This Month's Latest Tech News in Laredo, TX - Wednesday April 30th 2025 Edition

This April in Laredo, TX, tech and economic headlines converged around robust growth, innovation, and ambitious development projects. The city underscored its logistics prowess with a $7.4 billion mixed-use project, Talise, set to bring thousands of homes, retail, and a regional airport, supporting the expanding international trade through the busiest U.S. port read more on Talise's vision.

At the same time, the logistics industry is rapidly evolving: AI-powered transportation management systems and warehouse robots are becoming integral, aiming to automate and optimize supply chains.

As one analyst forecast,

“AI capabilities, specifically AI agents, could well drive us towards truly autonomous transportation...”

see a deep dive on supply chain tech.

Laredo's job market reflects statewide expansion, with a 4.3% unemployment rate and logistics, trade, and warehousing jobs playing a pivotal role both locally and across Texas, which recently added nearly 188,000 jobs in a year explore the Texas labor market data.

Together, these trends highlight Laredo's emergence as a center of innovation and growth at the crossroads of national and international commerce.

This month, innovative tech-driven campaigns are giving a voice to those lost to fentanyl overdoses, serving as a poignant wake-up call for Laredo and communities nationwide.

The "Unfinished Legacies" initiative in Kansas City leverages AI to animate the faces and voices of young victims, sharing their final messages across social media and billboards; as campaign participant Erika Gaitan explained,

"He can't tell his story physically... so I feel like now that he's not here and it's through AI that people are gonna take it a little more serious."

AI-driven storytelling has the potential to prompt life-saving decisions by personalizing the risk, especially for youth targeted via social media platforms, where counterfeit pills containing fentanyl are rampant and deadly.

These efforts are timely: National Fentanyl Awareness Day on April 29, 2025, unites organizations and families in urgent campaigns of education and prevention, echoed by the DEA's Faces of Fentanyl Memorial - both in-person and virtual exhibits inviting communities to honor those lost and spread awareness (learn more about the DEA's memorial exhibit and campaign details).

Further, AI technology is not just raising awareness but improving public health response, as machine learning projects now enable rapid detection of opioid overdose spikes, closing the gap from months to near-real time, helping save lives at local levels (see how AI is transforming overdose death response).

These digital innovations - backed by community partnerships and cutting-edge AI - highlight an urgent, tech-powered call for action in Laredo and beyond, driving home the message that one pill can kill, and every story lost is one that could help save another (discover more about the AI-powered Unfinished Legacies campaign).

Albert Transport, a Laredo-based fleet, is stepping into the national spotlight as one of 13 carriers selected for the North American Council for Freight Efficiency's (NACFE) Run on Less – Messy Middle event.

This real-world demonstration begins September 8, 2025, and features heavy-duty Class 8 trucks utilizing four innovative powertrain technologies - diesel, natural gas, battery electric, and hydrogen fuel cells.

Albert Transport will showcase a 2022 Freightliner Cascadia sleeper tractor powered by a Detroit DD 15 diesel engine, helping illustrate how fleets navigate a landscape of old and new energy solutions.

As NACFE Executive Director Mike Roeth highlights,

“The Messy Middle is a time when fleets can choose from a variety of powertrain solutions and other efficiency-enhancing technologies. These four powertrain solutions represent currently available options for fleets today.”

The event will gather operational data through Geotab telematics, offering valuable transparency into efficiency and emissions across diverse fleet operations.

The following table summarizes the powertrain diversity in this year's lineup:

Fleet	Location	Powertrain	Fuel Type
Albert Transport	Laredo, TX	2022 Freightliner Cascadia, Detroit DD 15	Diesel
4Gen	Rialto, CA	Volvo VNR Electric	Battery Electric
Pilot Travel Centers	Bloomington, CA	Hyundai XCIENT	Hydrogen Fuel Cell

With live data sharing and broad fleet participation, NACFE's trial is set to offer insights that could influence Laredo's - and North America's - transition to cleaner, more efficient trucking.

For a comprehensive overview of participating fleets and technologies, visit ACT News' detailed coverage of the Messy Middle event, and explore operational details and ongoing updates on the official Run on Less official website.

Laredo's logistics industry is embracing a new era of real-time visibility and data-driven operations thanks to rapid advances in telematics. A major development comes from Geotab's expanded partnership with Daimler Truck North America and Freightliner, now supporting trucks equipped with Cummins Powertrains.

This integration provides fleets with seamless, over-the-air access to detailed vehicle performance data via the MyGeotab platform, enabling local operators to enhance safety, optimize routes, and proactively manage maintenance costs.

