McAllen, InnovationTX, Demo Day, McAllen Chamber of Commerce, McAllen Economic Development Corporation, MEDC, Elizabeth Suarez, Jorge Sanchez, Isaac Tawil, Javier Villalobos, entrepreneurship, small business, CrossFlip, Manifiq, FurBaby Bakery
Staff Report
McAllen TX - The McAllen Chamber of Commerce and McAllen Economic Development Corporation spotlighted the Rio Grande Valley’s next wave of entrepreneurs during the first-ever InnovationTX Demo Day Pitch Competition on Friday, June 26, 2026, at the McAllen Creative Incubator.
More than 20 InnovationTX graduates showcased their products and services throughout the day, with eight presenting in a head-to-head pitch competition delivered in English and Spanish for a combined prize pool of up to $15,000. Concepts ranged from technology that streamlines international trade to a medical therapy device and a bakery designed exclusively for pets.
Competition Winners
First place: Oshun Cruz, CrossFlip LLC, $8,000
Second place: Carlos Ramirez, Manifiq Co., $5,000
Third place: Marcia Trujillo, FurBaby Bakery, $2,000
Prior to announcing the winners, Mayor Javier Villalobos addressed participants. “You may win, you may not win, but in life I’ve realized that as long as you’re in the game you have a chance,” he said.
Program Background
InnovationTX is an eight-week program that teaches entrepreneurs how to identify their customer base, connect with it, and sell to it. This year marked the program’s seventh cohort.
“It’s the first time that we’re doing Demo Day,” said Jorge Sanchez, McAllen Chamber of Commerce senior vice president of small business and innovation. “It’s the culmination of an eight-week program that teaches entrepreneurs how to identify their customer base, how to connect to it, and how to sell to it.”
City Manager Isaac J. Tawil noted the program’s measurable results. Of the 83 entrepreneurs who completed InnovationTX, 25 were launch-ready and five had already formed new businesses in McAllen. The program delivered more than $174,000 in business education and professional consulting, much of it donated by local business leaders.
“When you combine that investment with the business activity generated by these new companies, the estimated economic impact is nearly $680,000,” Tawil said. “For the City of McAllen, this is a straightforward decision. When a program produces measurable results, creates new businesses, and strengthens the local economy, it is exactly the kind of investment we should be making.”
Elizabeth Suarez, President and CEO of the McAllen Chamber of Commerce and MEDC, said the event reflected the program’s broader mission.
“Every successful business begins with an idea, but behind every idea is a person willing to take a risk,” Suarez said. “Programs like Innovation Texas and Demo Days exist to make sure those entrepreneurs don’t have to take that journey alone.”
Suarez also pointed to past program alumni as evidence of the program’s community impact. “We’ve seen what happens when our community invests in people. Lamar Jones transformed an idea into Jank BBQ Sauce, now sold across Texas. Reyna Landa built a small family venture into Karla’s Boutique, creating opportunities that have impacted generations. Those stories remind us that entrepreneurship isn’t just economic development, it’s community development.”
Evening Session
Demo Day continued into the evening with “How to Break a Business,” a candid panel discussion moderated by Mayor Villalobos at the Old Church, featuring entrepreneurs Joshua Howard of Brand Geniuz and Salvador Torres of Satori, who shared business failures and the lessons they produced.
“Demo Day shows you what it looks like when an idea works,” Sanchez said. “’How to Break a Business’ shows you what it looks like when it doesn’t — and that’s just as valuable. The entrepreneurs who learn from someone else’s missteps are the ones who avoid repeating them.”
The event was sponsored by the City of McAllen, Tori Pollo Palenque, Zoho, Palenque Grill, Atlas Hall & Rodriguez LLP, Taco Palenque, Lorena Castillo CPA, WILD 104, and Davila & Associates Inc.
The McAllen Chamber and MEDC are already planning an expanded version of the event for 2027. Updates will be available on the McAllen Chamber of Commerce’s social media platforms.
Source - McAllen Chamber of Commerce and McAllen Economic Development Corporation