Brazos Valley Tech Foundry: Plan

[haljac]

Business Plan: Brazos Valley Technology Foundry (BVTF)

Date: November 30, 2025
Status: Draft

1. Executive Summary

Mission: To provide accessible, hands-on technology education and workforce development opportunities to adult professionals and recent graduates, specifically designing pathways to retain high-skilled talent within the Brazos Valley economy.

Vision: To transform College Station from a "talent export" hub into a self-sustaining technology ecosystem. We aim to bridge the gap between academic theory and industry reality, ensuring that the economic value generated by local top-tier computer science programs stays in the Brazos Valley.

The Opportunity: The Brazos Valley houses a Tier-1 research university, yet suffers from severe "brain drain," exporting thousands of technical graduates to Austin and Dallas annually. Simultaneously, local industries (Agriculture, Bio-tech, Manufacturing) struggle to modernize because they cannot find "industry-ready" local talent. BVTF exists to close this loop by upskilling locals specifically for local industry needs.

2. Company Overview

2.1 Legal Structure

The BVTF will be organized as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

• Governing Body: Board of Directors (Targeting representation from A&M, City Council, and Local Tech Leaders).
• Management: Executive Director (Volunteer initially, transition to paid).

2.2 Core Values & "Open Source" Operations

We operate with an "Open Source" methodology to lower the barrier to entry for volunteers.

• Curriculum: Publicly hosted on GitHub; anyone can submit a Pull Request to update a slide deck.
• Governance: Major decisions are discussed in public GitHub Discussions.
• Transparency: Finances and roadmaps are public by default.

3. Market Analysis

3.1 The Problem: The "Missing Middle"

• Talent Export: College Station creates talent but doesn't keep it. We lose highly skilled grads because they don't see a "tech scene" here.
• The Skills Gap: A CS degree teaches theory. Local businesses need practical skills (React, Cloud Deployment, AI integration).
• Modernization Lag: Local non-tech industries (Ag, Retail) are falling behind on AI adoption because high-end consultants are too expensive.

3.2 Target Audience

• The "Almost Ready" Grads: CS/Engineering grads who need portfolio projects to get hired.
• The "Anchored" Workforce: Spouses of PhD students or locals who cannot move to Austin but need high-paying remote or local work.
• Local SMBs: Small-to-medium businesses needing low-cost modernization strategies.

4. Products & Services

4.1 AI & Modernization Upskilling

• AI Literacy for Business: "How to use LLMs for small business operations" (Targeting non-technical local owners).
• Applied AI Development: Practical workshops on building wrappers, using APIs (OpenAI/Anthropic), and RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) systems.
• AgTech Data Bootcamp: A specialized track focusing on "AI in Agriculture"—using Python for crop data analysis and drone imagery. This is our unique regional differentiator.

4.2 Community Workshops (The "Stack")

Half-day, hands-on workshops aligned with high-demand skills:

• Web: React, Next.js, Tailwind CSS.
• Cloud: AWS/Azure basics for developers.
• Data: Python, Pandas, Tableau.

4.3 The "Open Source" Apprenticeship

A structured program where junior developers build software for other local non-profits under the guidance of senior mentors.

• Example: Building a volunteer tracking app for the local food bank.
• Outcome: Real portfolio pieces for students; free software for the community.

4.4 "Hire Local" Career Services

• Curated job board specifically for Brazos Valley-based roles.
• "Reverse Job Fairs" where local talent showcases projects to local employers.

5. Operational Plan

5.1 Location Strategy

We will utilize a "Partnership & In-Kind" model to minimize overhead while maximizing community integration.

Phase 1 (Public Spaces and Corporate Hosting)

Initially, we can utilize public libraries (Larry J. Ringer / Mounce) and University "Town & Gown" spaces which are often free for non-profits. Eventually, with funding, we can hold events at rented spaces.

Phase 2 (Corporate Hosting):** Partner with local tech companies to host workshops in their offices after hours.

As is already the case with the affiliated College Station Computer Science, there seems to be ample willingness among local business and government lend use of their facilities to non-profit organizations. In our case, the host company benefits by getting a "first look" at hiring the talent attending the workshop in exchange for donating the space.

Phase 3 (Dedicated Lab)

Long-term goal to secure a dedicated desk/lab space within a local co-working facility or innovation center. This may eventually become an important part of the value offered by the incubator-style services our organization could offer to local entrepreneurs looking to build businesses in Brazos Valley.

5.2 Volunteer Management (The "Maintainer" Model)

We treat volunteers like Open Source Maintainers.

• Roles: "Documentation Lead," "Workshop Lead," "Mentor."
• Incentives: LinkedIn Citations, "Community Service" badges, exclusive networking dinners with local CTOs.

6. Marketing & Outreach

• University Partnership: Direct pipeline from capstone classes to our "Apprenticeship" program.
• Economic Development Corp (EDC): Position BVTF as a workforce development partner to secure municipal grants.
• The "Brain Drain" Campaign: A marketing campaign highlighting success stories of people who "Stayed and Succeeded" in College Station.

7. Roadmap

Phase 1: Zero-Budget Pilot (Months 1-3)
Goal: Prove traction without spending money.

• Launch GitHub Org & Website.
• Host "Intro to AI for Local Biz" workshop (Low cost, high interest).
• Recruit 3 "Core Maintainers" (Lead Instructors).

Phase 2: Legitimacy (Months 4-6)
Goal: Legal entity and fundraising.

• File 501(c)(3) paperwork.
• Secure "In-Kind" sponsorship from a local hosting company or co-working space.
• Run the first cohort of the "Open Source Apprenticeship."

Phase 3: Sustainability (Months 6-12)
Goal: Long-term funding and staff.

• Apply for Workforce Commission Grants.
• Hire Part-Time Program Director.

8. Financial Plan

8.1 Estimated First-Year Costs

• Legal/Filing: $1,000 (One-time)
• Insurance: $800/yr (Liability for events)
• Tech Infrastructure: $600/yr (Domain, Email, Zoom Pro)
• AI Tooling Credits: $1,200/yr (OpenAI/Cloud credits for student workshops)
• Venue Contingency: $1,000/yr (Cleaning fees, A/V rentals, or backup space rental)
• Food/Events: $2,000/yr (Pizza is the cheapest way to buy community)

TOTAL NEED: ~$6,600

8.2 Revenue Model

Grants: Local EDC Workforce Development grants.
Sponsorships: "Sponsor a Cohort" packages for local tech firms ($500/mo).
Workshop Tickets: Nominal fee ($10-20) to reduce no-shows (free for students).

9. Success Metrics (KPIs)

Retention Rate: % of BVTF alumni remaining in Brazos Valley 1-year post-program.
Economic Impact: Estimated salary increase of participants (Pre vs. Post program).
Local Hires: Number of students hired by local partners.