The San Antonio Area Foundation, our region’s philanthropic leader, in partnership with Geekdom, San Antonio’s collaborative startup community, has announced the creation of the Accelerate South Texas Fund. The Accelerate South Texas Fund is a nonprofit initiative dedicated to igniting entrepreneurship, spurring startup, nonprofit, and small business creation and growth, fostering innovation, and stimulating job creation across all industries in the South Texas region.
Accelerate South Texas is being created with an initial $500,000 donation from San Antonio entrepreneur and philanthropist Graham Weston. Ben Jones, entrepreneur and founder of Jockey Ventures and Skipcart, is pledging $100,000 to the fund and designating it for Geekdom’s Pre- Accelerator program.
“Geekdom has supported startups and entrepreneurs for the last 13 years. In that time, we’ve seen proof that the best way to impact our entrepreneurial ecosystem is through programs that provide resources and support for founders. We are beyond excited to be launching this fund with the San Antonio Area Foundation, the best partner for this type of initiative, to expand that impact across South Texas,” said Charles Woodin, CEO of Geekdom.
As the steward of Accelerate South Texas, the Area Foundation will oversee the periodic distribution of the Fund’s net income and principal. These distributions focus exclusively on fortifying regional programming supporting entrepreneurship and small business growth, infusing them with the critical resources necessary for their sustained expansion.
“It’s these types of key partnerships that humble us because they speak directly to our mission of being our community’s philanthropic nucleus,” said Lisa Brunsvold, Interim CEO at the Area Foundation. “We are thrilled to uplift the local entrepreneur ecosystem by teaming up with Geekdom and invite like-minded visionaries to join this impactful effort.”
“Over the last 13 years, Geekdom has had an important role in supporting dozens of startups growing into real businesses. We have helped so many creative, tech-driven individuals find opportunity in San Antonio they otherwise may not have found,” said entrepreneur and Geekdom co-founder Graham Weston. “With this new fund, it is poised to welcome in and support the next generation of startups in the city and region. I am grateful for Geekdom’s partnership with the San Antonio Area Foundation to form this new initiative.”
Established organizations that meet the fund’s criteria are encouraged to apply. Grants will be awarded on an ongoing basis. Donors interested in supporting the Accelerate South Texas fund may donate online at https://saafdn.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=5488.
