Sept. 19 is the deadline to sign up for RGV LEAD’s new Innovation Hub

Businesses in our region deserve practical, affordable support, and students deserve real-world experiences that prepare them for careers. The Innovation Hub delivers both.”

Eloy Garza, executive board member for RGV LEAD.

EDINBURG, Texas - Sept. 19 is the deadline to sign up for RGV LEAD’s new Innovation Hub. 

The Innovation Hub is a new regional work-based learning program designed to give small businesses affordable, high-quality marketing support while preparing the Rio Grande Valley’s future workforce.

Eloy Garza, an executive board member of RGV LEAD, said the group has been connecting education and industry for the past 30 years. He said the Innovation Hub is designed to create a bridge between employers, higher education, and students.

“This program is a monumental step in the direction we have been working toward for decades,” Garza said. “Businesses in our region deserve practical, affordable support, and students deserve real-world experiences that prepare them for careers. The Innovation Hub delivers both.”

Garza said that through the program, UT-Rio Grande Valley marketing students will partner directly with businesses to provide:

• A customized growth strategy
• 30 ready-to-use marketing assets
• Hands-on collaboration with student teams guided by professors
• Up to five months of support, including a two-month paid intern for select businesses

Garza, a marketing lecturer at UTRGV, said the marketing students will by guided by their professors at UTRV and powered by the Career Bridge, a work-based learning management system designed by Garza. 

Valued at more than $7,000, participation in the Innovation Hub costs only $500 per business.

Here is an in-depth video interview the Rio Grande Guardian conducted with Garza about the Innovation Hub:

Garza also provided this information about the Innovation Hub:

“The Innovation Hub builds on the nationally recognized Student-Led Agency model, which originated in South Texas classrooms. This approach empowers students to operate like a professional agency, working directly with businesses to research markets, design strategies, and deliver actionable solutions.

“Unlike traditional internships, the Student-Led Agency model places students at the center of real-world projects, giving them authentic experiences that build confidence and career readiness. Businesses benefit by receiving professional-quality work at a fraction of the cost, while students gain valuable applied learning opportunities”

Eloy Garza

A Pillar of the Opportunity Ecosystem

Garza said the Innovation Hub is part of RGV LEAD’s Opportunity Ecosystem. He described the Opportunity Ecosystem as a bold regional strategy to align education, workforce, economic development, and industry in one shared framework.

Garza said the Opportunity Ecosystem is designed to create systemic change by:

• Expanding student access to work-based learning
• Strengthening business–education partnerships
• Providing invaluable data to measure impact
• Ensuring students graduate with the skills employers demand

Eloy Garza

“At the center of this ecosystem is RGV LEAD, serving as the intermediary and connector that links schools, colleges, businesses, and workforce organizations. By aligning these efforts, the Opportunity Ecosystem ensures that our region builds student skills, employer talent, community growth, and economic impact,” Garza said.

Applications for The RGV LEAD Innovation Hub are open now, with limited spaces. 

The deadline to apply is September 19.

Interested Businesses can register here: Registration Form

Learn More about the Innovation Hub here: Innovation Hub Flyer  

For more information regarding RGV LEAD, contact interim executive Director Maricela De León: maricela.deleon@rgvlead.org

UTRGV marketing students listen to the advice of Elizabeth Chavez, vice president of development and community engagement at Junior's Supermarket. (Photo credit: Career Bridge)