The starting point for entrepreneurs in Brownsville.

eBridge Business Academy is a hands-on business fundamentals program designed for individuals ready to turn their ideas into real, strong, and successful ventures right here in Brownsville. Offered also in Spanish.

Apply for the next cohort

What Is eBridge Business Academy?

eBridge Business Academy is the BCIC’s entrepreneurship education program, facilitated by UTRGV ECC and housed at eBridge, the largest incubator and business resource hub in the Rio Grande Valley.

The Academy serves as a structured starting point for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs seeking clarity, confidence, and momentum, as well as for current business owners looking to refine their operations and meet a network of mentors.

This program is offered at no cost, thanks to BCIC sponsorship. It is designed for entrepreneurs who are serious about building something real, with accountability, practical tools, and steady progress over time.

Apply to eBridge Academy
Logo for Brownville Community Improvement Corporation featuring a stylized letter B with an upward arrow, with text indicating it is a business under the Economic Development Corporation.

Sponsored by

Facilitated by

Logo for the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Center

Upcoming program dates:

  • January 13 to February 24, 2026 (Spanish)

  • April 1 to May 13, 2026 (English & Spanish)

  • May 13 to June 24, 2026 (English & Spanish)

  • June 16 to July 28, 2026 (English & Spanish)

  • July 15 to August 26, 2026 (English & Spanish)

  • August 4 to Sept. 15, 2026 (English & Spanish)

Classes are taught once a week over 7 weeks.

Must attend all sessions in person.

Dates may change.

Who is this program for?

eBridge Business Academy is designed for:

  • Aspiring entrepreneurs with a business idea but no clear roadmap.

  • Early-stage founders who want to validate demand and reduce risk.

  • Small business owners looking to formalize, strengthen, or grow.

  • First-time entrepreneurs seeking guidance, structure, and community.

    If you’re motivated but unsure about your next move, this program meets you where you are and helps you move forward.

A man standing in front of a blue wall with the eBridge logo giving a presentation to seated attendees in a conference room. The room has large windows, two projection screens, and banners related to startups and entrepreneurship.

How the program works

eBridge Business Academy is a seven-session cohort-based program built around structured practical instruction and local expertise.

Participants progress together through topics that include:

  • Business concept development.

  • Customer discovery and validation.

  • Value propositions and MVPs.

  • Financial and operational fundamentals.

  • Preparing for launch or next-stage growth.

This free program adapts to the entrepreneurs in the room, ensuring relevance, clarity, and momentum.

A woman is speaking into a microphone while holding papers during a presentation at a conference. A screen next to her displays the text 'KAUFFMAN FAST TRAC NEXT STEPS.' Several people are seated, facing the speaker, with some taking notes or listening attentively.

Learn from people from your community.

One of the defining features of eBridge Business Academy is local expertise.

Each session is complemented by:

  • Business owners who have gone through BCIC and eBridge programs

  • Program alumni who’ve built and launched real ventures

  • Local partners and subject-matter experts

They don’t just share wins. They share trade-offs, mistakes, and lessons learned the hard way. This grounds the Academy in reality and reinforces that success is possible here, in Brownsville.

Apply to the next cohort

Program Graduate Spotlight

  • A man and a woman smiling and standing together inside a restaurant or cafe, both wearing black shirts with a 'Main Street' logo. The background features a wall with a purple neon sign that reads 'this or be the p...'.

    Main Street Deli

    Hector & Diana Zavala (Class of 2019)

  • A young man wearing a plaid shirt and khaki pants, standing in a bookstore with a name tag that says 'Gilbert', smiling at the camera.

    Búho Bookstore

    Gilbert Hernandez (Class of 2022)

  • Smiling man with a beard wearing a gray apron standing behind a kitchen counter in a cafe or restaurant.

    Warbler Coffee

    Omar Garza (Class of 2022)

  • A man and a woman smiling inside a room with white brick wall background. The man is wearing a dark gray long-sleeve shirt and jeans, and the woman is wearing a maroon long-sleeve shirt and jeans.

    956 Coffee

    Lorena Montiel (Class of 2022)

  • Two smiling employees in black polo shirts with 'La Pale' logo, holding popsicles inside a colorful frozen fruit bar shop.

    La Pale Frozen Fruit Bar

    Daisy Alcazar (Class of 2023)

  • Woman standing outdoors next to a blackboard sign with juice menu, giving a thumbs up, wearing sunglasses and a red t-shirt, underneath a white canopy with a striped tablecloth behind her.

    Juices by Trisha

    Trisha Varela (Class of 2023)

  • A young woman with shoulder-length dark hair, wearing a lime green sweater, standing indoors in front of a decorated wall with framed pictures and a sign that says 'PEACE & HOLY.' She is smiling and has one hand on her hip. There are decorative items and a basket of ornaments on a table to her left.

