BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS – We all have a purpose. For William Brown, a senior mechanical engineering major at UTRGV, that purpose is meaningful entrepreneurship.
Last April, Brown took his company, Embedded, to the UTRGV Business Plan Competition in Weslaco. He won, and that success eventually led to him being named a 2022 Future Texas Business Legend by the Texas Business Hall of Fame Foundation.
The Business Plan Competition is hosted by the UTRGV Center for Innovation & Commercialization, a Blackstone Launchpad that makes entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial skills available to college students to help them build successful companies and careers. There, he pitched Embedded to a panel of judges and took first place, securing $5,000 to put toward growing his company and toward networking and mentorship opportunities.
Brown said the path forward has always been clear to him, and now he’s seeing his purpose come to life.
“I always knew I wanted to be a business owner and create technology to help people in some way,” Brown said.
To that end, Embedded utilizes RFID (radio frequency identification) tags to help monitor patients, especially older persons, by letting nurses, family, or other caretakers know when the patient is about to get up. The notification can help prevent a fall and serious injury, Brown said.
RFID tags use radio frequency to automatically track and identify the tag attached to an item and communicates that information.
Brown’s Future Texas Business Legend honor awarded him $15,000 to put toward his company as well as access to a network of business owners and entrepreneurs.
He said his selection to the Texas Business Hall of Fame gave him confidence that he is fulfilling his purpose.
“Being treated with so much professionalism, and being trusted with so much money, recognition and networking connections gives me reassurance I am on the right path,” he said.
William Brown, a senior mechanical engineering major at UTRGV, was named a 2022 Future Texas Business Legend by the Texas Business Hall of Fame Foundation. Brown’s Future Texas Business Legend honor awarded him $15,000 to put toward his company, Embedded, as well as access to a network of business owners and entrepreneurs. (Courtesy Photo)
Brown is on track to graduate this spring and plans to begin his MBA in the fall. He continues to develop his company by finalizing the prototype and introducing it to nursing homes to get feedback back that will ensure the business model will cater to healthcare providers specific needs for their patients.
He also plans to keep as much of his business in his hometown, Brownsville, to create more job opportunities.
Laurie Simmons, director of UTRGV’s Center for Innovation & Commercialization, worked closely with Brown at the Business Plan Competition.
“His entrepreneurial curiosity was evident,” Simmons said. “William is the type of student UTRGV should encourage and nurture, the students who are going to make a difference in our community and, potentially, the world.”
Brown said he has always dreamed of seeing his company become a statewide service, so it can help as many people as possible. Now, that dream is closer to reality given all the opportunities he has received to help grow the business.
“I am beyond grateful for the experience, accomplishment and knowledge I have gained while at UTRGV, as it will all benefit this business, Embedded, to ensure it will be of service to as many people as possible,” Brown said.
