Largest entrepreneurial center south of San Antonio to be built in Brownsville

Brownsville is set to build the largest entrepreneurial center south of San Antonio.

The center will cover 36,000 square feet of space at a two-story building the City of Brownsville currently owns – 1304 E. Adams Street in Brownsville. An additional 24,000 square feet of space on the same block, which is connected, brings the total square footage to 60,000.

Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation, Brownsville’s ‘type b’ economic development organization, is spearheading the project. It was approved by Brownsville City Commission at a recent commission meeting.

The purpose of the center is to create and foster scalable local businesses. The project is tentatively being called the ‘eBridge’, or the Center for Business & Commercialization.

BCIC listed 20 “entrepreneurial assets” the new center will house:

• Business Incubation
• Global Launch Pad/Technology Launch Pad
• Virtual Incubator Space
• Business Planning & Development Workshops
• Market Research
• Educational Speaking Series
• B2B Networking Events
• Technology Commercialization Opportunities
• Mentoring Network
• Global Soft Landing Pad
• Small Business Boot Camps
• DreamBuilder Academy
• Small Business Tool Series Workshop
• “One-on-One” Counseling
• Venture Capitalist Network
• Entrepreneur-in-Residence
• Building, Health & Fire Code Workshops
• Small Business Administration (SBA) Capital Opportunities
• 1MillionCups
• Kauffman FastTrac

BCIC said the project was carefully designed by partners that include the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley, the City of Brownsville, Brownsville Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Women’s Business Center of the Rio Grande Valley to address several challenges found in Brownsville, Texas. 

Among those challenges are sustainability for business startups and the need to access capital for entrepreneurs. A venture capital firm will be involved in the project, along with the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation, Brownsville’s ‘type’ economic development organization.

In a news release, BCIC said the project will serve as the “catalytic piece that ties in several community assets that bridge the gap between entrepreneurs and business opportunities found in the community’s current and emerging industries through its partnerships with UTRGV’s research and development facility, STARGATE and the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation (GBIC) upcoming advance manufacturing research and development facility.”

BCIC predicted “eBridge” will address identified challenges by consolidating many, if not all, of the business resources and programs needed “to create a healthy environment for those seeking to start up a sustainable business, expand a business or relocate it within the community.”

“It has been a tremendous opportunity and win for the community to be able to design a project of this stature. Our economic development organization, BCIC, and its key strategic partners are looking forward to the success of entrepreneurs in our community.”

BCIC is also working with the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council on the project.

BCIC is working on a “Request for Proposal” process to attract engineers and architects that wish to work on the project. A groundbreaking ceremony could be held by mid-Summer.