Tech leaders discuss the state of San Antonio’s tech ecosystem and its challenges

Pedestrians walk up Houston Street during Chalk It Up in downtown San Antonio, Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018. San Antonio ranks 46th amid the top 50 U.S. markets for tech talent, according to a report released this summer. Austin came in at No. 6, Dallas and Ft. Worth at No. 12 and Houston at No. 32. less Pedestrians walk up Houston Street during Chalk It Up in downtown San Antonio, Saturday, Oct. 13, 2018. San Antonio ranks 46th amid the top 50 U.S. markets for tech talent, according to a report released this ... more Photo: Josie Norris /San Antonio Express-News Photo: Josie Norris /San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Tech leaders discuss the state of San Antonio’s tech ecosystem and its challenges 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Where is San Antonio’s technology ecosystem now, where it is headed and what are its biggest challenges and growth opportunities?

Those were some of the questions speakers set out to answer during a panel Friday moderated by Jenna Saucedo-Herrera, president and CEO of the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation. The panel at Geekdom’s Event Centre was part of San Antonio Startup Week, a five-day event featuring presentations, workshops and gatherings focused on entrepreneurship.

David Heard, CEO of Tech Bloc and chief marketing officer at SecureLogix, started off with a snapshot of the sector. San Antonio ranks 46th amid the top 50 U.S. markets for tech talent, according to a CBRE report released this summer. Austin came in at No. 6, Dallas and Ft. Worth at No. 12 and Houston at No. 32.

Heard talked about how the figures have changed over time, and said San Antonio should be aware of its competition. Young people moving out of San Antonio has been a problem for the city’s tech industry, but that’s starting to change, he said.

“We are beginning to turn the tide of brain drain,” Heard said.

Education is crucial, not just in fueling jobs and opportunities but in bridging the digital divide and bringing people into the tech economy, said Jason Straughan, CEO and co-founder of Codeup. The San Antonio-based career accelerator recently announced a new 18-week program aimed at preparing people for careers in data science. Straughan also cited the University of Texas at San Antonio’s plans for a major downtown expansion.

On ExpressNews.com: Software development bootcamp Codeup launching new data science program

“The more tech education we can get in San Antonio, the better,” he said.

Young people are looking to live in active, urban areas where they don’t have to drive a car, said Scaleworks general partner Lew Moorman. In San Antonio, he noted the development of Houston Street, more activity on downtown blocks and UTSA’s downtown plans.

Related: UTSA plans downtown growth on city and county land

Austin is the most difficult place to recruit from, Moorman said. But “for the first time in 20 years, I actually find that Austin people are open to San Antonio.”

Moorman suggested than San Antonio “let Austin be Seattle, and we’ll be Portland.”

Urban issues are a large part of Tech Bloc’s agenda, Heard said. San Antonio is known as a good place to raise a family, and “we don’t want to detract from that, but we do need to enhance the portfolio,” he said. People need to be able to envision themselves living in San Antonio.

“If you’re not winning on the lifestyle issues ... you don’t have a shot,” he added.

Asked about whether access to capital is an issue for companies in San Antonio, Moorman said it was somewhat of a red herring. The capital available in the city is growing, he said.

“If there’s good companies and good entrepreneurs, the capital finds it,” he said. “The number one problem comes to people, and are there enough great ideas and is this where they can build a company.”

Affordable housing is a challenge, as is the gap between earnings and housing, panelists said. One way to address that is through better jobs and raising both standard of living and per capita income levels, Heard said.

There also needs to be more of a housing supply, which affects price, Moorman suggested. Resistance to building housing is bipartisan, he said.

“If we want to grow, we have to build,” he said.

People who want to help expand the city’s tech economy should come to events like San Antonio Startup Week, launch companies, mentor people and participate in the local tech community across the city, panelists said.

“Tech is driving everything,” Heard said.“As tech goes, so will our economy.”

madison.iszler@express-news.net | @madisoniszler