developed an interest in operations and accessible leadership skills. This helped me start to shape my professional life and opened a lot of doors. I am always in the reserves.
I really liked all the different places where I lived during this period. I was stationed in San Diego at some point, as well as in North Carolina and Germany.
Puerto Rico was still in my mind.
I thought that maybe one day I could retire here.
After leaving the active service in 2019, I went into the business world. I worked in a few companies before moving to Virginie works for Microsoft. I spent three years there and I learned a lot about technology and cybersecurity.
The idea for Iterra Solutions was born for the first time when I worked in Virginia. I had made a group of friends and colleagues who all worked Different companies in the defense industry. Many of them were also former navies.
We Provide cybersecurity assistance and data analysis in several defense sectors.
We pretended to open and operate ITERRA solutions in the United States. We even recorded the company in Virginia in May 2023.
But Puerto Rico called me at home
I was doing research in 2024 when I came across Investing Puerto RicoA non -profit organization that strives to promote Puerto Rico as a competitive commercial premises by helping new businesses to settle on the island.
I completed a form explaining the idea behind Iterra Solutions and someone from Invest Puerto Rico immediately contacted.
I went to see my wife, who was pregnant with our son Sebastian at the time, and I told her that we were going to be able to go home. We started the moving process at the end of 2024 and officially passed from Virginia to Puerto Rico in January 2025.
Invest Puerto Rico helped us so much to start because I have not known many people in Puerto Rico since I had left the country for 20 years. I did not know the ecosystem and they helped me with network and transition.
Invest Porto Rico works in collaboration with other companies and accelerators. For example, Iterra Solutions is in a program at the moment which is part of the Puerto Rico Scientific Trust, which is an accelerator that helps startups like us.
I call it an ecosystem because the whole community works in conjunction with each other. It’s amazing.
I am so delighted to be part of this incredible movement performing in Puerto Rico right away. It’s really the place to be. There are so many interesting companies increasing in aerospace engineering, biopharmation and other sectors oriented to the future.
Return to Puerto Rico was a big transition
My son was born last year in the United States, but I always wanted him to have the life that I had grown in Puerto Rico and I am so happy to be able to give him that.
Now, in 2025, I am ready to browse the ground as a father for the first time and founder of Startup.
We are standing and operated in Puerto Rico. ITERRA Solutions is already part of this amazing ecosystem, supporting customers of the health care industry who modernize their IT data systems.
It’s so good to be back. I missed the culture so much here, and it’s so wonderful to see all the collaboration in the business sector, as well as my family. My son has two grandmothers here to love him.
The country feels different from when I grew up here. Puerto Rico becomes a real power And I think it will only continue to grow.
And from a personal point of view, you cannot beat to live here. I regularly work from the beach with my computer in time at 80 degrees.
I feel the salt of the ocean every morning. I love going to run along the beach and feel the breeze.
You never know what life will throw you, but our plan is to stay here in Puerto Rico forever. It’s plan A and we don’t have B or C.