Texas Health Catalyst

Texas Health Catalyst

Supports Texas Health Catalyst grant recipients at the University of Texas with milestone-based funding for healthcare technology development.

Texas Health Catalyst is a milestone-based seed funding program operated by the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin. The program targets researchers, innovators, and entrepreneurs across the entire UT Austin system — not only Dell Medical School affiliates — who are developing healthcare and health technology innovations. It combines grant funding of $5,000 to $50,000 with customized guidance from clinical and industry experts, trained student associates, and market potential analysis. Since the program's inception, it has deployed $1.7 million in seed funding that has catalyzed more than $100 million in follow-on investment across 76 funded projects.

Award amounts range from $5,000 to $50,000 and are disbursed in milestone-based tranches rather than as a single upfront payment; teams receive each installment only after demonstrating achievement of agreed project milestones. The sector restriction is firm: projects must have a clear health innovation focus — pure basic science without a defined healthcare application pathway is unlikely to qualify. Eligible applicants must have a current UT Austin affiliation. For-profit companies, nonprofits outside the university, and independent researchers without UT Austin appointments are not eligible. No separate dollar cap per organization beyond the $50,000 ceiling is stated, and the program accepts applications on a rolling basis.

To compete successfully, applicants should articulate specific, measurable milestones tied to product development and clinical relevance, since milestone-based disbursement is a defining feature of the program. The Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship provides mentorship alongside funding, so teams should expect an active engagement relationship rather than a passive grant. Prior awardees have secured more than $100 million in follow-on capital, suggesting that strong milestones and expert mentorship create a credible pipeline to external venture or federal funding. Applications are submitted through the Dell Medical School innovation portal.