Local tech entrepreneur and business owner Beto Altamirano announced his candidacy for San Antonio’s 2025 mayoral election on Friday in a campaign video and on his website.
“I’m running for mayor because this is the next chapter in San Antonio’s story,” Altamirano said in a campaign video, “because this is our city and this is our moment.”
Altamirano’s personal website is titled “Entrepreneur. Social Innovator. Advocate.”
A native of Mission, Texas, the 34-year-old earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Texas at Austin and a master’s in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School.
He moved to San Antonio in 2013 and subsequently founded Iris Technology (formerly CityFlag) in 2017, where he currently serves as CEO. The company is perhaps best known for developing the City of San Antonio’s 311 app.
Irys Technology currently has contracts with the Department of Defense and across the country.
Altamirano has officially announced his candidacy for mayor next year, following the expiration of Mayor Ron Nirenberg’s term, along with 9th District Councilman John Courage and 8th District Councilman Manny Pelaez, the first non-councillors to announce their candidacy.
Altamirano has never held public office, but he worked on John Kerry’s 2012 presidential campaign and has also worked in the White House and the State Department, he said in an interview with Robert Rivard on the podcast “Big City, Small Town” last year.
On his campaign website, he outlined three top policy priorities: public safety, infrastructure and economic development.
On public safety, his campaign website states that while law enforcement is vital, San Antonio “cannot eliminate crime by police alone.” He voiced support for high-crime policing, the San Antonio Fearless Environment (SAFFE) program, and community investments to discourage residents from turning to crime.
Mr. Altamirano served as a board member and vice chair of the San Antonio Port Authority, served as the U.S. representative on the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s Digitalization in Energy Task Force, and served as a public engagement specialist for the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.
His campaign’s official launch event will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Friendly Spot Ice House.
