SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Approaching its 10th anniversary, the San Antonio-based investor network formerly known as Alamo Angels has officially rebranded as Alamo Ventures, signaling a broader investment model and state-wide growth strategy that continues to deepen its roots in South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley.
The network, which officially expanded into the Valley in 2024 with a regional hub at the eBridge Center for Enterprise and Commercialization in Brownsville, has evolved beyond the traditional angel investing framework to support companies across their entire growth cycle—from early pre-seed rounds to growth capital, secondaries, and select pre-IPO opportunities.
Sebastian Garzon, managing partner of Alamo Ventures, noted that the evolution reflects broader shifts in how startups mature and raise capital.
"We operated as Alamo Angels for almost a decade... and now in 2026, we’ve gone from Alamo Angels to Alamo Ventures," Garzon said. "The reason for that is very simple: companies are staying private longer. It used to take five to 10 years for a company to reach an exit event through an acquisition or IPO. Now it’s more like 10 to 15 years."
Rather than restricting members to early pre-seed and seed rounds, the renamed organization allows accredited investors to participate throughout a company's financial lifecycle.
"Venture dynamics have shifted dramatically," added Ben Jones, chairman of the board at Alamo Ventures. "Companies are staying private longer, the secondary market has become increasingly active, and compelling opportunities exist beyond the traditional angel stage. Alamo Ventures gives our members an opportunity to participate across that entire journey."
The expansion model is closely linked to South Texas. Since establishing its presence at Brownsville's eBridge Center two years ago, the network has provided local members direct access to prominent high-tech and defense ventures establishing regional operations.
Through the network, members have had opportunities to invest in SpaceX, whose Starbase launch facility near Boca Chica has transformed the regional economy, as well as Saronic, an autonomous maritime defense company that recently announced plans to establish a presence at the Port of Brownsville.
"We knew there was a lot of opportunity in Brownsville because of SpaceX... they've built a mini city now, and we've been there from the beginnings," Garzon explained. "Most recently, we invested in Saronic. They do autonomous vessels and are establishing a presence in the Port of Brownsville. There is a lot of great thing happening there, and we want to be a part of it."
San Antonio Angel Network Founded - December 2016
Established in San Antonio as a 501(c)(6) non-profit to aggregate local accredited capital for early-stage regional startups
Rebranded to Alamo Angels - 2018
Adopted the Alamo Angels brand and expanded investment activities across South Texas under VelocityTX management.
Expansion into Brownsville & RGV - 2024
Established an official Rio Grande Valley footprint headquartered at the eBridge Center in downtown Brownsville.
Spun Out as Independent Entity - July 2025
Spun out from VelocityTX to operate independently while retaining its non-profit structure and expanding its operational scope.
Rebranded to Alamo Ventures - October 2026
Formally unveiled the Alamo Ventures name and platform, expanding its thesis to pre-IPO opportunities and statewide scaling.
Since its founding in December 2016, the 501(c)(6) non-profit network has grown to include over 140 accredited investors and deployed more than $10 million across 76 companies. In 2026 alone, the community invested nearly $3 million across 11 companies.
Average check sizes have grown significantly as the network expanded. While average deal participations hovered around $25,000 in 2020, Alamo Ventures now averages $306,000 per investment deal, with targets to reach $500,000 to $1 million per company as membership scales toward 200 investors.
|
Metric / Milestone |
Alamo Angels (Legacy) |
Alamo Ventures (Current / Target) |
|
Active Accredited Investors |
~100 |
140+ (Targeting 200+ statewide) |
|
Average Investment Size |
$25,000 (2020 baseline) |
$306,000 (Targeting $500k–$1M) |
|
Total Capital Deployed |
$10 Million (Cumulative) |
$3 Million in 2026 alone across 11 deals |
|
Investment Stages |
Pre-Seed & Seed only |
Pre-Seed through Pre-IPO & Secondaries |
|
Regional Hubs |
San Antonio |
San Antonio, RGV (Brownsville) (Exploring Austin/Houston) |
In addition to expanding check sizes, Alamo Ventures has discarded the rigid monthly pitch schedule common among angel groups. Deals are now launched synchronously via a member digital platform within days of completing due diligence.
Looking forward, Alamo Ventures plans to replicate its South Texas hybrid model across additional major Texas markets while keeping its core headquarters in San Antonio.
"This whole thing started in San Antonio, then moved down to the Valley, but there's still opportunity throughout the state of Texas," Garzon said. "We have our eyes set on markets like Houston and Austin as we build the most active and trusted venture community in Texas."