Jero Beccar

GENUINE BEGINNINGS. Jero Beccar’s empathy and commitment to authenticity have profoundly shaped his journey as a leader and founder. Growing up in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Jero recognized he was gay at a young age, a realization that fostered a deep sense of compassion. “You never know what’s going on with whoever you have in front of you. You never know exactly what their story is,” Jero reflects. This understanding has been a guiding force in his latest venture, Hyka, which is building the technology infrastructure needed for patients to be seamlessly referred to specialized behavioral health treatments.

Jero’s early ambition was to become an industrial engineer, but a desire to express himself led him to film school at Emerson College in Boston. His career in Hollywood took off, landing roles at Disney and Warner Brothers. “I loved the technical parts of filmmaking because of how it impacts expression and how that’s intricate to effective storytelling,” Jero explains. However, his journey took a turn when he returned to Argentina, where he started a hardware tech company specializing in lighting for various industries. Though successful, launching a company in Argentina proved extremely tough, compounded by the loss of a close friend to suicide.

In 2019, after graduate school, Jero co-founded Hyka, driven by his friend’s death and a desire to impact behavioral health positively. Initially starting as a therapeutic company, Jero soon realized that the behavioral health space was becoming increasingly fragmented. “There are plenty of treatments out there, but behavioral health providers are spending hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in patient acquisition costs,” he notes. Rather than adding another treatment to an already crowded market, Jero decided to build an aggregator that pulls providers under one technological umbrella, creating a single point of entry for providers and their patients.

Pivoting Hyka was a challenging process that taught Jero a lot, including the art of difficult conversations. “One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is how crucial it is to structure your team properly. Unless you’re in pharma or deep tech, never start a company with a specialist, because you might pivot, and that specialist might no longer be relevant to the team,” he advises. Instead, Jero highlights the importance of having versatile team members who can adapt as the company evolves.

UNIFIED VISION. Now married to his husband of 12 years and with two young children, much of Jero’s focus is on instilling a balanced company culture at Hyka. He believes that success is not solely defined by the company’s achievements but also by personal fulfillment and well-being. “Success took a very different shape in the last few years. It includes investing my time in my company, my family, and teaching,” he says. As an Executive Fellow and frequent speaker at Harvard Business School, Jero finds joy in sharing his experiences and lessons with aspiring entrepreneurs.

To succeed in business today, Jero emphasizes the importance of being true to oneself, especially for LGBTQIA+ founders. His journey has been marked by resilience and determination, qualities he believes are essential for success. “Resilience is something you need to practice and grow. It’s critical, especially for early-stage founders,” he adds.

By embracing his true self and leveraging his diverse experiences, he has built Hyka into a company that not only addresses the complexities of mental health care but also fosters an inclusive and supportive work environment. “Be genuine, build a supportive network, and never lose sight of who you really are. That’s the key to navigating the entrepreneurial journey successfully.”