Texas Border Business
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – The Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation (BCIC) has extended the application deadline for the August cohort of the eBridge Business Academy through August 2, 2026. The cohort runs August 11 through September 1, 2026, meeting Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the eBridge Center for Business and Commercialization, 1304 E. Adams St., in Historic Downtown Brownsville. Sessions are offered in Spanish and English.
The extension gives entrepreneurs additional time to submit an application. Space is limited, and participants must attend all seven sessions in person.
The eBridge Business Academy, formerly the Blueprint Business Program, is a free cohort-based entrepreneurship program based on the Kauffman FastTrac curriculum and facilitated by the UTRGV Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Center (ECC).
Sessions cover business concept development, customer discovery and validation, value propositions and minimum viable products, financial and operational fundamentals, and preparation for launch or next-stage growth.
No registered business or finished business plan is required to apply. Participants are selected based on the clarity of their idea, their readiness, and their commitment to the full cohort schedule. Each session is complemented by local business owners, program alumni, and subject-matter experts who work with participants directly.
The Academy has produced more than 350 graduates to date, including the founders behind Warbler Coffee, Búho Bookstore, Main Street Deli, and La Pale.
Applications are open at www.ebridgebusinessacademy.com. A second cohort runs September 8 through September 29, 2026, meeting Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., also offered in Spanish and English.
