Founded in September of 2011, UT Dallas’ Venture Development Center (VDC) is part of the growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at UT Dallas.
The VDC facility was created near UT Dallas campus at 17217 Waterview Parkway to house the ever-expanding population of UT Dallas spinoff companies. As result of a demand for startup space by UT Dallas technology companies, the VCD opened in September 2011 with a client base of six startups. During the 12 month period since the VDC became operational, five more companies have taken space in the Center, resulting in a need to expand the Center. The initial 8,200 SF has been expanded recently to 12,400 SF, to accommodate anticipated future demand.
A wide variety of UT Dallas affiliated companies occupy the Center including those operating in the areas of computer science, nanotechnology, wireless telecommunications, biomedical engineering, material science, medical devices, therapeutics, medical diagnostics, instrumentation, software, and other technology areas of research and innovation. These companies, primarily, derived their founding technology from innovations discovered as a result of research conducted within the laboratories of UT Dallas.
Services and facilities:
- 12,600 square feet, including a recent expansion of 4,400 SF in October 2012
- 18 offices, four wet labs, three dry labs, 40 cubicles, three large conference rooms, central facility that houses an autoclave, oven, glass washer, minus 80ºC freezer, and RO/DI water supply
- Wet labs equipped with chemical fume hoods, bench tops and cabinets
- Printer/copier/scanner/fax, wireless network, Ethernet connectivity, phone systems, presentation monitors, and individual company networks
- Mentoring services from VDC advisory board and business mentors comprised of seasoned entrepreneurs, investors and professional service providers associated with the VDC.
- Access to entrepreneurship training through programs administered through the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at UTD, including Entrepreneurship “bootcamps,” and the Entrepreneurial Development Series (a nine-day course for entrepreneurs taught by local entrepreneurs and UTD’s entrepreneurship faculty).
- Opportunities to interact with investors and industry partners through Advisory Board members, connectivity with Angel groups, and an annual Technology Showcase that spotlights UT Dallas technologies.
Click here to view a list of the businesses that now occupy the Venture Development Center.
The Venture Development Center also will be the home to the Jindal Naveen School of Management’s “Venture Launch” initiative, a discovery-based learning environment for student entrepreneurs that will allow students to create companies within the incubator through their coursework, and the Venture Intern program that connects UT Dallas students with VDC companies.
Not only does the VDC provide conveniently close and inexpensive space for UT Dallas startups, but its staff and Advisory Board of experienced entrepreneurs and investors team with OTC staff and IIE Faculty to provide mentoring, accounting services, entrepreneurial education, showcase opportunities, and connectivity to investors and professional service providers.
The University’s startup facilitation program is operated by the UT Dallas Office of Technology Commercialization in collaboration with the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at UT Dallas. The ultimate objective of the program is to bring UT Dallas’ commercially viable innovations to the marketplace that will in turn create jobs in the region.