Pedro Somarriba Climbs to Entrepreneurship
By Katelyn Allen on Monday, October 28, 2024
Pedro Somarriba’s aspirations for an outdoor career took root during his undergraduate years at the University of Florida. Despite initially pursuing a different path by enlisting in the Army, his love for the outdoors persisted. In 2021, Pedro, now in Fayetteville, decided to follow his passion wholeheartedly.
The idea for Metered Rope came to Pedro during a rock climbing competition at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch in Jasper, Arkansas.
“A pile of free climbing magazines was on the front porch of the ranch’s general store,” Pedro said. “Looking through them, I noticed that climbing rope had not changed much [since] the ‘80s.”
Pedro enrolled in the University of Arkansas’ GORP program, which provided mentorship from professionals in the entrepreneurial outdoor recreational industry. He was connected to lawyers who assisted him in drafting patents, and collaborated with companies for his packaging runs. They also helped build his website and amplify his company’s narrative.
“There was a lot to love about GORP,” Joseph said. “Mostly though, it was stories from the people who turned their good ideas into great startups stories about lessons learned. Those conversations have given me so many ideas.”
Metered Rope’s goal is to patent a machine that can automatically mark ropes in feet and meters to help climbers and rope users make safer decisions. Not only is Pedro patenting Metered Rope, but he’s also started a new company focused on climber education and safety.
“I like to think that my new company, Arkansas Rock Climbing Guides, is turning a love of climbing into full-time jobs, first for my friends, and maybe one day, for me too,” Pedro said.
