Investor Spotlight: Port San Antonio

Port San Antonio is one of the region's leading innovation hubs, bringing together aerospace, defense, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, education, and workforce development on a single campus. Through strategic investments and partnerships, the organization continues to play a major role in shaping the future of Greater San Antonio.

We spoke with Jim Perschbach, President & CEO of Port San Antonio, about the organization's impact on the region, the opportunities ahead, and why investing in greater:SATX matters.

Can you share a brief overview of Port San Antonio and its role in the region?

We own and develop Tech Port, a 1,900-acre innovation campus where aerospace, defense, cybersecurity and advanced manufacturing grow side by side.

We're home to more than 80 employers and 19,000 workers. Our campus includes major operations by Boeing and StandardAero alongside a growing mix of technology, manufacturing and defense organizations.

While real estate development and management are our core business, we measure success by the employers we attract and retain, the quality jobs they create, and the educational pathways and partnerships that help people build meaningful careers.

How would you describe Port San Antonio's impact on the Greater San Antonio region?

We are one of the region's largest and fastest-growing economic engines. Over the past decade, we've added more than 10,000 net new jobs, and today more than 80 employers support 19,000 jobs on our campus.

That activity generates approximately $20 billion annually in economic impact and supports about 83,000 jobs across Texas. The average total compensation for jobs on the Tech Port campus is approximately $111,000 per year, nearly double the regional average.

We're also investing heavily in workforce development through programs like SAMSAT, which has connected with more than 200,000 K-12 students, and the future Alamo Colleges School of Emerging Technologies, which will help connect future generations to careers in our target industries.

What makes San Antonio a strong place for companies to grow and invest?

San Antonio doesn't have to choose between its past and its future. It's building the future on top of what's already here.

The region has deep roots in aviation, cybersecurity, space exploration and advanced manufacturing, many of which trace back to the former Kelly Air Force Base. Combined with one of the nation's strongest concentrations of military talent and growing research assets like Southwest Research Institute and UT Health San Antonio, the region offers companies access to both workforce and innovation.

As industries like aerospace, cybersecurity and advanced manufacturing continue to evolve, what opportunities are you most excited about for the region's future?

A lot of what's ahead for the region will happen right here on our campus.

Over the last decade, we've added roughly 750,000 square feet of new facilities supporting cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, robotics, space technology and other emerging industries.

We're also advancing several major initiatives, including the future Alamo Colleges School of Emerging Technologies, discussions with the Air Force regarding next-generation facilities, and plans for a combination FBO-vertiport that can support advanced air mobility technologies.

At the same time, we're investing in quality-of-life amenities that will make the campus an even better place to work, learn and innovate.

Why is supporting and investing in greater:SATX important to Port San Antonio?

greater:SATX has been an invaluable partner in telling our region's story and helping companies understand why San Antonio is the right place to invest.

Most recently, the greater:SATX team helped connect us with Blackwave, a German company establishing its first U.S. manufacturing facility at Tech Port. The project is expected to create more than 200 jobs and demonstrates how regional collaboration translates into real investment and opportunity.

It's the kind of partnership that allows us to focus on developing world-class infrastructure while greater:SATX helps bring new opportunities to our doorstep.

What are you most excited about looking ahead, either for Port San Antonio or for the Greater San Antonio region?

The next chapter is about building on proven success and scaling what works.

New facilities, new industry partners, and a growing talent pipeline will help strengthen strategic industries while creating opportunities throughout the region. Every investment we make on this campus and every partnership we strengthen does double duty: growing strategic industries and expanding opportunity across all of San Antonio.

Learn more about Port San Antonio by visiting their website.