October 26, 2023 · eBridge Center, Brownsville
Five Rio Grande Valley startups closed out an eight-week SBIR/STTR preparation cycle by pitching for $70,000 in seed funding across three awards, funded through the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station and run with the UTRGV Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Center.
The startups
Aetherworks
Hector Valdez, Founder
Direct air carbon capture technology to cut CO2 emissions and serve indoor farms.
Company profile
Embedded
William Brown, Founder
Fitted bedsheets with wireless RFID for non-invasive monitoring of elderly patients.
Company profile
DeCON Environmental
Aram Flores, Founder
Technology that extends septic tank lifespan without harmful chemicals.
Company profile
Pisharodi Electronics
Manuel Narcia, Founder
Non-invasive vibration therapy devices for pain management.
Company profile
MerLion Advisory Group
Arnie Tyler, Founder
Securing maritime operations and resources efficiently and professionally.
Company profile
Judges
- Dr. Lekha Gopalakrishnan, Winstead IP
- Dr. Sylvia Robles, UTRGV
- Jesse Martinez, LSA Global
- David Ortiz, TMAC/UTRGV
Pitch videos
Photos
Want to pitch at the next one? See the current Startup Texas tracks and apply.











