As a complement to The Navigator, the Innovation Concierge serves as a nexus for all innovation activity for faculty across the UT campus. The Innovation Concierge is well informed on innovation resources both within the institution, as well as the broader Austin and Texas ecosystems. Faculty are encouraged to connect as needed and the Innovation Concierge will provide a warm handoff to the correct point of contact.

The Center for Integrated Design offers approximately 30 design-based courses each year. We offer the most cutting-edge innovation and creative practices that companies are demanding. Our courses are open for any enrolled student at UT Austin, and provide a range of offerings from Introduction to Design Thinking, skills like sketching and storytelling, and advanced coursework in partnership with Austin Design companies. Specific courses can be found on our website.

The UT System Board of Regents Rule 90101: Intellectual Property provides guidance on timely and efficient processes to manage intellectual property. These fundamental principles are intended to be adaptable to the highly varied circumstances that characterize the private sector and the portfolio of research at UT System institutions.

The Office of Industry Engagement (OIE) negotiates all contracts related to private industry research funding. OIE endeavors to streamline negotiations to better accommodate industry financial cycles and assist UT faculty in their collaborative efforts with industry partners. OIE focuses on flexible engagements and expedited contractual negotiations, through collaboration with internal and external stakeholders and with support from the Office of Technology Commercialization.

Pivot allows researchers in all disciplines to quickly discover funding opportunities that match their interests and expertise. Pivot is available to all UT faculty, staff researchers, research administrators and students.

The Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) is the only organization on campus authorized to manage university-owned IP (trademarks excepted). The OTC works with researchers to define the technology, assess its development stage, strategize potentially valuable patent claims, and as necessary, file patents to protect the IP in advance of publication. The OTC also supports technologies that are not patentable, such as software and copyrighted works that may be commercialized via license.

Interested in SBIR/STTR funding but not sure where to begin? Writing your proposal and looking for expert guidance? On-demand webinars about SBIR/STTR programs and agency proposal requirements are available to the UT Austin community at no cost through our collaboration with BBC Entrepreneurial Training & Consulting.

The Texas Innovation Center offers a personalized environment for faculty and students to explore entrepreneurship that includes educational workshops, speaker series, coaching sessions, and direct guidance for technology commercialization pathways; from ideation to market validation to fundraising. We accomplish this through Startup-In-A-Box Resources, TxIC Friends and Mentors Network, Innovation Lab, and co-working space. A place to inspire, create and commercialize.