As Anil Khanna, Director of Connectivity Services at DTNA, puts it:

“Our factory-installed hardware integration now embedded on all new models equipped with Cummins Powertrains offers fleets a ready-to-go solution that simplifies access to data on vehicle performance and operational efficiency, empowering smarter, faster decision-making.”

The impact of such technologies was also highlighted at Geotab Connect 2025, where solutions like the Lytx+ integration were unveiled, combining award-winning telematics with video safety to maximize uptime and regulatory compliance for fleets of all sizes.

Below is a snapshot of the features now available to Laredo's fleets:

Feature	Benefit
Factory-Installed Telematics	Ready-to-use without separate hardware; activates OTA
Unified Video & Telematics (Lytx+ with Geotab)	Enhances safety, operational efficiency, and compliance monitoring
AI-Powered Analytics	Provides driver feedback, predictive maintenance, and route optimization

As telematics adoption grows mainstream in 2025, Laredo's trucking fleets are positioned to thrive - streamlining operations, improving driver safety, and meeting rising sustainability goals.

To read more about this transformation in fleet management, visit Geotab's announcement of their Freightliner-Cummins partnership, a summary of Geotab Connect 2025's key innovations, and detailed coverage on the Lytx+ integrated solution.

Laredo's trucking industry is taking a major step forward as local fleet Albert Transport joins the national Run on Less – Messy Middle initiative, a real-world demonstration and educational series focused on the evolving landscape of freight transport technologies.

The Messy Middle Bootcamp, organized by the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) with support from leading sponsors like Cummins and Shell, is delivering a 13-session curriculum on alternative powertrains - diesel, natural gas, battery-electric, and hydrogen fuel cells - to arm Laredo's fleet managers and decision-makers with practical tools for decarbonization and efficiency.

Sessions are free, biweekly, and open to all levels, with expert-led discussions and interactive quizzes for each topic. Albert Transport's 2022 Freightliner Cascadia (diesel) will be tracked alongside 12 other diverse fleet vehicles, collecting data via Geotab telematics, as the industry seeks best-fit solutions for long-haul and return-to-base routes.

As Mike Roeth, NACFE executive director, explained,

“The Messy Middle is a time when fleets can choose from a variety of powertrain solutions and other efficiency-enhancing technologies... These four powertrain solutions represent currently available options for fleets today.”

See how the session schedule is designed to match Laredo's needs:

Session Topic	Date	Status
Diesel Drop-In Alternatives	Feb 11, 2025	Available
Decarbonizing with Natural Gas	Feb 25, 2025	Available
BEV Technologies	April 8, 2025	Available
Hydrogen Fuel Production	June 3, 2025	Upcoming

Fleet leaders can register for the ongoing Bootcamp at the official Run on Less – Messy Middle Bootcamp registration page and access past session recordings.

For background on how the Bootcamp is shaping innovation nationwide, see ACT News' comprehensive Run on Less – Messy Middle event coverage, and learn about Laredo's unique role - including vehicle details and data strategies - in NACFE's official announcement on participating fleets.

Laredo's tech job market faces persistent headwinds despite broader economic recovery in 2025. The city's unemployment rate recently rose from 3.7% to 4.3%, with officials citing the end of seasonal jobs, even as the labor force grew to a historic high of 125,400 people.

A significant share of employment remains concentrated in trade, transportation (32%), and government sectors (23%), limiting opportunities for tech professionals and making diversification urgent.

Not only does Laredo rank near the bottom nationally in average starting salaries and innovation indicators for tech, but it also appears at #99 out of 100 for startup activity and related entrepreneurship, according to U.S. tech city rankings for 2025.

Current investments - commercial industrial growth and targeted job training by Workforce Solutions South Texas - say little about scaling tech industries or drawing tech giants, unlike nearby powerhouses such as Plano, Austin, and Frisco.

As noted by the president of the Laredo Chamber of Commerce, robust support for small businesses provides stability, but technology sector growth remains slow amid policy uncertainty and low innovation.

For context, see the table below:

City	Startup/Innovation Rank (2025)	Avg. Starting IT Salary Rank
Plano, TX	4	2
Austin, TX	7	11
Laredo, TX	99	178

As job market analysis from WalletHub further confirms, Laredo is among the worst U.S. cities for tech salaries and job quality, underscoring the urgent need for strategic innovation initiatives.

While local workforce investments are commendable, Laredo must make decisive moves to avoid falling further behind thriving Texas tech hubs. Explore more about the city's shifting labor statistics at KGNS's latest jobs report.

Texas's tech ascendance continues as cities like Plano, Austin, and Frisco stand out for their record fundraising, rapid data center expansion, and robust infrastructure investment.

