This year’s inaugural Innovation Week united students, faculty, staff and industry partners to celebrate the journey from research discovery to real-world impact. Presentations and competitions showcased how The University of Texas at Austin, in collaboration with The University of Texas System, is driving ideas that can change the world.
The weeklong gathering combined the innovative efforts of Discovery to Impact, Dell Medical School, TEXAS Entrepreneurship, Industry Engagement, UT Career Success, and the Office of Career & Life Design across UT Austin. Each of these groups plays a critical role in ensuring that when research moves from the University to the market, the pathways are clear — for companies, for partners, and for the people who bring technologies to life.
Throughout the week, 56 startups from UT Austin were awarded $446,500 in funding to further commercialize their research.
“Delivering innovation at this scale requires translation, partnership and talent moving together,” said Andrew Maas, assistant vice president for technology transfer, Discovery to Impact. “Innovation Week reflects coordinated efforts that support innovation from research discovery through commercial impact.”
The week started with an opening reception Monday hosted by The University of Texas System that highlighted innovation and a spirit of collaboration across all 13 institutions. Chancellor John Zerwas gave opening remarks, followed by Chief Innovation Officer Sheila Kadura, who touched on systemwide efforts to promote and support research and innovation.
“When we talk about innovation, it’s easy to focus on the moment of discovery, the breakthrough in a lab, the insight that shifts our understanding of what’s possible. This week is about what happens after that moment,” said Kadura. “At The University of Texas, innovation does not stop with discovery. It moves — deliberately and at scale — from research into the world, where it delivers public value, strengthens industries, and improves lives.”
At The University of Texas, innovation does not stop with discovery. It moves — deliberately and at scale — from research into the world.
On Tuesday, Discovery to Impact hosted more than 30 venture capitalists from across the country to connect with startup companies. Thirteen ventures presented groundbreaking innovations, including advances in biotechnology, semiconductors and energy solutions.
On Wednesday, UT Career Success and the Office of Career & Life Design hosted Industry & Innovation Night, bringing together local industry leaders, entrepreneurs and University partners including Dell, Google, Neuralink and Opportunity Austin to explore the future of work in Central Texas. Conversations centered on Austin’s expanding economy and the collaborative programs being built across community, industry and higher education to meet it. A consistent theme emerged: As the landscape grows more complex, and technology continues to evolve, employers value people who lead with curiosity, think across perspectives, and bring the distinctly human ability to navigate ambiguity and drive ideas forward.
On Thursday, Dell Medical School hosted its Spring 2026 Texas Health Catalyst (TxHC) Roundup & Rodeo. Austin’s life sciences community came together to support finalists from this spring’s Texas Health Catalyst cohort, who presented their progress toward commercialization in areas addressing brain health and general innovations in healthcare. Over 340 guests registered for the showcase, including over 20 VCs, to watched seven teams pitch and compete for awards in categories recognizing special achievements demonstrated at the event.
The week ended with innovators being awarded through two competitive programs. The UT Brumley Institute for Graduate Entrepreneurship’s Spring 2026 TVL Investment Competition featured top 30 graduate startups pitching live to a panel of over 50 investors. Standout ventures across health, sustainability, energy and technology were awarded finalist prizes. In addition, during the Innovation Power Hour, five Texas Proof of Concept (POC) awardees each presented their cutting-edge technologies to industry stakeholders. POC awards provide competitive funding for UT faculty members or permanent researchers with a principal investigator status to accelerate the technology commercialization process.
From startup pitch competitions to exclusive showcases of cutting-edge intellectual property, and deep dives into the future of the Central Texas workforce, Innovation Week 2026 offered a comprehensive look at the University’s role in driving innovation and celebrating the journey from campus discovery to real-world impact.
