By Andy Garcia
Over the last few years, I’ve kept seeing the same pattern across the Valley.
Cities, EDCs, schools, and businesses know they need to modernize. They’re hearing about AI, automation, data, digital transformation… but when it’s time to actually do something, they’re not sure who to call or where to start.
At the same time, there’s a growing group of engineers, developers, analysts, and tech-minded people who live in this region and want to work on real problems here. A lot of them feel like their only option is to leave the Valley or work remotely for companies that have nothing to do with our communities.
The STX Data & AI Network was created to sit in the middle of that gap. To give local talent a place to gather. And to give local organizations a real path to local solutions.
We’re now around 60 members and quickly moving toward 100. As far as I know, this is the largest Tech & AI community in the region—and we understand the responsibility that comes with that.
Andy Garcia, president of Allied Consulting Group Texas.
What the STX Data & AI Network Actually Is
At its core, the network is simple:
- A community where local tech talent connects daily, shares ideas, asks questions, creates & builds.
- A monthly in-person meeting during the second week of each month at the Pharr Global Business Hub, where we sit down, talk about real work, real problems, and real opportunities in South Texas.
You’ll find a mix of:
- Software, mechanical, and manufacturing engineers
- Data and BI analysts
- Developers and coders
- Designers and product-minded people
- Educators and researchers
- Economic development professionals, nonprofit leaders, and people from the public sector
It’s not a fan club for AI. It’s a working room. The goal is to bring enough talent into a consistent space that collaboration and opportunity become normal.
What We’re Building With the Region
Because of the support from partners like the Pharr EDC and the Pharr Global Business Hub, this network is plugged directly into real challenges from real organizations.
Together, we’re starting to shape what a regional tech and AI ecosystem can look like. Some of the ideas on the table include:
- A mentor program for small businesses, pairing them with experienced professionals who can help them think through systems, data, and technology.
- Career & Hiring Programs for Local Talent: job-fair style events, employer matchmaking sessions, and hiring roundtables designed to help members in the network connect with full-time roles in the region that match their skills and aspirations.
- A student mentorship track for high school and college students who want honest insight on careers in engineering, data, and tech.
- Industry sessions where sectors like manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, or trade come in to talk about their reality—opportunities, bottlenecks, and what kind of tech support they actually need.
- Hands-on learning sessions led by members on tools like Python, SQL, Power BI, Tableau, or AI platforms—practical skills, not theory.
- Data and AI workshops for small businesses, focused on what’s real, what’s useful, and what’s doable on a local budget.
- Hack-style problem-solving events, where members tackle specific regional challenges with data and AI.
These are conversations already happening with local EDCs, cities, and organizations. The network becomes the bridge: problems on one side, talent on the other.
The Value for Members
If you’re an engineer, developer, analyst, or AI/tech enthusiast in South Texas, here’s what this network is designed to give you:
- Connection to real opportunities. Through partnerships and relationships with EDCs, cities, nonprofits, and businesses, members get access to:
- A place to practice and grow. You’re not just reading about AI or data online—you’re surrounded by people who are building things, testing ideas, and sharing what works.
- Peers who take the work seriously. You meet people who speak your language: engineers who ship, analysts who love clean data, developers who care about architecture, and people who want to build useful things—not just talk about them.
- Potential cofounders and partners. If you’re interested in startups or side projects, this is the kind of room where those conversations happen naturally. People notice who shows up, who contributes, and who executes.
- A chance to work on meaningful local projects. Some of the most interesting work in the Valley over the next decade will involve data, systems, and AI. The network positions you close to those projects, alongside other talented professionals.
What We Stand For
At a high level, the network is built around a few simple beliefs:
- The Valley has the talent to solve many of its own challenges.
- That talent deserves a consistent place to connect and create.
- Local organizations should have access to local experts they can trust and build with over time.
- When you connect enough good people in a focused way, good things happen—for them and for the region.
We’re not trying to be everything. We’re trying to be useful.
An Invitation
If you work in:
- engineering
- software development
- data or analytics
- machine learning / AI
- or you’re serious about moving into those fields
and you live anywhere from Brownsville to Laredo, you’re invited.
This network is for people who want to:
- stay rooted in South Texas
- do meaningful, challenging work
- build with others instead of working in isolation
- be close to where the region’s next wave of projects and opportunities will come from
You’ll get connected to:
- contract opportunities when they come up
- potential full-time roles through relationships and referrals
- other builders who will push you, challenge you, and collaborate with you
We’re meeting once a month at the Pharr Global Business Hub, in partnership with the Pharr EDC, and the conversations in that room are only getting more interesting as the network grows.
We’re on the way to 100 members. If this resonates with you, I’d like you to be one of them.
Join the network, show up, and let’s see what we can build for this region—together.
Text "AI NETWORK" to: 956-503-1217 or email "AI NETWORK" to: Network@AlliedConsultingGroup.com.
Editor's Note: The above commentary was provided by Andy Garcia, president and CEO of Allied Consulting Group. The commentary appears in the RGG Business Journal with the permission of the author.
