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 bourgeoning 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
Bob Cook
Steve DeGroat
Alex del Moral
Kathryn Dodson
Miguel Fernandez
Todd Fowler, Co-chair
Miguel Gamino, Co-chair
Steve Lauterbach
Oscar Ornelas
Pablo Salcido
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

Beto Pallares, Executive Director
Mr. Pallares serves as the Executive Director of the TPEP RCIC, and in this capacity he’s responsible for the day-to-day management of the organization. Mr. Pallares has a diverse work history, commencing with his role as a strategy consultant for EDS A.T. Kearney and Abt Associates in the Northeastern United States. He cofounded Dalmex Business Technology Partners, a software consultancy and development shop with Fortune 1000 clients. He’s also worked in the telecommunications industry in the United States and abroad, heading the business development and marketing efforts for a multinational in Latin America covering 12 countries. He was responsible for scouting for infrastructure redundancy resources and partners in the volatile emerging markets the company covered, as well forming part of the company’s capital raising team. His experience includes work as a project manager in New York City’s financial services industry for a start-up firm, Capital IQ, primarily developing the firm’s value proposition across multiple business lines. He leverages his business start-up and consulting background to develop and provide the services the TPEP RCIC offers. Mr. Pallares holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in Economics from Brandeis University and a Master’s in Business Administration at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). He is also on track to defend his dissertation to satisfy the requirement toward a PhD in International Business.

Eli Velasquez, Assistant Director
Mr. Velasquez was hired as Assistant Director for the RCIC in November 2007. In this capacity, Mr. Velasquez is responsible for managing, supporting, and maintaining all advanced technological projects. In addition, he works closely with the Executive Director, local government officials, industry experts, and academic professionals to enhance the RCIC's services, identify new emerging technologies, and bring in new projects. He assists in the development and promotion of commercialization strategies and helps to develop intellectual property protection strategies, assist in enhancing existing strategies, and promote intellectual property awareness. 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.

Adam Corrado, Portfolio Analyst
Adam Corrado was hired in January as Portfolio Analyst for the Trans-Pecos / El Paso Regional Center of Innovation and Commercialization. In this capacity he drives the TPEP RCIC's due diligence process including capitalization structuring, IP strategy & licensing agreements, management assessment, and industry analysis. He also works with client companies to best tailor their approach to investors. Adam was most recently co-founder and CEO of EP Solar, a solar energy service provider incubated by the Bi-National Sustainability Laboratory. Before that he worked on Google's AdWords team in Mountain View, CA and as an independent consultant to a number of technology and web firms in El Paso, TX. Adam graduated from Dartmouth College in 2005 with a BA in psychology.