Friday, October 2, 2026
Awards, Community
By News and Media Relations
RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS – OCT. 2, 2026 – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley’s Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Center (ECC) and two of its staff members earned five honors for their work expanding entrepreneurship education and supporting business owners across the Rio Grande Valley.
Presented at the 2026 Kauffman FastTrac + 1 Million Cups Summit, held this July in Kansas City, Missouri, the awards recognized the center’s programming, sustained participation in the FastTrac network and efforts to connect entrepreneurs with resources and community support. 
The center earned the High Impact Affiliate and Sustained Excellence awards for the West Region, which encompasses 19 states, including Texas, Alaska and Hawaii. UTRGV ECC is one of 189 FastTrac affiliates nationwide.
For more than a decade, the center has delivered FastTrac entrepreneurship education and related business development programming across the Valley. FastTrac provides education, resources and connections to help entrepreneurs turn ideas into sustainable businesses.
“These honors reflect what is possible when a university and community partners share a commitment to supporting entrepreneurs,” said Linda Ufland, director of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Commercialization at UTRGV. “Our partners throughout the Rio Grande Valley have helped us make entrepreneurship education accessible and responsive to the needs of each community. This recognition belongs to our team, our partners and, most importantly, the entrepreneurs who continue to build and grow businesses in our region.”
The High Impact Affiliate Award recognizes the affiliate that completed the most FastTrac cohorts in its region during the previous 12 months. The Sustained Excellence Award recognizes consistent program delivery and long-term participation in the network.
The center also received the Ecosystem Builder Award, a shared recognition for organizations that offer FastTrac programming and maintain an active 1 Million Cups community. ECC delivers FastTrac throughout the Valley and organizes 1 Million Cups Brownsville.
Two ECC staff members earned individual honors:
- Julio I. Quiroga, international training and development specialist, received the Outstanding Facilitator Award for creating engaging FastTrac learning experiences, connecting participants with resources and supporting entrepreneurs beyond the classroom.
- Daniel Garza, program specialist, received the 1 Million Cups Spirit Award for his collaboration, support of the organizer team and efforts to create a welcoming environment for entrepreneurs and community members.
Through partnerships with municipalities, economic development organizations and community stakeholders, ECC has served entrepreneurs in Brownsville, South Padre Island, Port Isabel, San Benito, Harlingen, Pharr, Edinburg, Weslaco and Mission.
UTRGV — The Valley’s University
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is The Valley’s University, deeply rooted in the communities it serves and committed to improving lives and expanding opportunities across the region. From keeping a high-quality education affordable and expanding healthcare services to preparing the workforce, advancing research, and supporting economic growth, UTRGV is putting its people, expertise and resources to work for the Rio Grande Valley. The Valley and UTRGV rise together, building a healthier, stronger and more prosperous region.