About Aurum Tech by Stephanie Schilling.

Aug 26
3 min read

We recently received this amazing blog submission from Stephanie Schilling, Executive Director of STTE Foundation, where she highlights the inspiring journey of Aurum Tech, a Hispanic-owned startup based in El Paso, Texas.

In this article, Stephanie shares how the company secured a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and how this milestone is propelling their mission to transform waste into valuable organic soil supplements through microbial evolution and biotechnology.

Her blog emphasizes not only Aurum Tech’s achievement but also the broader significance for the Borderplex innovation ecosystem demonstrating how federal research dollars can fuel entrepreneurship, create jobs, and drive solutions to pressing global challenges such as sustainability, soil degradation, and even space-based agriculture. Stephany also underscores the pivotal role of organizations like the STTE Foundation, which support founders such as Joshua Ortiz and Gabriel Garcia in moving from idea to impact.

Through this lens, her piece celebrates Aurum Tech’s success while educating readers on how SBIR funding works, why it’s vital for underrepresented founders, and how it catalyzes innovation with both commercial and societal benefits. Read on..

When you think of innovation hubs, El Paso, Texas may not be the first city that comes to mind. But that’s quickly changing, thanks to startups like Aurum Tech, a Hispanic-owned company tackling some of the biggest challenges in sustainability, agriculture, and even space exploration. Recently, Aurum Tech earned a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I award from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), marking a major milestone for the company and for the Borderplex innovation ecosystem.

Aurum Tech specializes in transforming waste into organic soil supplements that restore degraded land while reducing environmental harm. At the heart of their work is a novel microbial evolution platform, a system designed to adapt microbial communities to high-stress environments like nutrient-deficient soils.

This technology not only has immediate agricultural benefits, such as boosting soil fertility and improving crop yields, but also holds promise for terraforming and biomanufacturing applications in space. Imagine microbes that can help rehabilitate mining sites here on Earth, and one day enable food production on Mars.

The SBIR program is one of the most competitive federal funding mechanisms for early-stage startups. By providing non-dilutive capital, it allows small businesses to de-risk their research, prove feasibility, and attract further investment without giving up equity.

For Aurum Tech, the $100,000 Phase I award provides the resources to validate its microbial platform, run rigorous lab studies, and establish proof-of-concept results. If successful, this positions the company for a Phase II award, which can unlock up to $1 million+ in follow-on funding for scaling and commercialization.

Aurum Tech’s achievement is more than just a company milestone, it’s proof that world-class innovation can come from underrepresented regions and founders. Co-founders Dr. Joshua Ortiz and Gabriel Garcia made the bold decision to leave their full-time jobs to dedicate themselves to this research, signaling both their commitment and the potential scale of impact.

Through partnerships with organizations like the Medical Center of the Americas Foundation, which is providing lab space, and the STTE Foundation, which offers mentorship and technical assistance, Aurum Tech is leveraging a growing regional support network to accelerate its growth.

This SBIR win also sends a powerful message: federal innovation funding belongs in places like El Paso, not just traditional tech hubs.

While the Phase I award lays the foundation, Aurum Tech is already thinking bigger. They are exploring partnerships with NASA, the Department of Defense, and leading universities to expand the applications of their technology. From addressing global soil degradation to advancing space-based agriculture, the potential impact is immense.

For the Borderplex region, Aurum Tech’s journey is a blueprint for what happens when visionary founders, federal funding, and community support align. It’s not just about one startup’s success—it’s about building an innovation ecosystem where more stories like this can thrive.

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