In Q1 2025, Austin startups shattered local records by raising nearly $3.4 billion across 86 deals, with an average deal size climbing to $39 million - a leap from previous quarters - propelling the regional ecosystem to rival Boston and New York, though still trailing the Bay Area's dominance (Austin's record venture funding quarter).

Meanwhile, the Dallas suburb of Plano cements its status as a data center powerhouse; DataBank recently added 22,000 square feet and 3 megawatts of critical power to its Tier III-certified DFW3 facility, matching the demand from cloud and enterprise clients, while Meta resumed its $800 million AI-ready campus in Temple, projected to be 31% cheaper and twice as fast to complete compared to earlier designs (Data Center expansion in Plano and Temple).

The momentum is powered by market leaders with Texas roots and major investments - firmly placing the region on the national radar. See how Texas's key cities stack up in data center development funding:

City	Key Project/Company	Investment/Expansion	Highlights
Austin	Startups / Base Power / Oracle	$3.4B Q1 startup fundraising	Average venture deal $39M; Oracle's $500B Stargate AI project
Plano (Dallas region)	DataBank	+22,000 sq ft; 3 MW critical power	Tier III certification; rapid cloud expansion
Temple (Central Texas)	Meta	$800M data center (AI-focused)	31% lower cost; >1,200 peak construction jobs

With annual U.S. data center spending up 34% and a flood of investment committed to AI infrastructure statewide, Texas's “tech superstars” are setting an ambitious bar for innovation, efficiency, and growth (2025's hottest data center companies).

Laredo's position as a logistics powerhouse is being undermined by persistent gaps in internet coverage and the complex, shifting landscape of broadband infrastructure investment.

While traditional fiber broadband remains limited across much of South Texas, state and federal funding designed to boost digital equity - such as Texas' $55.6 million State Digital Equity Capacity Grant and $3.3 billion in BEAD Program allocations - remains largely paused or uncertain, leaving local programs without critical resources to improve access.

A recent summary of county broadband efforts notes,

“Last week, the Texas Broadband Development Office (BDO) announced a pause on all grants and contracts related to the federal State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program,”

delaying projects in areas like Laredo that need these investments most (Texas Association of Counties outlines the ramifications).

In response, Texas has begun piloting satellite alternatives to traditional broadband, reflecting a broader policy shift and recognition that rural and border regions require more flexible solutions (Statescoop details the new satellite pilot program).

Meanwhile, private sector initiatives are lagging: AT&T's Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) service, recently launched in Laredo, is positioned as a transitional fix rather than a long-term solution, with limited reach compared to fiber and slower speeds outside optimal coverage zones (RCR Wireless analyzes AT&T Internet Air's local impact).

Without robust broadband, Laredo's thriving trade, education, and health sectors face distinct disadvantages - especially as global and regional competitors invest aggressively in faster, more reliable internet technologies.

Laredo continues to solidify its reputation as a logistics powerhouse and emerging tech testbed, with a surge of investments and facility expansions redefining how goods move across North America.

Recent developments include the opening of Kuehne+Nagel's state-of-the-art 432,000-square-foot logistics hub, doubling local capacity with modern cross-docking, storage, and advanced customs management to capitalize on the ongoing nearshoring trend Kuehne+Nagel opens new facility in Texas.

At the same time, Danish firm DSV is spearheading a $90 million megaproject in partnership with local stakeholders, promising at least 178 new jobs and further positioning Laredo as a central node for global freight networks Danish logistics giant DSV's $90M investment highlights Laredo's growth.

As outlined in a comprehensive overview by industry analysts, these expansions are part of a broader wave of Class A industrial parks and infrastructure projects designed to accommodate growing cross-border trade, harness cost advantages, and address evolving freight flows, all while encouraging collaboration between city officials, the Laredo Economic Development Corporation, and private firms Laredo, Texas: The World's Largest Port and Supply Chain Powerhouse.

Facility/Project	Developer	Size (sq ft)	Status
Kuehne+Nagel Laredo Facility	Kuehne+Nagel	432,000	Operational Apr 2025
DSV Logistics Complex	DSV	N/A	Construction imminent
Vidal Cantu Industrial Center	Axis & Menlo Equities	213,781	Upcoming

As Laredo evolves, these logistics trials - supported by both public policy and private initiative - are transforming barriers into opportunities for innovation and regional leadership in smart supply chain management.

This month, Texas' ongoing struggle with the digital divide highlights a patchwork of technology access and opportunity across cities and rural communities. While the newly announced $30 million Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellite Broadband pilot from the Texas Broadband Development Office offers hope for unserved rural areas, coverage inequalities persist, especially in educational and economic sectors.