    Hare & Holly

    Ashlee Whittemore (Class of 2023)

  • A woman with long dark hair smiling and looking at a cupcake with purple frosting she is holding in her hand.

    Vegangela

    Angela Castro (Class of 2023)

  • Three people standing outside a building, holding ice cream bars, smiling, and posing for a photo.

    Pop-i Icecream

    Josh Contreras (Class of 2024)

  • Two restaurant employees, a woman and a man, wearing black polo shirts with a logo, standing inside a restaurant with wooden tables and chairs and hanging wicker lights.

    Todo Natural

    Eva Moreno (Class of 2024)

  • A woman in sunglasses smiling and holding a bag of beef jerky at a beach with palm trees and a mountain in the background.

    Frontier Beef Jerky

    Lynda Jaramillo (Class of 2024)

  • A woman with brown hair wearing a floral slip dress standing against a white background.

    Nadia Garber Photography

    Nadia Garber (Class of 2024)

  • A man with a beard and dark hair wearing a dark baseball cap and a blue striped short-sleeve shirt, standing outside a store with a glass window displaying the logo 'Whiskero' and the text 'Celebrate Life, Est. 2024, Sip by Sip'.

    Whiskero

    Martin Cavazos (Class of 2024)

Ready to start?

Apply to the eBridge Business Academy

Our Partners

Colorful logo featuring stylized popsicles and the text 'Lape Frozen Fruit Bar'.
Cobalt Digital Marketing logo with a digital mosaic design and stylized text.
LiftFund logo with text 'A Nonprofit Community Lender'
Harmony Insurance Group logo in blue text on a white background.
TXQ Ribs logo featuring the shape of Texas with a star.
The logo of the American Red Cross, featuring a red cross symbol and the text 'American Red Cross' in gray.
Logo of Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation (BCIC) with blue and dark blue text and a stylized blue lightning bolt
UTRGV Entrepreneurship & Commercialization Center logo with orange and gray text.
Supply Pay logo with a globe inside a location pin icon.
BML logo with text for Burton McGumber & Longoria, LLP, CPAs & Advisors.
PeopleFund logo with stylized green plant sprouting from the letter 'P' in 'People'.
US PTO logo with a blue rectangle and lowercase black letters 'uspto'.
Logo for Quillio Studio featuring text with a stylized red quill graphic.
Logo for America's SBDC Texas South-West with a curved line and star above the text.
Black and white drawing of a cartoon character with a large head and small body, holding an item, with text in the background.
U.S. Small Business Administration logo with blue, red, and black text on a black background.
UTRGV Apex Accelerator logo on a black background

eBridge Business Academy Frequently Asked Questions

  • eBridge Business Academy is a BCIC-sponsored entrepreneurship education program facilitated by UTRGV ECC and housed within eBridge. The Academy supports entrepreneurs at multiple stages, whether they are shaping a new idea, validating a business pivot, or preparing to scale an existing venture.

  • The eBridge Business Academy is for:

    • People with a business idea who don’t know where to start.

    • Early-stage founders who want to validate or refine their concept.

    • Existing small business owners considering a pivot or preparing to grow.

    You do not need a finished business plan. You do need a willingness to learn, test ideas, and actively participate.

  • No. Many participants enter the Business Academy with just an idea. Others may already have a business and are looking to strengthen their foundation. Both are welcome.

  • eBridge Business Academy is not a one-time event. It’s a multi-session, cohort-based program that builds week over week. Content adapts to the entrepreneurs in the room, and each session is complemented by local business owners, alumni, and subject-matter experts who share their real-world experiences.

  • The Business Academy is facilitated by UTRGV Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Center (ECC) and supported by BCIC. In addition to core facilitators, each cohort engages with local entrepreneurs, program alumni, partners, and experts who bring lived experience into the room.

  • There is no cost to participate. eBridge Business Academy. It is sponsored by the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation (BCIC) to ensure access regardless of background or income.

  • The program is regularly distributed in 7 sessions.

    Offered in 2 formats:

    • Bi-weekly evening classes. Usually 4 to 7 pm.

    • Sprint Format. Usually from 10 am to 1 pm.

    Each date is offered in a specific format. The application page will have more details.

    Participants should expect to attend all scheduled sessions and complete light, practical work between meetings.

  • The course is available in both English and Spanish. Each date will specify the language of the session.

  • Graduates are encouraged to stay engaged with eBridge, UTRGV, and BCIC through follow-on programs, mentorship opportunities, workspace access, financing resources, and ecosystem partnerships. The Academy is meant to be a starting point, not an endpoint.

  • Space is limited. Participants are selected based on the clarity of their idea, their readiness, commitment, and alignment with the program’s goals. The selection process is designed to build a cohort that benefits from shared learning and peer accountability.