UTSA opens New Venture Incubator to nurture technology start-ups
(March 9, 2010)--UTSA celebrates the opening of the New Venture Incubator (NVI), a facility with laboratory, office and meeting spaces to support technology start-ups in the San Antonio region. Housed on the UTSA Main Campus, the incubator will serve as a bridge between San Antonio entrepreneurs and the region's research and development community.
The NVI provides a mechanism to connect world-class research in its labs with business partners that will take the innovations forward through commercialization. NVI will support companies that are commercializing UTSA intellectual property or sponsoring research in UTSA labs that can lead to the generation of new UTSA intellectual property. The facility will fit into the broader technology commercialization environment of San Antonio as an early-phase source of new ventures.
As part of this connection to a broader entrepreneurial ecosystem, UTSA established the Commercialization Council that includes an influential group of top executives who meet monthly to advance the region's status in technology entrepreneurship.
"The goal of the Commercialization Council is to develop the linkages between organizations that can play a key role in the region's technology-based entrepreneurship," said Cory Hallam, director of the UTSA Center for Innovation and Technology Entrepreneurship. "Ultimately, we want tech entrepreneurs to look at San Antonio the same way they look at Austin or Silicon Valley. We want them to know they are welcome here, and we have strong partners who can help them grow their businesses."
The council includes representatives from UTSA, Southwest Research Institute, Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, San Antonio Technology Accelerator Initiative, Biomed SA, South Texas Technology Management, Small Business Development Center and AT&T.
"UTSA recognizes the potential of establishing a campus-based technology incubator for San Antonio entrepreneurs that have direct ties to the university," said Hallam. "By working with promising new companies that are aligned with the university's research strengths, we create a win-win partnership that benefits the university through increased research funding and IP licenses while providing start-ups with connections to the support they need to become successful free-standing enterprises."
Bio-pharmaceutical ViroXis Corp. will be the first start-up in the UTSA tech incubator. The company aims to identify and patent botanically derived compounds for use in infectious disease and cancer therapies. Over the next two to three years in the incubator, ViroXis will work to develop a rapid, cost-effective and proven botanical prescription drug targeting human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV, which causes skin and genital wart infections, is the leading cause of cervical cancer. Approximately 20 million people in the United States between ages 15 and 49 are infected with HPV.
Events
Join the PEACE Center and Wellbeing Services for Denim Day, a day of learning about the importance of consent and why we wear denim on the last Wednesday of the month each April during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Stop by our Denim Day display to take a photo in front of our Denim Wall, spin the "Is It Consent?" Wheel, and get a Concha or goodie.
Student Union Window Lounge, Main CampusLearn to use Zotero®, a citation manager that can help you store and organize citations you find during your research. Zotero can generate bibliographies in various styles, insert in-text citations and allow you to share sources with collaborators.
Virtual EventThis event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.
North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main CampusAt this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.
Arts Building Recital Hall, Main CampusRoadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.
Student Union Paseo, Main CampusCelebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.