Tech Bloc emerged as a dynamic movement with a mission to integrate San Antonio’s tech industry fully into the heartbeat of the city’s life and future. Uniting a previously unorganized tech sector, Tech Bloc took shape as a catalyst, originating from a summer initiative in 2014 aimed at galvanizing greater involvement from the tech community.

Tech Bloc becomes an official 501(c)6 not-for-profit organization. Lew Moorman and David Heard launch the organization at the Pearl. With over 900 people attending, only the fire code kept more people from pushing inside to hear Moorman and Heard. The leaders made several references to the departure of rideshare companies as giving birth to Tech Bloc.

Moorman said Tech Bloc seeks to do three things:

1. Advocacy work with city officials to improve San Antonio’s livability, which will include adjustments to economic development strategies to grow the tech community, and new marketing strategies that focus on tech focused places rather than the River Walk, mariachi and margaritas.

2. Build an ecosystem that connects everyone in the city’s tech sector, an effort that will include an online directory and calendar of events.

3. Convene the community for “one damn good event each quarter.” Moorman.

Over 1,000 people convene at the Pearl Stable to celebrate Tech Bloc’s one year anniversary where the first ever Tech Fuel Pitch Competition, sponsored by Bexar County, winners got announced. Boasting more than 2,000 members, Tech Bloc thrived.

Standing on the steps of the future CAST Tech, Tech Bloc announced the launch of “the largest local information technology industry campaign of its kind.” The tech advocacy nonprofit aimed to add real dollars to its partnership with San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) and H-E-B to build CAST Tech, the new industry-led high school for technology studies in downtown San Antonio.

Tech Bloc hosts Nolan Bushnel, the creator of Atari, at Rackspace.

In partnership with ATT, Tech Bloc launches mentorship program for CAST tech students.

The city announces partnership with Tech Bloc to fund a position solely dedicated to help talent find new jobs. Dax Moreno gets hired as the city’s Chief Talent Officer under Tech Bloc.

Tech Bloc hosts Netflix CEO, Reed Hastings, in San Antonio.

Tech Fuel Pitch Competition revives since 2016 and Bexar County increases the award prize money to $100K. Rectify wins the 2019 Tech Fuel Pitch Competition.

Tech Bloc showcases free community resources available to people who may have been laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tech Bloc hosts its first digital meet up to fundraise for low-income families who do not have access to the internet and fundraises enough to give 150 families access to the internet.

Grain4Grain startup wins Tech Fuel 2020, which happened solely, online.

Tech Bloc hosts the “Tech District Reboot Rally”, the largest outdoor event held in the city’s downtown since the pandemic began. The Tech District Website gets unveiled, a County-funded website that highlights the tech district’s venues and market it in economic development efforts.

Betty’s Co, a San Antonio health startup, wins Tech Fuel 2021.

Tech Bloc releases the first report in almost a decade surveying the size and impact of the city’s tech economy. The report showed a growing, $10.8 billion industry, where a majority of workers are employed at non-tech organizations and company hubs are dispersed throughout the city’s suburban ring.

Sensytec wins the 2022 Tech Fuel Pitch Competition.

Tech Bloc moves into a new era with Ileana Gonzalez, 29, as CEO. Gonzalez, a UTSA graduate who was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, has been working in the tech startup community since she graduated in 2016.

Tech Bloc hosts the first ever Texas Venture Crawl, an event happening simultaneously throughout Texas in partnership with Texas Venture Alliance.

M Aerospace RTC wins 2023 Tech Fuel Pitch Competition.