Tech Bloc Bi-Weekly Newsletter🚀
December 5, 2024
📰 In this Issue:
1️⃣ Tech Bloc Announcements
2️⃣ San Antonio Tech News
4️⃣ Events
5️⃣ Stay Engaged
Tech Day x Tech Fuel: A Day to Remember!
On November 15, Tech Bloc hosted Tech Day x Tech Fuel at the Boeing Center at Tech Port, beginning with an impactful giveaway of 300 laptops and backpacks to KIPP students—empowering the next generation of tech innovators. From inspiring pitches to meaningful connections, this event truly showcased the power of innovation and community. 💡
The day featured an incredible lineup of panelists leading insightful sessions and engaging discussions that energized our vibrant tech scene.
Watch Tech Day’s Recap 👇🏼
A HUGE thank you to our amazing volunteers, whose dedication and hard work made the day seamless, and to everyone who joined us in celebrating the spirit of collaboration and creativity. 🙌 Your support and enthusiasm are what make moments like these possible!
Here's to pushing boundaries, sharing ideas, and building the future together. 💻✨ Until next time!
In the evening, we hosted San Antonio’s Largest Cash Prize Pitch Competition, TECH FUEL powered by Bexar County Economic Development Fund where we awarded over $150K in award money and prizes.
Watch the Tech Fuel recap 👇🏼
Share Your Input: Help Us Strengthen San Antonio’s Business Community
Tech Bloc is proud to partner with greater: SATX Regional Economic Partnership to launch the Business Wellness Survey. Local employers drive 80% of new jobs across major U.S. metros, which is why it’s critical to support the businesses already thriving here in San Antonio.
We’re teaming up with Greater SATX, chambers of commerce, and industry groups to hear directly from you—our business community. Your input will shape key initiatives like:
Business Travel: Tell us what direct flight routes your team needs.
Workforce Development: Help align training programs with your workforce needs.
Ease of Business: Identify ways to improve operations and remove barriers.
Take a few minutes to share your insights and help us build a stronger business environment.
Trade Mission to Bogota and Medellin this January 🇨🇴
We are thrilled to partner with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for our upcoming Trade Mission to Bogotá and Medellín, Colombia, taking place from January 19-24, 2025.
Your participation and support are invaluable as we work together to strengthen international ties and drive San Antonio’s economic growth across borders.
This extraordinary journey offers:
• The chance to explore new business opportunities.
• Direct engagement with influential Colombian leaders.
• Rich cultural experiences to foster understanding and collaboration.
• A platform to bolster international business connections.
Save the Date and stay tuned for more details!
Interested participants can register below:
Registration deadline: January 2nd, 2024.
San Antonio Tech and Business News
From groundbreaking innovations to exciting developments, stay tuned for a tech-filled journey that promises to shape the future.
Texas is being overrun by data centers. Can the state’s electric grid handle it?
CPS Energy is actively working to plan for extreme growth in electricity demand over the next decade as new data centers come online in the state, executives told the utility’s board of trustees on Monday.
Because San Antonio is located in the geographic center of Texas, CPS Energy will have to play a large part in upping the transmission capacity of electricity within the state as data centers continue to pop up across the state, said Elaina Ball, the utility’s chief strategy officer.
CPS Energy expects to spend about $1.3 billion on transmission projects over the next five years to add a load-serving capacity of 1 gigawatt — enough electricity to power about 750,000 homes — to help Texas carry the demand load that new data centers will be generating, Chief Energy Delivery Officer Richard Medina said.
Source: San Antonio Report
5 of the biggest cyber security challenges facing Texas businesses — and what you can do about them
Business owners in all industries face increasingly complex challenges in securing their operations. While more processes are being digitized and incorporating AI, new vulnerabilities are constantly emerging.
Here cyber security experts at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) share some of the most critical threats facing business owners and the latest, most cutting-edge technologies to guard against them.
Source: San Antonio Business Journal
USAA donates $2M to UTSA for new college of AI, cybersecurity
The University of Texas at San Antonio announced that its newest college focused on artificial intelligence and cybersecurity has a name. The new college is being named in honor of a $2 million donation by USAA, one-third of which will be allocated for scholarships to students enrolling in the new college.
The University of Texas System Board of Regents approved the naming of the USAA Student Success Center for three years this week, according to a news release by UTSA.
The college announced the new college dedicated to artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, computing, data science and related disciplines in January. The gift will "establish a student success center and data repository in the new college," including student scholarships and providing opportunities for students like internships, externships, co-ops, faculty coaching and mentorship.
Source: MYSA
Uber Eats launches food delivery robots in Austin from Avride
As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, so has the way we're traveling and getting our food. The days of standard food delivery and rideshare drivers are becoming less common and one Central Texas city is seeing a big change.
Uber has launched delivery robots and driverless cars with Avride to consumers in Austin, according to a news release. Last week, their delivery partnership began with Uber Eats' sidewalk robots zipping through the city's downtown streets, bringing food to hungry Austinites.
“Autonomous mobility and delivery hold a ton of promise for consumers and communities," Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in the October announcement. "We’re excited to partner with Avride to bring their technology to more people in more places, as they continue to scale.”
Source: MYSA
BlackWolf, an armed driver ridesharing app, to launch in Texas in 2025
A popular rideshare app known for offering rides with armed drivers is coming to Texas. BlackWolf, which prides itself in providing safe, reliable and professional ride shares, is planning to roll out its services in Austin, Houston and Dallas, according to a statement from the company's founder, Kerry KingBrown.
Through online polls and feedback, KingBrown told MySA the company "learned that there is significant demand in the great state of Texas" for the app, more specifically in those three cities.
Source: MYSA
Everything we know about San Antonio's 'Project Marvel'
The long-discussed plans for a sports and entertainment district in downtown San Antonio just took a giant step closer to becoming a reality. It’s a big change to the downtown landscape, but there are some concerns among San Antonio City Council, including another failed promise mirrored in the big business boom the Frost Bank Center was supposed to bring to the Eastside.
“It’s not just a facelift,” Mayor Ron Nirenberg said, calling it a comprehensive change to the downtown district that will build a more desirable downtown. To him, downtown is becoming a place that people want to be – a debatable statement, but one which is backed by a growing number of pedestrian-focused spaces in a downtown landscape that has favored vehicles and quick trips for decades.
Source: MYSA
AITX San Antonio - Monthly Meetup
AITX is a monthly meetup for AI entrepreneurs, operators, and enthusiasts in San Antonio, Texas. At AITX, we're passionate about fostering a diverse and thriving AI community in San Antonio where like-minded individuals can connect with each other, share ideas, and inspire innovation.
📍Location: Boeing Center at Tech Port
⏰ Time: 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
📆 Dates: Tuesday, December 10, 2024
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