HydroGrip is a water bottle with a built-in, spring-loaded hand grip strengthener — designed so users can perform finger resistance exercises while they drink, combining hydration with hand therapy, grip-strength training, and stress relief in a single portable device, without needing to carry a separate grip trainer. The target market spans fitness enthusiasts, office workers and students looking for a portable stress-relief tool, rehabilitation patients recovering from hand injuries or surgery, and athletes in grip-dependent sports like climbing, tennis, or weightlifting. The company presented at BCIC’s September 11, 2025 Startup Texas pitch night for the SBIR/STTR Innovation Competition, a program run by the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation (BCIC) in partnership with UTRGV’s Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Center (ECC) and Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES).
Founder Elvis Garza Ramirez is a UTRGV student who founded HydroGrip in January 2025 as a solo, full-time founder. When he applied in May 2025, he had already filed a provisional patent on the design and was preparing to file a nonprovisional utility patent, alongside developing a working prototype.
At a glance
- Founder: Elvis Garza Ramirez
- Startup Texas program: 2025 Startup Texas SBIR/STTR Innovation Competition
- Pitched at: Startup Texas SBIR/STTR Demo Day 2025