VIA Metropolitan Transit opens Silver Line project office on East Side
VelocityTX deal with Pentagon beefs up collaboration in medical research
InovCares Named Winner of the 2025 Community Health Accelerator
Announcement Made During Guest Lecture by Nationally Recognized AI Leader
SAN ANTONIO (October 16) – VelocityTX and Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. (MHM) announced today that InovCares has been named the winner of the 2025 Community Health Accelerator, a unique entrepreneurial development program designed to support startups with solutions that address the social determinants of health (SDOH) in South Texas and beyond.
The announcement was made by MHM Board Member Erika Prosper during a San Antonio Startup Week event that was hosted at VelocityTX. Following the award presentation, nationally renowned AI thought leader Dr. Harvey Castro delivered a keynote exploring the future of innovation in medicine.
The four startups selected to participate in the 2025 cohort are pioneering innovations designed to address the social determinants of health, including economic mobility, education, access to care, infrastructure, as well as civic and social well-being. The eight-week program provided tailored mentorship, business education, and pitch coaching—with participants presenting their solutions before a panel of judges earlier this month.
InovCares stood out for its innovative approach to maternal health, and judges praised the company’s measurable community impact and scalable business potential. As the 2025 winner, InovCares Founder Mohamed Kamara received $50,000 in non-dilutive funding to accelerate the implementation of their solution.
“We are thrilled to recognize InovCares as this year’s Community Health Accelerator winner,” said Rene Dominguez, President & CEO of VelocityTX. “This program is all about catalyzing real-world solutions to the systemic challenges that drive health disparities, and Mohamed’s maternal care platform exemplifies the kind of innovation that can create lasting impact for our communities.”
The Community Health Accelerator was launched in 2024 as part of a multi-year partnership between VelocityTX and Methodist Healthcare Ministries. Building on its first-year success, the program continues to nurture startups committed to advancing health equity through sustainable, scalable innovation.
“Our collaboration with VelocityTX empowers us to drive innovation and advance sustainable solutions that create meaningful impact at the intersection of business and community across South Texas,” said Jaime Wesolowski, President & CEO of Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. “We applaud InovCare’s bold vision and eagerly anticipate the positive change they will bring to the health and well-being of our communities.”
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About Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc.
Methodist Healthcare Ministries broadens the definition of healthcare by providing low-cost clinical care for the uninsured and by supporting community-led efforts that improve living conditions that cause people to be sick in the first place. We use our earnings as co-owners of Methodist Healthcare to ensure that people who are economically disadvantaged and uninsured can live their healthiest lives. We do this by advocating for, investing in and providing access to quality clinical care and addressing factors that affect health—including economic mobility, supportive relationships, food security, broadband access, and safe neighborhoods. Ultimately, we fulfill our mission of “Serving Humanity to Honor God” by advancing health equity so that more resilient individuals & families living in the 74 counties we serve can thrive.
About VelocityTX
Formerly known as the Texas Research & Technology Foundation, VelocityTX is a nonprofit organization established in 1984 to promote sustainable economic and community growth. In carrying out this mission, the organization seeks to advance San Antonio’s life sciences industry through the development of a state-of-the-art bioscience innovation campus on the city’s near east side. Based out of the former Merchants Ice & Cold Storage complex, the master planned development will bring together established bioscience companies, healthcare startups, and military medical research organizations in an inclusive community where ideas collide to spur medical breakthroughs. VelocityTX also promotes workforce development through its Step Into STEM program, and provides entrepreneurial support services designed to accelerate the commercialization of emerging medical technologies. Learn more at velocitytx.org.
DHA and VelocityTX partner to accelerate military medical innovation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
This strategic partnership, led by DHA’s Research and Engineering Directorate, positions VelocityTX as a trusted operational hub for translational science, agile infrastructure deployment, and cross-sector collaboration.
The Defense Health Agency launched a transformative partnership with VelocityTX, a premier nonprofit bioscience innovation campus in San Antonio’s Innovation District. This partnership aims to accelerate modernization research and development efforts across military medicine.
This strategic partnership, led by DHA’s Research and Engineering Directorate, positions VelocityTX as a trusted operational hub for translational science, agile infrastructure deployment, and cross-sector collaboration. The agreement consolidates existing independent research and development efforts — including those with the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research and the 59th Medical Wing — under a unified, mission-aligned framework.
Structured under the Federal Technology Transfer Act, the agreement sets forth three primary assurances:
- Intellectual property safeguards: robust protections for all parties, while preserving government purpose rights
- Modular collaboration pathways: scalable sub-agreements enable adaptive deployments across regions
- HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)-compliant integration: ethical and secure frameworks for future research operations
“This agreement transforms how military medicine innovates,” said Dr. Diana del Mónaco, DHA’s Regional Research Support Center project lead. “It unlocks the governance, intellectual property safeguards, and translational agility needed to drive mission-focused results at scale.”
San Antonio: A strategic nexus for military medicine
Known as “Military City, USA,” San Antonio is home to Joint Base San Antonio — comprised of Lackland Air Force Base, Fort Sam Houston, and Randolph Air Force Base — and Brooke Army Medical Center, the Department of Defense’s only Level I trauma center. VelocityTX’s proximity to these institutions enables seamless collaboration between military and civilian research ecosystems.
“San Antonio has long been at the forefront of military medical research, with an unmatched concentration of expertise, infrastructure, and mission-driven collaboration,” said Rene Dominguez, chief executive officer of VelocityTX. “This agreement builds on that legacy by connecting our city’s world-class military medical assets with cutting-edge private sector innovation to address critical capability gaps. Together with DHA, we are creating a pathway to rapidly translate new discoveries into solutions that strengthen warfighter readiness and improve care for military families and civilians alike.”
Enhancing partnerships, accelerating innovation
In May 2025, the two agencies hosted the second annual Promoting Professional Engagement Among Military Medical Laboratories, or ProPEL, at the VelocityTX campus. They also worked together on the AIM Health R&D Summit, which convenes military, academic, and industry leaders from across the country to share research and explore opportunities for collaboration.
“Events like ProPEL and AIM enhance research collaborations and synergy between the public and private sectors,” said del Mónaco. “By leveraging the scientific ecosystems VelocityTX is building in the Innovation District of San Antonio, military medical researchers are able to drive advancements and health care solutions aligned with DHA priorities with the ultimate goal of enabling warfighter and military family readiness, catalyze dual-use innovations, and reinforce DHA’s commitment to real-time, real-world readiness.”
The DHA Research and Engineering Directorate leads the discovery of innovative medical solutions responsive to the needs of combatant commands, the military services, and the Military Health System. More information is available at https://www.health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Research-and-Innovation/DHA-Research-and-Engineering-Directorate.
About VelocityTX
Formerly known as the Texas Research & Technology Foundation, VelocityTX is a nonprofit organization established in 1984 to promote sustainable economic and community growth. In carrying out this mission, the organization seeks to advance San Antonio’s life sciences industry through the development of a state-of-the-art bioscience innovation campus on the city’s near east side. Based out of the former Merchants Ice & Cold Storage complex, the master planned development will bring together established bioscience companies, healthcare startups, and military medical research organizations in an inclusive community where ideas collide to spur medical breakthroughs. VelocityTX also promotes workforce development through its Step Into STEM program, and provides entrepreneurial support services designed to accelerate the commercialization of emerging medical technologies. Learn more at velocitytx.org.
| Brian Peters |
| Director of Marketing and Communications VelocityTX |
| brian@velocitytx.org, (210) 904-5984 |