At the Texas Broadband Summit, experts emphasized that “equitable participation for rural communities – in education, healthcare, job applications, and business operations – requires quality broadband access,” yet many regions face issues of unreliable or unaffordable service and limited digital literacy.

Initiatives led by Texas Tech University, such as the revitalization of the Construction Engineering Technology program and House Bill 5092's mission to transform the Reese Technology Center into a national research hub for critical infrastructure, signal robust investments in workforce and security but nonetheless accentuate gaps in digital inclusion and tech readiness across geography.

A simple comparison illustrates the divide:

City/Region	Key Tech Initiative (April 2025)	Digital Inclusion Challenge
Laredo & Rural West Texas	LEO Satellite Broadband Pilot (Texas Broadband Development Office)	Unreliable/absent internet, digital skills gap
Lubbock/Texas Tech	National Security Research & Workforce Development (Center for Infrastructure Security and Innovation)	Scaling local talent for critical infrastructure protection
Statewide	Broadband Summits & Digital Navigator Programs (Texas Rural Funders' Broadband Information)	Uneven community adoption and affordability

“Strengthening our research capabilities at Reese equips Texas Tech and the broader region to lead in safeguarding the systems our nation relies on every day.”

Bridging these digital gaps will require coordinated investment, policy attention, and community-driven solutions so every corner of Texas, including Laredo, can thrive in the state's rapidly advancing tech landscape.

This month, national developments in artificial intelligence, logistics, and trade policy are reshaping the landscape for cities like Laredo, with ripple effects already evident along the border.

AI-driven solutions are rapidly permeating freight and logistics - from real-time route optimization and emissions tracking to automated scheduling - contributing to more resilient, cost-effective, and sustainable supply chains.

According to research, freight operations utilizing AI have seen logistics costs decrease by up to 20%, while predictive analytics enable more accurate pricing and scenario planning to counter market volatility (AI and Predictive Logistics Trends for 2025).

Yet, regulatory challenges abound: sweeping new tariffs, adjustments to the de minimis threshold for imports, and stricter cross-border inspection protocols are disrupting traditional trade routes, increasing warehousing demand, and inflating operational costs across the U.S.-Mexico corridor (Impact of Trade Regulation on Supply Chain Management).

Meanwhile, industry-academia collaborations such as Freight Technologies' new AI Lab - partnering with the University of Monterrey - are forging pathways for smarter, more adaptive cross-border freight solutions.

As Dr. Antonio Martínez Torteya notes:

“It is of utmost importance that academic initiatives are directed towards real, high-impact projects and that a synergy is fostered between students and the freight industry.”

These shifts underscore the need for Laredo's freight sector to invest in digital infrastructure, embrace AI, and remain agile amid regulatory headwinds.

For a snapshot of how global logistics leaders are leveraging automation and predictive analytics, see this April 2025 Supply Chain and Logistics Industry Update.

Laredo's tech future hinges on strategic collaboration, upskilling, and capitalizing on regional strengths, as Texas accelerates its transformation into a national innovation engine.

Statewide efforts like the TWC Upskill Texas Program now offer up to $3,000 in reimbursement per worker for training, empowering businesses and educational partners to address evolving industry demands - an opportunity Laredo employers should not overlook.

Meanwhile, large-scale investments at Texas Tech University, including a $6.5 million Army Research Laboratory pilot and renewed support for construction engineering education, demonstrate how bolstering research and workforce pipelines can fuel regional development.

Cross-sector summits, like Midland College's gathering of business and education leaders, stress the value of linking K–12, higher education, and industry to build momentum for all Texas communities.

As Dr. Damon Kennedy, Midland College President, expressed:

“This is more than a conversation - it's a commitment. And we're proud to walk alongside our partners as we shape the workforce of tomorrow.”

Laredo can move forward by fostering similar partnerships, leveraging workforce grants, and expanding access to flexible, market-driven learning opportunities such as Nucamp's coding and cybersecurity bootcamps, which train residents for high-demand roles.

The table below highlights relevant upskilling opportunities and programs:

Program	Features	Apply
TWC Upskill Texas	$3,000/worker, business-education partnerships, up to $500K/project	Learn More about TWC Upskill Texas
Nucamp Coding Bootcamps	Flexible online, tech scholarships, job-focused tracks	Explore Nucamp Coding Bootcamp Programs
TTU ARL Workforce Pilot	Internships, research in defense tech, student support	Details on TTU Army Research Laboratory Workforce Pilot

With the right coordination and commitment, Laredo is poised to amplify its role in Texas's innovation story.