Beto Altamirano
CEO of TechBloc
By Rudy Arispe | Photography by David Teran
At 17, Beto Altamirano’s life was upended when his father was deported from the Rio Grande Valley back to Mexico. Although the profound experience left him shaken and uncertain about his family’s future, it would lead to his foray into politics and public service in hopes that other families would not have to endure such an ordeal.
“I was in the closet for the longest time about his deportation,” Altamirano, a native of Mission, Texas, said. “I didn’t tell anyone. My classmates didn’t even know. There was a sense of shame. I wanted to find ways to fix what had happened to me and my father. It pushed me to learn more about immigration policy. There was no social media like there is today, so it wasn’t talked about. That was my introduction to politics.”
And so he earned a bachelor’s degree in government from the University of Texas at Austin and then gained valuable experience working with the U.S. Department of State, serving at the U.S. Consulate General in Barcelona. While there, he supported diplomatic staff with political reporting, public affairs, and consular operations, and acquired important knowledge about international relations and U.S. diplomacy abroad.
He also did stints working for Senator John Kerry in the U.S. Senate, as well as the White House, U.S. Trade Representative, and Texas House of Representatives. His work did not go unnoticed. In 2017, he was included in Forbes “30 Under 30” list.
Now, at age 36, Altamirano is combining his experience with politics with his love for technology innovation to help push forward the emerging industries of biotech, cybersecurity, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing for the benefit of San Antonio in his recent appointment as CEO of Tech Bloc, a leading advocacy organization for technology and innovation and dedicated to positioning the city as a national tech hub for the 21st-century economy.
Altamirano didn’t have to spend hours researching the nonprofit organization to learn about its vision and goals prior to his interview for the CEO role. He was already serving on the board of directors.
“The policies, ideas, and goals were the same conversations back then, so I was aware of the direction of the organization,” he said. “Now my focus is on bringing back a sense of advocacy to Tech Bloc. Moving into 2026, I want to focus on emerging industries.”
Tech Bloc plans to kick off 2026 by launching an Emerging Industry Series in partnership with CNTR/CTY to further promote the tech industry. It will feature panelists from the public, private, and academic sectors. For instance, the organization will host a panel in February on Cybersecurity, March will focus on Biotechnology, May will highlight Aerospace, and June will spotlight Advanced Manufacturing.
“These are the industries of the future,” Altamirano said. “We must embrace them if we want to stay competitive. We also want to retain young talent, so they stay here. Another focus will be on quality of life, which includes bridging the digital divide through a partnership with SA Digital Connects.”
Tech Bloc, Altamirano explained, has two signature initiatives to promote San Antonio’s emerging tech industries: Tech Day and Tech Fuel. Tech Day is an opportunity for the tech community, such as entrepreneurs, to come together to share ideas, collaborate, and support each other. Tech Fuel, in conjunction with Bexar County, annually awards $100,000 in grants to local tech startups to encourage them to expand and scale nationally.
If his name and face look familiar, it’s because you saw Altamirano in the media or on TV when he recently ran a strong campaign for mayor of San Antonio last spring. Altamirano finished in an impressive third place among a field of 27 candidates. Not bad at all for a first mayoral run. His campaign focused on public safety, infrastructure, and economic opportunity.
“I was relatively unknown and did not have the name recognition that City Council people did,” Altamirano said. “But we had a strong vision for the city along with great energy and passion. We beat every councilperson in the race. That speaks volumes about the narrative we had for San Antonio.”
In addition to his work with Tech Bloc, Beto is CEO of Irys Technologies, which he founded in 2017. One of the company’s biggest achievements is developing the 311 app for the City of San Antonio, which he said has significantly improved the lives of thousands of residents.
Altamirano credits the two most important women in his life for helping him be the son, husband, father, entrepreneur, and community builder he is today. The first is his mother, Amelia Zavala, a retired elementary school teacher and business owner of a bilingual school.
“Watching her balance students, customers, family, and community showed me what real responsibility looked like,” he said. “She practiced it every day, and she taught me about leadership, service, and being curious about the world.”
The other woman is his wife, Anna Fernandes, a tech executive, whom he met in high school. “She has been my biggest supporter. I couldn’t have run for mayor if not for her,” he said.
Whether Altamirano is championing for biotech and the potential it can bring to the city or helping strengthen communities, the city can rest assured that he will always advocate on its behalf and have San Antonio’s best interests at heart. He is also proud to call the Alamo City his home.
“San Antonio is the capital of South Texas and the gateway to the rest of the United States,” he said. “It’s led by Latinos and represents the culture of South Texas. I’ve always wanted to be part of it.”
Currently, Altamirano is optimistic about his future and that of San Antonio and can’t entirely count out another bid for the Mayor’s Office.
“As for a future run, I’m committed to continuing my public service in San Antonio and staying engaged in the issues facing our city,” he said. “I care about this community, and I remain open to the ways I can best serve moving forward. For now, my focus is on doing the work, supporting strong leadership, and helping build long-term solutions.”
