Our Programs
Our 12 centers and programs provide professional business advising, technical training, research, and strategic planning for entrepreneurs, business owners and community leaders. Our programs serve San Antonio, the Texas-Mexico border area as well as regional, national and international stakeholders. Together with federal, state and local governments, and private businesses, the UTSA Institute for Economic Development fosters economic and community development in support of UTSA’s community engagement mission.
South-West Texas Border Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network
The South-West Texas Border SBDC Network helps Texas businesses start and grow resulting in job creation, economic diversification and business expansion. In partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration, UTSA administers the regional network of 10 SBDC affiliate offices hosted by universities and community colleges in the 79-county region.
http://txsbdc.org
SBDC International Trade Center
The International Trade Center is one of the largest and the most successful trade assistance organizations in the State of Texas. Established in 1992, it provides businesses with high-value trade consulting services, cutting-edge market research and innovative training programs. The International Trade Center’s programs have a proven track-record of delivering technical know-how and support that has helped hundreds of Texas companies enter new markets and become globally competitive.
http://texastrade.org
SBDC Contracting Resource Center
The Contracting Resource Center provides assistance to small business owners wanting to expand their business into federal, state, county, regional and local contracts with government agencies and military installations. CRC staff provides counseling, training and networking opportunities through specialized classes, monthly breakfast meetings, networking events, and one-on-one assistance. The BidMatch Service provides an affordable, customized contracting opportunity search tool for clients of the Contracting Resource Center. The Veterans Assistance and Services program provides the tools necessary to successfully start up, operate, and maintain a profitable small business. The Sustainable Business Program, newly funded by EDA, provides technical assistance, training and counseling to small businesses in sustainable business operations, “green” certifications, and disaster resilience.
http://crc.txsbdc.org
San Antonio Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
The San Antonio SBDC offers integrated services to meet the needs of experienced small business owners as well as individuals interested in starting a business. This SBDC is active in San Antonio and the 10 counties surrounding Bexar County, providing professional, confidential one-on-one business advising services at no charge. In addition to personalized advising services, the SBDC offers low-cost training workshops for both experienced and prospective business owners. These workshops cover a variety of topics to help entrepreneurs start or grow businesses. In 2009, SBDC counselors helped client companies create 775 jobs and retain 666 jobs through more than 10,000 hours of client services.
http://sasbdc.org
SBDC Rural Business Program
The Rural Business Program was established to provide technical assistance, training, and information assistance to businesses, local governments, communities, and agencies engaged in economic, business and community development activities. The program helps rural communities improve their level of collaboration and utilization of regional assets, develop projects leading to the creation of jobs, improving the quality of life, and encouraging public/private partnerships.
http://rbp.txsbdc.org
SBDC National Information Clearinghouse
The SBDC National Information Clearinghouse is dedicated to meeting the needs of 1,100 small business development centers across the United States and its territories by providing timely, relevant research, web-based information and training services to SBDC counselors and their clients. Since its inception in 1998, the Clearinghouse has responded to more than 50,000 requests.
http://sbdcnet.org
Sustainable Business Program
The goal of the Sustainable Business Program is to assist small businesses in Bexar, Nueces and San Patricio counties in the practices of sustainability from both an economic and environmental perspective. SBP advisors have a broad range of experiences and skills, and their mission is to keep up with the latest issues, trends and challenges facing small businesses, as to help businesses adopt sustainable practices that are good for the environment, as well as the company’s bottom line. SBP workshops and advising sessions cover topics such as disaster resilience, environmentally responsible purchasing, LEED certification, sustainable manufacturing and small business sustainability.
http://sustainabletx.org/
Center for Community and Business Research
The Center for Community and Business Research (CCBR) is dedicated to serving the needs of economic development agencies, workforce development boards, businesses, associations, city, state and federal governments and other community stakeholders in search of information to make better informed decisions. CCBR develops, conducts, and reports on research projects that shed light on how organizations, communities, or the economy work. The CCBR conducts regional evaluation, assessment, and long-term applied research on issues related to community and business development.
http://ccbr.iedtexas.org
Southwest Trade Adjustment Assistance Center
The Southwest Trade Adjustment Assistance Center assists U.S. manufacturing and service firms in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma that are hurt by foreign competition to regain profitable growth. By providing management consulting and strategic business planning services to manufacturers and service firms, the Southwest TAAC helps businesses compete in a global marketplace. Working in tandem with the U.S. Economic Development Administration, Southwest TAAC helps these firms define their needs and secure and coordinate professional consulting services.
http://swtaac.org
Gulf Oil Spill Disaster Adjustment Assistance
The Gulf Oil Spill Disaster Adjustment Assistance center was established to provide assistance to small businesses located within 60 geographic miles from the coast/marshes of Louisiana and Texas that are affected by the British Petroleum 2010 oil spill. Service companies, manufacturers, retailers and wholesalers are eligible to apply.
http://gosdaa.org/
MBDA Business Center
The MBDA Business Center helps growing minority business enterprises increase profits and employment in today’s marketplace by providing targeted management and technical assistance services. Since 1982, the program has served over 3,500 businesses in the San Antonio MSA with a variety of management assistance services, including financial analyses, loan and bond packaging, strategic planning, government contracting, MBE, DBE, HUB and 8(a) certifications, marketing, public relations and advertising services. The MBEC primarily works with established minority-owned businesses that have at least $1 million annual revenues and seeking rapid growth.
http://sanantoniombc.org/
Startech
To foster and support emerging technologies and technology commercialization, the Institute for Economic Development serves as host to Startech, the region’s premiere technology accelerator. Startech inspires technology innovation and commercialization, creates technology companies, and grows them into viable businesses in the South Texas regional economy. Startech’s portfolio clients raised over $67 million in private financing in 2010. From 2003 through the end of 2010, Startech portfolio clients have received more than $226 million in external financing to build their businesses and have reported direct creation of 579 new high-technology jobs.
http://startech1.org/
