On Friday, March 19, 2021, UTSA CITE will host the semi-annual Technology Entrepreneurship Boot Camp for the region, which targets new and emerging technology entrepreneurs. The Bootcamp offers an intensive crash course on the commercialization of new technologies. Since its inception in the Spring of 2007, over 4000 participants have completed the boot camp. It is a great educational program for new aspiring entrepreneurs and an amazing opportunity for them to network with business and community leaders. Two panels of experts will discuss the technology entrepreneurship process. The first panel of early-stage entrepreneurs will discuss their personal experiences of challenges and rewards connected to entrepreneurial activity. The discussion will shed light on entrepreneurial activities such as opportunity identification, business planning and pitching, social media, public relations and branding, and local resources available for startups. The second panel of entrepreneurial incubator experts will focus on various opportunities to start a San Antonio company. Please tune in with the zoom link below to learn more about starting a high-tech company.

David Fonseca Vice President of Global Business Development at Velocity TX 

David helped over 130 companies in 14 different industries. He currently, assist companies to go global. Certified in proven methodologies such as WKI and Growth Wheel. David serves as the point of contact for the Alliance of Texas Angel Networks (ATAN) which has 15 angel networks who serve 632 accredited angel investors. Committed to foster entrepreneurship around the world, David has spoken and trained coaches across in over 12 countries (USA, Denmark, Qatar, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Russia, and more).

Ben Hodge Media Lab Director in the Department of Communication, Texas A&M CEO, EEVET Inc. 

Ben’s entrepreneurial experience and college career have trained him in research methods and critical thinking to locate, extrapolate, and visualize patterns that are useful in solving real-world issues. Ben’s goal is to apply these skills in creative and innovative ways for his community. To date, this has led to solutions focused on transparency and equal access to opportunity in the creation of EEVET, Inc. An Intelligent Booking Marketplace for Indie Artist and Venues.

Ian Howard Co-Founder at Abstract Engineering LLC 

Ian is the founder of Abstract Engineering, a Blackstone Launchpad alum, and received his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from UT Austin in 2017. Ian created Shower Stream, a product that helps hotels save water and money on their utility bills.

Andi Littlejohn Chief of The Epicenter Energy Incubator and Accelerator (EEIA) 

Andi Littlejohn is the Chief of the EPIcenter Energy Incubator and Accelerator (EEIA). The mission of the EEIA is to become the hub of thought-leading innovation, commercially viable technologies, and infrastructure services relating to the delivery of energy innovation. Since its launch in December 2017, five programs have emerged in which 12 startups are enrolled representing, Texas, New York, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Toronto. In addition to overseeing the EEIA and its five programs, Andi is an active coach to the EEIA’s startups and is a mentor for student teams participating in the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) Center for Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship (CITE) program. Andi is a trained business coach with certifications in Wendy Kennedy’s “So what? Who cares? Why you?®” methodology and Growth Wheel. She graduated with a B.A. from Texas A&M University and holds a M.A. from Johns Hopkins University.

Washington Navarro Founder and Director of Business Development at The Entrepreneurial World 

Washington’s Entrepreneurial development started with his family's rice farms and construction company, both in Ecuador. Later a restaurant in Queens, New York. Founder of Nenter.LLC a company dedicated to developing digital services. Four years in McDonald's and seven years in Bank of America have made him flip burgers, manage teams, manage daily transitions for a total of over a million dollars, to win national awards for team performance. At UTSA, he helped build relationships with people, organizations, and companies worldwide to develop a global college student mindset. Washington’s latest project is developing a digital platform for college entrepreneurs in various markets with "The Entrepreneurial World" for the English market and "El Mundo del Emprendimiento" for the Spanish market. This project reflects his passion for people, their culture, the importance of networking, and the understanding of the parts forming a company.

Kerry Valderrama President/Writer/Director at Alamo City Studios 

Kerry Valderrama is a former airborne infantryman with the 82nd Airborne Division and served as a team leader in Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom. Since working in the entertainment industry, Kerry has directed, produced, and written two award-winning feature films, numerous commercials, music videos, created a comic book series (distributed through Diamond Comics), as well as an award-winning screenplay "Memories of a Hundred" that among other credits, became a 2010 Nicholls Semi-Finalist.