Last month, VelocityTX entered into a new strategic engagement with longtime tenant AlexiGen BioTech. Under the agreement, VelocityTX will receive an equity stake in the company in exchange for support, resources and technical assistance.
Over time, this approach provides VelocityTX with a new source of value while strengthening our role in the commercialization of promising technologies. It also creates a framework that can be adapted for future companies based on their potential, stage of growth and specific needs.
New partnerships, statewide relationships, and hands-on exposure are expanding pathways for innovation across San Antonio and beyond.
UT San Antonio President Dr. Taylor Eighmy recently stopped by the campus for a conversation about San Antonio’s innovation economy. The visit marked the latest chapter in a relationship that has helped drive economic growth since the 1980s. Today, our partnership with UT San Antonio spans a range of initiatives including the UTSA PREP program, UT Health’s TechNovum pre-accelerator, and the annual BRDG Health Summit.
Last month, VelocityTX welcomed an Israeli trade delegation and leaders from San Antonio’s military medical community for a focused discussion about potential collaboration in trauma care, prehospital medicine, and defense health. The conversation highlighted opportunities to build stronger international ties around the development, testing, and commercialization of medical technologies.
A delegation from VelocityTX recently toured KBR's R&D center at Brooks, where the legacy of early human spaceflight research now supports modern military readiness. Participants saw an active human-rated centrifuge and gained direct insight into potential partnership, validation, and supply-chain pathways that early-stage companies may not be able to access otherwise.
VelocityTX was honored to host Dr. Tre Pennie, SBA Deputy Regional Administrator for Region VI and members of the SBA San Antonio district office for a campus visit focused on veteran entrepreneurship and defense health innovation. The group met with veteran business leaders and military medical personnel to discuss how federal assistance can help move military medical technologies to the market faster.
VelocityTX President and CEO Rene Dominguez recently spoke on a panel about economic development for the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Alexander E. Briseño Leadership Development Program. The conversation provided an opportunity to share how innovation, entrepreneurship, and place-based investment can support inclusive growth across San Antonio.
Last month, VelocityTX Chief Innovation Officer Jeremy Nelson was invited to tour Texas A&M's RELLIS Technology & Innovation Campus. The visit deepened ties with one of the state’s largest research enterprises and explored a natural partnership pathway connecting San Antonio’s military medical ecosystem with Texas A&M’s disaster-response and emergency-training capabilities.
VelocityTX recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ukrainian-American MedTech Association. The agreement creates a framework for identifying pilot projects, connecting member organizations to VelocityTX programming, and building longer-term collaboration between San Antonio and Ukraine's health innovation ecosystem.
VelocityTX has joined the Coalition for National Trauma Research as an Affiliate member, supporting a coordinated national effort to strengthen trauma research, expand multicenter collaboration, and advocate for sustainable federal funding. The affiliation also creates opportunities for VelocityTX and its network to participate in research initiatives, advocacy efforts, webinars, conferences, and Coalition meetings.
July brought several new faces to the Innovation Center community. Please join us in welcoming Bella Gonzalez, who is joining co-working group Lead Filipino; and Joshua Rechkemmer, a new hire working with the ISR team on campus.
Also joining the campus is VA Director of Rehabilitation Research Dr. Alicia Swan, a longtime ecosystem collaborator and BRDG organizing committee member. Alicia is currently working with our team to establish a partnership agreement that will allow for greater collaboration with the local VA.
Meetings, programs, and community events continue to make VelocityTX a gathering place for partners across San Antonio.
VelocityTX tenants and staff showed up and showed out at our annual Foosball Showdown, moving through the bracket while colleagues and spectators cheered them on. Congratulations to our back-to-back champions, Brian Peters and Sebastian Garzon, who successfully defended their title!
July's Coffee & Conversation event brought the campus together to enjoy delicious Vietnamese coffee from Rice & Cracker and a presentation from tenant AlexiGen BioTech, who discussed the company's history and innovative solutions for wound care and surgical recovery.
A new privacy phone booth is now available near the Innovation Center’s main entrance. The first-come, first-served space gives members and visitors a quiet setting for calls and virtual meetings, with no reservation required.
VelocityTX hosted the San Antonio Independent School District’s Operations Team for a planning meeting, continuing the campus’s role as a flexible gathering place for public-sector and community partners.
Over two days, the Alamo Collegiate Network brought together education leaders at VelocityTX to exchange ideas, align on priorities, and build stronger partnerships in support of student success.
SAGE resumed its small-business cohorts in July with a new program focused on young entrepreneurs. The eight-week curriculum provides participants practical instruction, peer support, and access to the broader Eastside entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Summer programs connected students, teachers, and community partners to hands-on STEM learning and career pathways.
VelocityTX celebrated National Intern Day with a reception honoring this summer's Students+Startups interns — Daniella, Kira, Kya, and Camden — complete with a dirty soda bar. Representing both VelocityTX and Velocity Bioworks, our college cohort has supported projects across the campus, gaining hands-on professional experience and taking on increasing responsibility along the way. Their contributions will leave a lasting mark on the VelocityTX campus.
This summer, VelocityTX hosted its first cohort of UTSA PREP students for a six-day career immersion program held in partnership with campus tenants Velocity Bioworks and BBG Advanced Therapies. During their time on campus, students met with leaders from San Antonio's bioscience ecosystem, built robotic hands, and even got a chance to practice their pitching skills. We're already looking forward to next summer's cohort!
A leadership anniversary and upcoming engagements highlight the relationships and experience helping move VelocityTX forward.
August 5 marks seven years since Rene Dominguez joined VelocityTX. During that time, Rene's leadership has helped strengthen the organization, expand its network of partnerships, and promote San Antonio's leadership in bioscience innovation.
Upcoming engagements include a July 30 ISR tour, an August 5 connection with Innovation Quarter in Winston-Salem, and participation in the WIN Summit at the University of Louisville on August 11.
A roundup of recent podcast conversations and media coverage highlighting VelocityTX and San Antonio’s innovation ecosystem.
Port San Antonio President and CEO Jim Perschbach joined our Vital Signs podcast to discuss the Port’s growth, the value of creative collision, and how his own experience with robotic surgery shaped his perspective on medical innovation. Check it out >
The San Antonio Business Journal recently caught up with Rene to discuss Bexar County’s decision to commit $10 million toward improvements to the South Beach Pavilion at JBSA–Fort Sam Houston. Read the story here >
A snapshot of upcoming campus programs, partner meetings, and community engagement.
Youth entrepreneurship programming continues at VelocityTX.
Board meeting and organizational planning.
David Andrews BBQ visits campus, followed by Students + Startups final presentations.
Conclusion of summer program for Daniella Cenoz and Camden Sims.
Board meeting and organizational planning.
Young entrepreneur programming continues, and VelocityTX hosts Emerge and Rise Inc. for the San Antonio Applied Innovation Council.
High school educators gather at VelocityTX for a professional development session.
Eastside residents and partners review proposed priorities for future infrastructure investment.
Youth entrepreneurship programming continues at VelocityTX.
Bob & Timmy’s serves the VelocityTX campus community.
Youth entrepreneurship programming continues at VelocityTX.
VelocityTX will participate in the Denver Heights and Government Hill meetings and host the SAGE Board and Blood & Tissue Center Foundation Executive Board.