HERB KELLEHER ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTER
HERB KELLEHER
ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTER
Empowering Longhorns to Change the World
Through Innovative Ideas and Entrepreneurial Skills put into Action
The Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center is dedicated to igniting world-changing ideas. We do this by promoting the development of entrepreneurial skills and supporting exploration of the ways these skills can be applied to careers as founders or innovators within established firms. Tap into our wealth of inspiration, resources, and opportunities to get started.
Empowering Longhorns to Change the World
Through Innovative Ideas and Entrepreneurial Skills put into Action
The Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center is dedicated to igniting world-changing ideas. We do this by promoting the development of entrepreneurial skills and supporting exploration of the ways these skills can be applied to careers as founders or innovators within established firms. Tap into our wealth of inspiration, resources, and opportunities to get started.
Empowering Longhorns to Change the World
The Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center is dedicated to igniting world-changing ideas. We do this by promoting the development of entrepreneurial skills and supporting exploration of the ways these skills can be applied to careers as founders or innovators within established firms. Tap into our wealth of inspiration, resources, and opportunities to get started.
"Our tagline here at The University of Texas is 'What Starts Here Changes the World.' I can't think of a better way to change the world than through innovation and entrepreneurship."
LUIS MARTINS
DIRECTOR
"Our tagline here at The University of Texas is 'What Starts Here Changes the World.' I can't think of a better way to change the world than through innovation and entrepreneurship."
LUIS MARTINS
DIRECTOR
INSPIRATION
Start here to attend events designed to foster an innovative spirit in all UT students. Get your entry into the UT Startup Scene at a Startup Coffee Connect or meet startup founders at Entrepreneurship Live!
RESOURCES
Start here for immersive and experiential resources for any stage of business development. Orient yourself in the UT Startup Ecosystem.
OPPORTUNITIES
Start here for programming built to empower student entrepreneurs. Validate your idea with the Forty Acres Founders Pre-Accelerator, secure funding at DisrupTexas Pitch Competition, + more!
Upcoming Events
Check back at the beginning of the Fall Semester for more information on upcoming events!
Intro to the UT/Austin Startup Ecosystem Presentation & Trade Show
Mon, 9.19.22 | 4:30-6:30 PM | WCP Ballroom
Immerse yourself in the Austin startup scene at the 7th annual UT/Austin Startup Ecosystem Tradeshow! Don't miss the opportunity to network with fellow entrepreneurial-minded students and potential mentors from 25+ UT and Austin based resources.
DisrupTexas Undergrad Pitch Competition Finals
Thu, 10.27.22 | 3-7 PM | RRH 4.402
Join us for the 2022 DisrupTexas Undergrad Pitch Competition Finals to watch student founders who aren't afraid to push boundaries pitch their ideas. Don’t miss the reception hour after awards announcements to network with the future of startups!
March Startup Coffee Connect
Wed, 3.22.23 | 10-11 AM | Kendra Scott Center
Start your day off right with coffee, breakfast tacos, and innovative conversations! Come join the HKEC and the Kendra Scott Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute for a casual networking event for all Longhorn entrepreneurs.
Open Applications
DisrupTexas Undergraduate Pitch Competition
Application Deadline: Fri, 9.16.22 at 11:59 PM
Are you ready to DisrupTexas? The Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center is looking for undergraduate student founders with game changing ideas to compete in the DisrupTexas Undergrad Pitch Competition! The competition offers a chance to hone your business strategy and opens the door for professional feedback and lasting relationships with mentors. Apply today to pitch your startup in competition for $35k in cash and prizes!
Forty Acres Founders Program Spring 2023 Cohort
Application Deadline: Fri, 10.14.22 at 11:59 PM
Take you startup to the next level and apply for the Forty Acres Founders Program! This semester long program is designed to educate you on the skills needed to vet an idea, confirm product-market fit, and develop a Minimum Viable Product that addresses market needs. Every student is also provided $1000 in grant funding and the chance to win up to $10k in competitive funding!
A $1 Million Boost to UT’s Venture Culture
Adding fuel to The University of Texas at Austin’s startup engine, alumnus William “Billy” Freed, BBA ’81, and his family have given $1 million to the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center in the McCombs School of Business...
$20k in Funding Funneled into UT Austin Startup Ecosystem Through Forty Acres Founders Pitch Competition
On Thursday, April 20th, 2023, four students of The University of Texas at Austin took the stage to pitch their startups to an elite panel of judges to compete for funding from the collective $20,000 prize pool...
Christian College Student Sparks Inspiration for a Startup through Finding Church Community
Meet Trenton Balcombe, a second-year undergraduate finance major at The University of Texas at Austin (UT) from Frisco, Texas. He is also the founder of ChurchSearch, an online platform that connects people to churches by helping them narrow down the options to find their best fit...
How This Student Female Founder is Solving Women’s Reproductive Health Misinformation
Meet Alyssa Le, a third-year undergraduate student in the Business Honors Program and Management Information Systems major pursuing a computer science certificate at The University of Texas at Austin. She’s also the founder of the Locket, an innovative online resource that provides menstrual and sexual education to women...
Innovation Capsule: Entrepreneurial Ethics
As an entrepreneur, being ethical is a highly significant quality to have as it serves a multitude of benefits and fosters strong character. There are many ways to tackle ethical dilemmas when faced with challenges and learning how to put ethics into practice helps develop successful entrepreneurs and world leaders...
A $1 Million Boost to UT’s Venture Culture
Adding fuel to The University of Texas at Austin’s startup engine, alumnus William “Billy” Freed, BBA ’81, and his family have given $1 million to the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center in the McCombs School of Business...
$20k in Funding Funneled into UT Austin Startup Ecosystem Through Forty Acres Founders Pitch Competition
On Thursday, April 20th, 2023, four students of The University of Texas at Austin took the stage to pitch their startups to an elite panel of judges to compete for funding from the collective $20,000 prize pool...
Christian College Student Sparks Inspiration for a Startup through Finding Church Community
Meet Trenton Balcombe, a second-year undergraduate finance major at The University of Texas at Austin (UT) from Frisco, Texas. He is also the founder of ChurchSearch, an online platform that connects people to churches by helping them narrow down the options to find their best fit...
How This Student Female Founder is Solving Women’s Reproductive Health Misinformation
Meet Alyssa Le, a third-year undergraduate student in the Business Honors Program and Management Information Systems major pursuing a computer science certificate at The University of Texas at Austin. She’s also the founder of the Locket, an innovative online resource that provides menstrual and sexual education to women...
Innovation Capsule: Entrepreneurial Ethics
As an entrepreneur, being ethical is a highly significant quality to have as it serves a multitude of benefits and fosters strong character. There are many ways to tackle ethical dilemmas when faced with challenges and learning how to put ethics into practice helps develop successful entrepreneurs and world leaders.