About Us
Accelerating Economic Development in San Antonio
VelocityTX, formerly known as the Texas Research & Technology Foundation, is a nonprofit organization that seeks to advance San Antonio’s life science industry in order to promote sustainable economic and community growth. Leveraging our region’s unique strengths in research, development, and commercialization, VelocityTX carries out this mission through place-based industry clustering, startup support programming, and workforce development. Combined, these efforts are accelerating job creation and investment all across South Texas by positioning San Antonio as a critical hub of connection between academia, industry, and the military medical community.
Our Mission
VelocityTX is San Antonio’s champion for delivering sustainable economic and community growth. We connect, develop, and fund innovative ventures that enhance our bioscience and technology ecosystem.
Core Values
Integrity - Always Doing the Right Thing
- Be Honest
- Provide Fair Treatment
- Demonstrating Strong Moral Principles
- Building Trust Through Every Interaction
- Placing Our Collective Interest Above Ourselves
- Being Reliable and Delivering on Expectations
- Being Unified and Cohesive
Velocity - Moving Success with Magnitude and Direction
- Having a Bias Towards Action
- Demonstrating Skip Counting
- Delivering Impactful Results with Speed
- Working in Parallel
Innovation - Proactively Creating the Next Model
- Accelerating New Ideas
- Sustaining Momentum for New Innovations
- Initiating Change
- Every Experience is a Learning Opportunity
- Being Creative
1983

Our History
Cooke Feasibility Study establishes the viability of a suburban research park in San Antonio.
1984

Our History
The Texas Research & Technology Foundation (TRTF) is founded by Brig. Gen. Robert McDermott and a coalition of business and civic leaders.
1985

Our History
A “Tiger Team” is formed to study model research parks across the United States.
1986

Our History
Concord Oil Founder Tom Pawel and wife Nancy donate 1,500 acres in west Bexar County for the development of the Texas Research Park (TRP).
1986

Our History
The University of Texas Board of Regents votes to establish the Institute of Biotechnology (IBT) at UT Health San Antonio, with plans to locate at TRP.
1987

Our History
Businessman Ross Perot donates $15M for the construction of IBT’s facility at TRP.
1992

Our History
The Cancer Therapy and Research Center (CTRC) opens its institute for Drug Development at TRP.
1996

Our History
CTRC-spinoff ILEX Oncology locates at TRP.
1999

Our History
The Siberry Technical Center opens at TRP.
2000

Our History
UT Health San Antonio establishes the South Texas Center for Biology in Medicine at TRP.
2004

Our History
Genzyme Inc. acquires ILEX Oncology for $1 billion.
2005

Our History
UT Health San Antonio establishes The Barshop Center for Longevity and Aging at TRP.
2010

Our History
The McDermott pre-seed fund is established to support early-stage bioscience companies.
2017

Our History
TRTF purchases Merchants Ice complex with plans to develop an urban innovation campus.
2017

Our History
TRTF establishes subsidiary VelocityTX to promote entrepreneurial development.
2019

Our History
TRTF creates the Community House Trust to provide long-term impact funding.
2019

Our History
Community House acquires Allen & Allen Co.
2020

Our History
Alamo Angels is integrated into the TRTF family of organizations.
2020

Our History
The VelocityTX Innovation Center opens at Merchants Ice Campus.
2020

Our History
GenCure, a subsidiary of BioBridge Global, locates at Merchants Ice Campus.
2021

Our History
North Carolina-based Scorpius BioManufacturing locates at Merchants Ice Campus.
2022

Our History
TRTF purchases G.J. Sutton property, expanding its East Side footprint to 12 contiguous acres.
2023

Our History
TRTF Community House acquires Quality Fence & Welding.
2023

Our History
San Antonio-based TransPecos Bank leads redevelopment of 4-story Merchants Ice building, relocates to campus.
2024

Our History
TRTF celebrates 40th anniversary, rebrands as VelocityTX.
2024

Our History
VelocityTX opens Co-Labs facility, marking completion of the 5-acre Merchants Ice campus redevelopment.
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