NBSO Texas recently visited San Antonio to explore opportunities for Dutch businesses and strengthen local partnerships. The two-day program provided valuable insights into the city’s fast-growing innovation and business ecosystem.
Greater SATX
The visit began at Greater SATX, where we received an overview of the region’s economic strengths in healthcare, biosciences, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing. Greater SATX also serves as a key resource for Dutch companies interested in doing business in or with San Antonio by providing market intelligence, introductions within the local network in their focus sectors, and support in landing successfully in the region.
BioMedSA & Alamo BioCenter
At BioMedSA, we learned more about San Antonio’s healthcare and bioscience ecosystem. This member-driven organization is a key partner for intelligence and connections relevant to Dutch Life Sciences & Health companies. BioMedSA also has excellent ties to the military community in areas such as wound care, burn treatment, and rehabilitation, highly relevant given San Antonio’s nickname “Military City, USA.” The city is home to Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA), the largest joint base in the United States, with more than 70,000 affiliated personnel and over 80,000 active service members in the region.
A tour of the Alamo BioCenter highlighted the city’s advanced lab and office facilities that provide critical infrastructure for biomedical startups.
Southwest Research Institute
We also visited the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). Their projects span hydrogen, medical AI, automated vehicles, human performance, agri-tech, and more, areas that align strongly with Dutch expertise. With over 3,000 employees on a 1,500-acre campus, SwRI is one of the largest independent research and development institutes in the United States. Notably, Dutch company Xyrec developed its large-scale painting and coating robot in collaboration with SwRI, illustrating the strong potential for Dutch-Texan innovation partnerships.
Port San Antonio & Velocity
On day two we visited Port San Antonio and toured the Boeing Center, highlighting San Antonio’s strong position in aerospace and defense innovation. The 1,900-acre campus generates nearly $9 billion in annual economic activity and is home to one of the largest U.S. cybersecurity communities, closely connected to the Air Force and defense sector. This makes it a key hub for Dutch innovators such as XYREC, active at the intersection of aerospace and robotics.
At Velocity, we explored opportunities in both life sciences and defense. The accelerator is building a 70-acre bioscience district and operates Co-Labs, shared facilities where over 200 professionals work daily on new technologies. Partnering with Velocity opens doors not only in the medical field, but also with the Defense Health Agency, the Air Force, and the Navy.
Soccer Central
The program concluded at Soccer Central, where we explored collaboration opportunities around the 2026 World Cup and the Sports Tech Innovation Bridge – US (STIB US). Soccer Central is a state of the art soccer complex serving as the training facility for Juventus Academy San Antonio and the San Antonio Athenians, establishing deep ties with one of Europe’s most prestigious football brands
Looking Ahead
We thank all partners and organizations who made this visit a success. NBSO Texas looks forward to continuing our collaboration and supporting Dutch businesses in San Antonio’s dynamic ecosystem.
