How the Rio South Texas Region Accelerates Softlanding for International Companies

In a moment of global realignment and nearshoring momentum, the Rio South Texas Region has emerged as one of the most strategic gateways for international firms, seeking a confident, informed, and sustainable entry into the U.S. market.

Across the region, companies benefit from a unique combination of binational connectivity, a skilled bilingual workforce, pro-business communities, and a network of institutions committed to helping new entrants succeed from day one.

Among these allies is the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), whose softlanding program plays a pivotal role in helping companies validate, adapt, and integrate their business models into the U.S. ecosystem.

A Region Where Companies Don’t Land Alone

The Rio South Texas Region offers one of the most supportive market-entry environments in the United States. For many international firms, the main challenge is not crossing the border, it is navigating an entirely new commercial, legal, regulatory, and cultural environment.

This is where the region’s collaborative ecosystem stands out.

Companies entering the Rio South Texas Region gain access to:

• Legal, accounting, and immigration support
• Business validation and market adaptation guidance
• Connections with key industry stakeholders
• Regional, state, and national economic development networks
• Mentoring from institutions like UTRGV, EDCs, and business accelerators

As Linda Ufland, Director of Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Commercialization at UTRGV, notes, many firms assume their product will succeed in the U.S. as it does in their home country. “Our role is to help them avoid entering blindly and ensure they understand the commercial, regulatory, and cultural dimensions of doing business in the United States.”

Softlanding with Academic Strength and Regional Alignment

Although UTRGV is a major academic institution, its entrepreneurship and innovation division actively bridges university research, private-sector needs, and international business expansion.

Its goal aligns closely with Rio South Texas Region’s mission: to generate economic opportunity, strengthen the regional business environment, and support sustainable job creation.

Through its softlanding initiative, UTRGV provides:

• Physical office space at eBridge Center in Brownsville and the Global Business Hub in Pharr
• Strategic mentoring for CEOs and founders
• Business model validation
• Training programs and commercialization support

More than 25 companies from Mexico and Central & South America are currently incubated, representing sectors such as:

• Technology and SaaS
• Manufacturing
• Agribusiness
• Food and beverage
• Specialized innovation products

A Complete Softlanding Ecosystem, Powered by the Region

While UTRGV offers structured guidance, what truly sets the Rio South Texas Region apart is the regional ecosystem that surrounds and strengthens every company arriving here.

This includes:

• 18 international crossings that facilitate mobility of goods, talent, and ideas
• More than one million bilingual workers across multiple industries
• Competitive industrial and commercial real estate
• Collaborative EDCs and chambers committed to business expansion
• Binational supply chains integrating Mexico and the United States
• Lower operational costs than most U.S. metros
• A culture of innovation fueled by education, industry, and government partners

In this environment, companies do not simply enter a new market, they become part of a binational innovation corridor.

A Strategic Region for a Confident U.S. Market Entry

For international firms, especially those navigating the transition from Mexico to the United States, the Rio South Texas Region offers something few places can match:

Proximity, knowledge, connectivity, and a unified ecosystem committed to helping companies succeed.

Through allies like UTRGV’s softlanding program, the region ensures that companies arrive informed, supported, and ready to grow.

In the Rio South Texas Region, softlanding becomes smart landing, where business expands with clarity, strategy, and confidence.

Take Your First Step into the U.S. Market, with the Right Partner

Entering the United States is a strategic decision that requires clarity, guidance, and a trusted ally who understands both sides of the border. In the Rio South Texas Region, that ally is COSTEP.

As the region’s collaborative economic development organization, COSTEP connects international companies with the right resources, the right locations, and the right partners, from universities and softlanding programs to EDCs, industry leaders, and specialized service providers.

Whether you are validating your business model, exploring industrial sites, or planning a full expansion, COSTEP helps you navigate the process with confidence, neutrality, and deep regional expertise.

If your company is ready to grow in the United States, start with a team that understands your journey. Start with COSTEP.