OCTOBER 24, 2024 — UTSA took center stage as the headliner for San Antonio Startup Week’s inaugural “higher education day,” marking the university’s prominent role in the local startup ecosystem.
Hosted by the UTSA Najim Center for Innovation and Career Advancement, the student-led panel “Rowdy X Innovation Chat: Disrupting the Status Quo” highlighted the entrepreneurial talent within the university community and its growing influence in the local startup ecosystem.
The panel was coordinated and moderated by Anna Almaraz ’23, a UTSA M.B.A. student, venture analyst with the UTSA Najim Center for Innovation and Career Advancement, and founder of marketing agency Social Sophie Marketing LLC. It featured winners of the 2023 Big Rowdy Idea Pitch Competition, who shared their unique journeys, each demonstrating how they are challenging norms to bring their bold ideas to life.
Panelists included:
Each student discussed the challenges and rewards of transforming their passions into businesses, offering insights into entrepreneurship, innovation, and leadership.
“As UTSA continues to play a pivotal role in fostering the next generation of innovators, events like this panel highlight the university’s commitment to empowering students to lead in San Antonio’s growing entrepreneurial landscape,” said Erica Clark, director of innovation and entrepreneurship at the UTSA Najim Center.
San Antonio Startup Week is an annual initiative organized by Geekdom that brings together thousands of entrepreneurs and startups for a mix of educational panels, actionable workshops, and networking opportunities.
View photos from the panel discussion below:
Doubra Azazi (middle) is an information systems major.
Azazi won first place in the 2023 Big Rowdy Idea competition for his clothing brand, Elisium.
Amina Thomas, M.A. ’23 (right) is a doctoral student in environmental science.
Thomas is also the founder and CEO of Nourish’d Seeds LLC, which fosters sustainable food systems.
Anna Almaraz ’23 (left) was the moderator for the panel.
Almaraz, who is now pursuing her M.B.A. at UTSA, is the recipient of the 2023 Harvey Najim Future Texas Business Legend award from the Texas Business Hall of Fame.
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