Accelerator
Seeking Austin Startups
The JBTVL Accelerator provides an opportunity for startups to take their ventures to the next level with the unique benefit of leveraging UT Austin resources and talent. JBTVL also provides a venue for investors to engage with research and startups from The University of Texas at Austin. The JBTVL Accelerator matches early-stage Austin-area startups with cross-functional student teams from across UT’s graduate schools to help solve business problems.
The JBTVL Accelerator is a zero cost, zero equity program that collaborates with Texas-based startups who want to work with graduate student consultants for up to 300 hours of high impact business consulting over the course of a 14-week semester. We accept applications from both pre-revenue and post-revenue companies who have a working prototype or product, can clearly define 2-3 projects for students, and are ready to engage with the student team.
We welcome startups from ALL industries! In addition to our MBA, MSTC, and McCombs MS students, many of our graduate students come from science, engineering, and computer science disciplines. Since we are embedded in an academic institution and surrounded by brilliant scientific and technical talent, startups who can leverage technical PhD and Masters students in their project work are always encouraged to apply.
For more information, check out the FAQs.Sign up today.
Apply now
Practicum
The JBTVL Practicum connects local startup companies with talented and entrepreneurial graduate students from UT Austin. A majority of the students come from the MBA, law, engineering, pharmacy, and natural sciences programs but all majors are welcome.
These students participate in semester-long consulting projects solving important problems alongside the company’s founders. Students work with the startups to deliver 200-300 hours of quality consulting work in exchange for academic course credit.
The JBTVL Practicum is a cross-disciplinary networking and learning program with a hands-on approach using the academic foundations of entrepreneurship and business modeling. Students learn valuable skills such as project management, client relations, team collaboration, market validation, competitive research, price modeling and analytics.
We leverage the Austin ecosystem with unique, hands-on programs that extend across graduate programs on campus and the greater Austin startup community. Since 2010, 775+ Master’s and PhD students have gone through the JBTVL Practicum.
Applications to be a part of the 2021 Spring JBTVL Practicum are open. We will be hosting online Info Sessions from Sept. 30 through Oct. 22. The deadline to apply is Oct. 25 at 11:59 PM. Register for an Info Session at http://bit.ly/TVLinfo20
Apply now.
Investment Competition
The next Texas Venture Labs Investment Competition will be held online on Friday, December 4, 2020. This virtual competition offers a unique opportunity for graduate students from any UT System school to pitch their startup ideas to a panel of investors and entrepreneurs.
Past participants, such as the founders of uShip, BeatBox Beverages and Ordoro to name a few, have gone on to do great things after launching their startups at TVLIC. Many other participants have leveraged their TVLIC experience and feedback from the judges to accelerate their careers outside of entrepreneurship.
Along with invaluable feedback, the winner receives a suite of prizes:
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Grand prize of $15,000
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A seat in the newly founded Company-in-Residence program
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$10,000 in Amazon Web Services credits
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Free Three Months at Capital Factory
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Access to the LeanStack.com tools and a personalized coaching session with the creator of the Lean Canvas, Ash Maurya
Additionally, Second Place wins $5,000 and $3,500 in Amazon Web Services credits; Third Place takes home $2,500 and $1,500 in Amazon Web Services credits.
Three Nemec Elevator Challenge winners will receive $1,000 each. The James D. Pippin $1,000 award goes to a team with a U.S. military veteran on the team. One finalist will be selected for six months free mentoring through Austin Technology Incubator. One finalist will receive a "Golden Ticket" entry to SEAL summer program.
Check out the complete list of winners.
Upcoming Events
JBTVL's Better Startup Workshop: Diversity and Inclusion for Startups
Are you curious about how Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) can benefit your startup? Do you support D&I, but don’t know where to find talent from diverse backgrounds? Are you looking for ways to make your company a more inclusive and welcoming environment?
You are invited to attend the JBTVL Better Startup Workshop presented by Aleria Research on September 29 from 12:00 to 1:15 pm. This workshop addresses all of these and other points to help you grow a happier and more successful company.
Join us for this free online event to learn how D&I can impact on your growth and your ability to succeed, and increase the satisfaction and retention of your team. All attendees will be given access to our D&I toolkit, which includes an extensive directory of resources to help you identify talent from many different backgrounds, and a list of specific ideas for policies, benefits and initiatives that will make your company more inclusive and welcoming for everyone.
Aleria Research Corp (ARC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that leverages scientific research to drive greater inclusion and equality in our society. For additional information, please contact workshops@aleriaresearch.org.
JBTVL Practicum gives you behind the scenes access to real startup challenges
Join the Jon Brumley Texas Venture Labs team for an info session on our JBTVL Practicum. Learn how graduate students participating in this elective can earn course credit while getting hands-on experience with our JBTVL Accelerator startups, expand their knowledge base and their networks, and become strong leaders in their future careers. Info Sessions run from Sept. 30 through Oct. 22.
The JBTVL Practicum Class is a cross-campus elective course that teaches graduate students how to work with and consult with startups. You will work in a multi-disciplinary team on a project-driven curriculum that immerses you in market analysis and research, teaches about early-stage ventures, and provides a framework for strategically thinking through business problems to directly deliver positive outcomes for Austin startups.
Fun fact: the majority of our students come from UT’s non-business colleges and we always receive positive feedback from students taking the course with an interest in entrepreneurship or consulting projects, both MBA and non-business students alike.
Here is a link for Info Session registration:
http://bit.ly/TVLinfo20
Want to cut to the chase and access the program’s student application? Click here:
bit.ly/applyTVL_student
Calling all Austin Startups Looking for Consulting Help
The Jon Brumley Texas Venture Labs Accelerator matches Austin-area startups with cross-functional teams of UT Austin graduate students for 10-week long startup consulting projects. Our rigorous market validation process and our students’ research accelerates startups towards funding.
The JBTVL Accelerator is a zero cost, zero equity program that collaborates with Texas-based startups who want to work with graduate student consultants for up to 300 hours of high impact business consulting over the course of a 10-week semester. We accept applications from both pre-revenue and post-revenue companies who have a working prototype or product, can clearly define 2-3 projects for students, and are ready to engage with the student team.
We welcome startups from ALL industries! In addition to our MBA, MSTC, and McCombs MS students, many of our graduate students come from science, engineering, and computer science disciplines. Since we are embedded in an academic institution and surrounded by brilliant scientific and technical talent, startups who can leverage technical PhD and Masters students in their project work are always encouraged to apply.
Apply today