Alt-Bionics, VelocityTX working to foster innovation, make a difference in technology sector

San Antonio area currently helping to develop prosthetic prototypes

SAN ANTONIO – The city of San Antonio is currently hard at work becoming an innovation hub for technology and business and one such company is VelocityTX.

The campus is the center for biotech innovation, and is powered by the Texas Research Technology Foundation.

“I made a promise to myself and everyone that I knew that I would use this degree to help better the world. And I have been very fortunate in that I get to do that. But that is the biggest meaning for me,” Ryan Saavedra, founder of Alt-Bionics said.

Ryan and his team started building innovative prosthetic prototypes in college, and when he graduated from UTSA in May of 2020, he had a mission.

“I knew exactly what I wanted to do moving forward. And it was to build these devices and see if I could build them for less, because traditionally they cost anywhere from $10,000 to $150,000,” Saavedra said. “My final year at university with the help of an amazing team, we developed this bionic hand for $600.”

There are more than 2.2 million Americans who have lost limbs for a variety of reasons, many by serving our country. Ryan and his company, Alt-Bionics, are striving to help those millions.

And Alt-Bionics is one of the many companies growing at VelocityTX.

“Well, the main goal is to actually have a state of the art facility where entrepreneurs using biotechnology can come, grow their company, create jobs and wealth for the city. And of course, it’s pretty cool because these innovations will ultimately save and improve the quality of life for many people around the world,” VelocityTX executive vice president David Fonseca said.

VelocityTX is an economic development organization, working to support the long-term entrepreneurial development across the Alamo City. The campus fosters growth in innovative biotech companies, companies, like Alt-Bionics, that are working to make societal changes.

“The biggest thing is helping amputees regain independence in their daily lives. So that’s the biggest thing. And then our goal is to get it out to those who need it across the world, not just here in the US,” Saavedra said.


About the Authors:

Max Massey is the GMSA weekend anchor and a general assignments reporter. Max has been live at some of the biggest national stories out of Texas in recent years, including the Sutherland Springs shooting, Hurricane Harvey and the manhunt for the Austin bomber. Outside of work, Max follows politics and sports, especially Penn State, his alma mater.