The University of Houston Technology Bridge and the University of Houston Texas Gulf Coast Small Business Development Center Network have announced a new partnership to support innovation and early-tech startups in the Gulf Coast region.
This collaboration will help innovators and entrepreneurs at the university and across the region in developing a pitch or a commercialization plan, as well as preparing for the SBIR/STTR grant and other investment processes. It will also offer a needs assessment to identify specific areas where assistance is required, such as IP assistance, business plan and model development, product development, sales and marketing strategy and more.
"We are excited to partner with the University of Houston Technology Bridge to provide this valuable support to early-tech startups in the Texas Gulf Coast region," said Dr. Steven Lawrence, executive director of the UH Texas Gulf Coast SBDC Network. "Our program is designed to help innovators take their ideas to the next level and prepare for success in the marketplace."
The UH Texas Gulf Coast SBDC Network provides no-cost business advising and affordable business training classes to entrepreneurs and small business owners in the Gulf Coast region. It is a network consisting of 14 SBDCs in the Texas Gulf Coast Region, including Houston SBDC, Galveston County SBDC, Fort Bend County SBDC, and Brazos Valley SBDC, all programs of the C.T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston. Each SBDC is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The University of Houston Technology Bridge is a startup incubator at the University of Houston, fostering entrepreneurship, industry collaboration, and technology commercialization. It serves as a bridge connecting academia with the broader Houston community, driving economic growth, and propelling cutting-edge research and innovation to benefit society.
The partnership with the UH Texas Gulf Coast SBDC Network will provide early-tech startups with additional access to the resources and expertise they need to succeed.
"We are thrilled to partner with the Texas Gulf Coast SBDC Network to support early-tech startups in the Gulf Coast region," said Dr.Tanu Chatterji, Associate Director of Startup Development at the University of Houston. "Our goal is to help innovators turn their ideas into successful businesses, and this partnership will help us achieve that goal."
The UH Texas Gulf Coast SBDC Network and the University of Houston Technology Bridge are now accepting applications for the program. Interested business startups can visit the Texas Gulf Coast SBDC Network website for more information and to apply at www.sbdc.uh.edu.