The TransPecos/El Paso Regional Center of Innovation and Commercialization (RCIC) was founded in 2005 by UTEP and later developed by The Paso del Norte Group in response to the State’s request to have a regional entity capable of identifying and preparing applicants to the State’s Emerging Technology Fund. Today, the RCIC is an independent 501(c) 3 with an interim director, an active board of directors, a diverse advisory council, and numerous partner organizations.

The mission of the RCIC is to help bridge the gaps that inhibit entrepreneurial growth.

The vision of the RCIC is to develop an environment of trust and collaboration amongst government, academia, industry to enhance innovation and commercialization.

Our success is predicated on generating opportunities for commercialization and entrepreneurship that lead to the creation of new high tech businesses and high tech jobs.

The RCIC will build and concentrate the capabilities that will accelerate new venture creation and the attraction of risk capital. In addition, it will serve as a resource to ETF applicants, fund recipients and entrepreneurs in need of a single point of contact for high tech business resources including a service provider directory, entrepreneur mentoring and due diligence coordination.

Our Board of Directors

Our board of directors actively participates in the vetting, mentorship and advocacy process.

Alan Abbott
Yolanda Ahner
Lawrence Chavez
Bob Cook
Cliff Eisenberg
Tony Errera
Alex del Moral
Kathryn Dodson
Miguel Gamino
Miguel Fernandez
Steve Lauterbach
Oscar Ornelas
Frank Stout
Tony Woo

You can read our board member's bios here

Our Advisory Council

The RCIC has developed a network of nearly 50 volunteer advisors with diverse functional and industry backgrounds who evaluate, mentor and referee new ventures for the RCIC. Advisory Council members offer invaluable feedback on deal preparedness and market feasibility.

Our Staff

Eli Velasquez, Interim Executive Director
Mr. Velasquez was hired as the Interim Executive Director for the RCIC in May 2009. Prior to that, he served as the Project Portfolio Director since November 2007. In his current role, Mr. Velasquez is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the organization, building strategic partnerships, and supporting all advanced technological projects. In addition, he works closely with State and local government officials, industry experts, and academic professionals to enhance the RCIC's services and identify emerging technologies with commercial potential.

Upon returning to El Paso in 2005, he was the Technical Director for the Bi-National Sustainability Laboratory, an organization that promotes the commercialization of technology-based projects on the U.S.-Mexico border. He was responsible for developing commercialization and incubation programs, along with intellectual property awareness and protection strategies. Prior to that, Mr. Velasquez worked for The Boeing Company in southern California initially within Boeing's Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) group where he was assigned as one of Boeing's Responsible Engineers on the Delta Family of Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles. In his last two years at Boeing, Mr. Velasquez worked as an Intellectual Property Consultant with Boeing's Intellectual Property Business (IPB) unit.

Mr. Velasquez obtained a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Boston University and his J.D. degree with an Intellectual Property Certificate from Whittier Law School in Costa Mesa, CA.