Nathan Burkhart is the Vice President of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation (BCIC). He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing with a concentration in Government from the Red McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin, and an MBA from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. With a diverse background that includes stints in Austin’s startup scene and Texas Legislature, Nathan returned to Brownsville driven by a desire to make a tangible impact on his hometown. He has played a pivotal role in projects like the eBridge Center for Business and Commercialization, one of the region's largest startup incubators, and StartUp Texas, an accelerator program that has helped numerous local businesses thrive.

Nathan's connection to his work goes beyond professional duty—it's personal. Growing up in Brownsville, he knows the unique challenges the community faces, and he's committed to fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem that empowers local talent to succeed right here at home. Outside of work, you might find Nathan biking along the trails both the City of Brownsville and BCIC helped develop, blending his passion for community improvement with his love for the outdoors. His work is helping to shape the future of Brownsville, making it a place where people don’t just stay, but thrive.

Q: What inspired you to join BCIC and focus on Entrepreneurship and Innovation (E&I)?
Nathan: I was brought in specifically for marketing and business development for BCIC. I had been working with both the City Manager’s Office and running the Brownsville Convention & Visitors Bureau at the time. When the eBridge project got an EDA grant, it caught my attention. I thought, "This is exactly what Brownsville needs—a startup incubator." So, when they were hiring for my position, which was tailored for overseeing eBridge’s development, I knew I had to jump in.

Q: Can you share a recent project or initiative you’re particularly proud of and how it’s impacted the community?
Nathan: I’d say StartUp Texas is a big one. It started as a small accelerator program and has grown into something much bigger. We’re investing in local talent, and businesses here are getting the kind of support they used to have to go to Austin or Houston for. When COVID hit, we had to pivot quickly. We reworked the program to provide immediate relief, which ended up saving about 1,500 jobs and helped nearly 50 businesses secure the funding they needed. That effort earned us our first gold award from the IEDC, which was a big deal for us.

Q: How does BCIC use Brownsville’s unique position on the border to support E&I?
Nathan: Our bicultural identity is a huge advantage, and we’ve really leaned into that with initiatives like our Border & Sea program. We work closely with the consulate to help entrepreneurs from Matamoros who want to start businesses here in Brownsville. We even have a reimbursable grant to support them. Plus, Brownsville’s spot in the South Texas Triangle, connecting Monterrey and San Antonio, gives us a strategic position to boost cross-border business and innovation.

Q: What do you find most rewarding about working with local businesses in Brownsville, and how has it impacted you personally?
Nathan: The most rewarding thing is knowing that we’re helping to shape the future of Brownsville. It’s a big city, but it still feels like a place where you can make a real impact. Creating programs and a facility like eBridge is like painting a picture of what Brownsville’s future could look like. It’s really fulfilling to see local businesses succeed and know that we’ve played a role in that.

Q: How has your personal background and experience shaped your approach to fostering innovation in Brownsville?
Nathan: I was born and raised here, and like many others, I left for a while. I spent time in Austin working on a direct-to-consumer startup, which didn’t work out, but I learned a lot from that experience. I also worked in the state legislature, where I learned how to navigate the political and bureaucratic aspects of things. Those experiences have really helped me in my current role at BCIC, where I’m combining that entrepreneurial mindset with an understanding of how to get things done within the system.

Q: Can you share your vision for how Brownsville’s entrepreneurial ecosystem might evolve over the next decade? And what role will BCIC play in shaping that?
Nathan: In the next decade, I see us developing a more robust entrepreneurial ecosystem that starts at the high school level and continues through more advanced stages of business. BCIC will keep being a key player, facilitating relationships, creating programs, and offering incentives to support this growth. We’re already starting to see this with younger entrepreneurs and college students getting involved. The goal is to make Brownsville a place where people can stay and build their businesses without feeling like they need to leave for bigger cities.

Q: Outside of work, what’s a hobby or interest you have that people might be surprised to learn about? How does it connect to your work?
Nathan: I really enjoy riding my bike, especially in the fall and spring. I avoid it in the summer unless I absolutely have to. When the weather cools down, I try to bike to work every Friday. I love using the trails, and I’ll go out of my way to use them because riding on the streets with traffic can be pretty scary. This hobby ties into my work because BCIC is big on quality of life, and we’ve been involved in funding trails like the Belden Trail. So, it’s nice to see those efforts benefiting the community and even my own life.

Q: If you weren’t in your current role, what alternative career path could you see yourself pursuing?
Nathan: I’d probably still be working with the City, maybe in the City Manager’s Office, or I might have continued doing political consulting. I used to work on various campaigns, and I enjoyed that a lot. If I hadn’t come back to Brownsville, I would still be working in the state legislature. It’s the kind of place where you either stay forever or eventually branch out into other areas of government.

Q: If BCIC suddenly had unlimited resources, what’s the first thing you’d do?
Nathan: If we had unlimited resources, I’d focus on revitalizing downtown. It’s the heart and soul of any city, and it’s important to get the infrastructure right - especially bike & pedestrian infrastructure. I’d also work with our local university to create a research and development park, which would further attract tech companies and drive innovation. I’d expand our existing grant programs to help more entrepreneurs and non profits, and work on creating as much affordable housing as we can dream of downtown.

Q: Do you think there’s been a shift in Brownsville from needing to leave to find success to being able to stay and succeed? If so, when did that happen?
Nathan: It’s been a gradual shift, and I think it’s still happening. One turning point was the formation of UTRGV. That really changed things by bringing a tier two research university to the area. Another factor has been the rise of internet culture, which has helped foster a sense of local pride. People who grew up here are starting to see Brownsville and the RGV as a viable place to start a career or business, rather than feeling like they have to leave to succeed. And the cost of living here has remained relatively low, which is another big plus.

Q: If you could send a message back in time to the economic developers and entrepreneurs of Brownsville’s past, what would it be?
Nathan: For the economic developers, I’d say focus on building an entrepreneurial ecosystem early on. Look at what cities like Austin have done by tapping into their college communities. For entrepreneurs, I’d tell them that it gets better. Twenty years ago, the idea of success here was tied to getting out of the Valley, but that’s changing. There are more opportunities now, and it’s partly because of the work organizations like BCIC are doing.

Q: If you had to explain BCIC’s mission using only emojis, what would that sequence look like?
Nathan: 💭📚📈💰👍 and 🚴🏀🏃❤️😄

Q: Would you rather have the ability to read entrepreneurs’ minds or the power to see a year into Brownsville’s future?
Nathan: Definitely seeing a year into Brownsville’s future. Entrepreneurs’ minds are all over the place, and it would be frustrating trying to keep up with their thoughts. Seeing the future would help us with planning, whether it’s preparing for a natural disaster or adjusting our programs based on what’s coming.

Nathan’s work in Brownsville isn’t just about his professional role—it’s also about his deep personal connection to the city. Growing up here, he knows the community inside and out.

When he’s not focused on projects like supporting local startups or helping develop community spaces, Nathan stays involved in other meaningful ways, volunteering his time with organizations like Come Dream Come Build, where he’s helping to address affordable housing needs. As Brownsville continues to evolve, Nathan remains rooted in what matters to him: making sure that his hometown is a great place where people can build their lives and find their own path forward.