Launch a Startup

Prospective McCombs MBAs can apply for our Scholarship Competition and current UT Austin graduate students can apply for our Investment Competition. In both cases, you’re eligible to win cash for your startup idea!

Not ready to compete? Try out New Venture Creation, a class where you work on your business plan and investor pitch.

Join a Startup

If you want to gain real-world experience working for startups, apply for the TVL Practicum class. In that environment, you get course credit for working for Austin-area startups.

Missed the deadline to apply this semester? Contact us to receive advance notice for next semester or attend Venture Expo to meet the startups from this semester.

Scholarship Competition

The TVL Scholarship, a competitive scholarship awarded annually, includes:

• $20,000 scholarship
• Consideration for admission of your company into the TVL Accelerator upon graduation
• Consideration for a post-graduate position as a Venture Partner worth $50,000
• Continued support from Texas Venture Labs throughout the development of your company

Semifinalists are selected to travel to Austin to compete in a pitch competition on March 23, 2018. Even if you only have an idea and no actual product you are still encouraged to participate. The application is now open.  Deadline to apply is February 14, 2018 at 11:59 PM.. Refer to the FAQs for more information.

Apply Now

Investment Competition

The Texas Venture Labs Investment Competition (TVLIC) is designed to mimic the real-world process of raising venture capital. Graduate students from the University of Texas at Austin present their ideas for new businesses and receive invaluable feedback from entrepreneurs and investors. Many TVLIC competitors go on to launch their businesses. Successful competitors have included uShip, Ordoro and Qcue among others.

TVLIC gives away more than $58,000 a year in prizes during its fall and spring competitions. The 2017 Fall TVLIC will be held on Friday, December 1, 2017. The application is now open.  The last day to submit an application is November 17, 2017. For questions, please see the Rules and FAQs. 

Submit Intent to Compete Form

TVL Practicum Course

The Texas Venture Labs connects local startup companies with talented and entrepreneurial graduate students at the University of Texas. 

The TVL Practicum offers students the chance to participate in semester-long consulting projects solving important problems alongside the company’s founders. If admitted to the program, students will work closely with two startup companies on: market validation, competitive analysis, financial analysis, and business model assessment. Practicum students also receive extensive funding guidance from professors and entrepreneurs.

The application for the Texas Venture Labs Practicum Spring 2018 class is now open. The deadline to apply for Spring 2018 is October 2, 2017. UT Austin graduate students with a taste for entrepreneurship can apply.

Apply for Spring 2018