Based in El Paso, Pioneers 21 is a nonprofit incubator working to unleash the creative and economic potential of the U.S.-Mexico border by supporting startups and small businesses. We recently spoke with Pioneers 21’s Executive Director, Carlos Martínez-Vela, to learn more about the organization’s work supporting local entrepreneurs, the El Paso startup ecosystem, and the importance of attracting talented workers.

With an entrepreneurial background and experience with influencer-based marketing, Monica Merrill—the Founder and CEO of FlipperSplash—created a platform where small businesses can partner with large or small influencers to effectively market their products and services to a wider audience. We recently spoke with Monica to learn more about FlipperSplash, how brands have been affected by the pandemic, and the goals of the startup moving forward.

MyAgData is an agricultural-focused data analytics startup that allows farmers to utilize acreage reporting software to simplify their reports for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and for crop insurance as well as giving lenders and insurers unique insights into their customer’s acreage productivity and health. We recently spoke with MyAgData’s CEO and Co-Founder, Deb Casurella, to learn more about the firm, their access to funding opportunities, and how policymakers can work to encourage young talent to stay in rural communities.

H20 Connected manufactures wireless-enabled products like LeakAlertor to help property management and hospitality businesses deal with leaking, overflowing, and running toilets. The startup was incubated in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, to utilize the city’s Qualified Opportunity Zone program to help scale their growth moving forward. We recently spoke with Susan Springsteen, the president of H20 Connected, to learn more about Opportunity Zones, her startup’s work, and the steps that she believes lawmakers should take to strengthen the Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses affected by the ongoing pandemic.