The Venture Center, like a startup, is constantly adding programs and services to better serve the students, faculty, and the broader Southeast Texas community.
Our regular rotation of programs and services include:
Each November, the Venture Center hosts the Cardinal Ideas Pitch, where teams can win over $10,000 in cash prizes with no existing business required, just an innovative idea.
In the Spring, the center partners with the Office of Undergraduate Research for Pitch @ OUR Expo, a competition designed to discover commercial applications for undergraduate research at Â鶹ÊÓƵ.[ Ask About Pitch Competitions → ]
Each semester we hire students to work at the Venture Center to help us serve entrepreneurs. The following semester we continue to employ those students as they begin working with area startups. This is a great opportunity for students who are looking to break into entrepreneurship but aren’t ready to build their own venture just yet.
Each semester we also offer five awards of $500 to help undergraduate students start or grow a business. Applications open on the first day of class for each semester and close five weeks after the semester begins. Winners will be announced one week after applications close. [ Inquire About Student Funding & Fellowships → ]
The Venture Center has partnered with STRIVE to create a six-week incubator program to serve our veteran community. If you are a veteran, active-duty service member, or a dependent, please reach out to us to learn more about this new program. [ Connect with the Veterans Program → ]
If you need help vetting your idea, finding partners, finding customers, building your team, or unsure of how to move forward with your idea or business, come meet with an Entrepreneur In Residence for one-on-one mentorship. The Venture Center has partnered with the Forge to host these impactful sessions. Sign up here to get more information.[ Become an Entrepreneur in Residence → ]
Whether you need help building the structure to scale, trying to buy a business, building a business to sell, need help with marketing, funding, or want to start a podcast, we have workshops for you. Keep an eye on our social media and the events page for updates. [ Get Workshop Details → ]
Entrepreneurship does not happen alone. That’s why we built the startup incubator. Each semester we run one six-week incubator to take entrepreneurs from idea to pitch. Be part of this ambitious community of builders as you get ready to launch your new venture. Reach out to our Executive Director, Kyle Scott, to learn more. [ Reach Out About the Incubator → ]