LaunchPad Innovation Grants
Each semester, The LaunchPad awards $15,000 in non-dilutive funding through the Innovation Grants program. Students can apply for these micro-grants, ranging from $250 to $1,500, to support their career, academic, or entrepreneurial goals.
To date, The LaunchPad has awarded over $120,000 through the Innovation Grants program! Awardees are required to attend one group workshop and one mentor networking mixer during the semester.
Fall 2024 applications are due by September 30 at 11:59 PM. Submit your application by September 20 to receive four priority points.
Virtual Info Session: September 17, 5-6 PM. Register Here.
HOW CAN I USE THESE FUNDS?
Funding can be used for any professional pursuit, including career readiness, resume building, gig work, side hustles, entrepreneurship, small businesses, and startups. Examples of past awarded micro-grants include: $250 for Adobe Certified Expert exam fees, $500 for professional-grade shears for a barber business, $350 for a startup's LLC registration fees, $800 for Texas Real Estate License exam fees, $500 in wage reimbursement for an unpaid internship…and more!
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BY THE NUMBERS
Students Served
Funds Given
Mentorship Sessions
Average Grant Amount
Awardees in the "Create" Phase
Awardees are Seniors
Meet Valeria, Past Innovation Grant recipient
Valeria received an Innovation Grant for Cabilde - A software as a service tool founded by student activists to facilitate civic engagement in Mexico.
Disorganized bureaucratic data and political jargon makes finding legislative information tedious for the average Mexican constituent. Cabilde provides a simple way for constituents to get informed, contact their representatives, and take action.
She received funding not once, but TWO semesters in a row! In that time, she was able to find a cofounder, incorporate her venture, become a Next Gen Fellow with the United Nations Foundation, and give a TED Talk at UT Austin's TedX event!
Meet Abhi, Past Innovation Grant recipient
Abhi received an Innovation Grant for Loop Medical Innovations - a company that makes more accurate and easier to use spirometers to help doctors better access and monitor their patients' lung health.
After being awarded an Innovation Grant, Abhi and his team completed a two-week clinical validation study, conducted 50 trials and patient interviews, confirmed their product’s value for both patients and clinicians, and greatly improved their product. They even filed for incorporation!
Program Details
Benefits
* Structure, accountability, and goal setting.
* Grant funding between $250-$1.5K.
* Community of StartUP recipients and alumni.
Ideal Participants
* Current UT student of any major.
* Curious, self-motivated, and organized individuals who can clearly articulate their goals.
* Able to fulfill workshop attendance requirements and intro and exit surveys.
Time Commitment
Grant Recipients are required to attend one workshop and one networking mixer.
Fall Cohort Workshop: October 16, 5:30-7:30PM
Fall Mentor Mixer: November 7, 5:30-7:30PM
Application Timeline
Fall 2024
Applications Open: September 9-30
Priority Deadline: September 20
Virtual Info Session: September 17
Decisions Announced: October 7
Alumni Testimonials
“Being a recipient of the Innovation Grant has helped keep me accountable in the pursuit of my goals. I'm super ambitious and like to dream big, but sometimes I can get lost in the big picture and lose sight of what I need to do today. The mentorship at the LaunchPad has guided me in creating actionable steps to grow my business into the empire I envision it becoming.”
Marketing
“The Innovation Grants program was extremely helpful to the progress of my early-stage venture. The funding, mentorship, and additional resources the program provided was invaluable to help my startup Locket continue growing its online presence and further explore sustainable revenue models. Thank you, LaunchPad!”
Business Honors & Management Information Systems
“The Innovation Grants program provided me a way to connect closely with not only the UT community, but with fellow student entrepreneurs like myself. I was able to learn in collaborative peer environments, gain mentorship, and understand what the entrepreneurial mindset really is. My venture, boxEdu, really benefited under the guidance of The LaunchPad at UT Austin, and really helped me focus my venture with detailed research and market-fit.”
Public Health and Social Sciences & Religious Studies
“Throughout my time as an Innovation Grant recipient, I’ve learned a lot of new methods to entrepreneurship. The one that has left a lasting impression is asking what, how, and why questions when interviewing potential customers. This has allowed me to be more present when interviewing. Lastly, I learned the importance pf setting smaller, more subsequent goals (i.e SMART goals). Setting smaller goals has allowed me to build out an achievable timeframe.”
Global/International Studies
"From the opportunity to connect with entrepreneurs-in-residents and mentors to leveraging the LaunchPad’s network of events and founders the program has been fantastic for Gazelle. Our team has enjoyed connecting with subject matter experts in our field and gaining unique insights from the interdisciplinary background of the Launchpad’s mentors. I would highly recommend founders, whether in the ideation stage, MVP, or scaling to utilize the LaunchPad!"
Finance & History
“Being a recipient of the Innovation Grant was really helpful in covering the costs for my startup display table and prototype at this year's SXSW event. This was also a great experience for me to learn from, since it was my first time presenting at an event of that magnitude. Overall, this grant facilitated this part of my entrepreneurial journey by giving me the means necessary to reach more target customers and have several meaningful interactions with them. From this I was also able to learn to communicate my ideas better.”
Biochemistry