HERB KELLEHER ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTER

Making entrepreneurship accessible to all 
students
faculty
alumni
Longhorns

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.

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Undergraduate Entrepreneurship
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Graduate Entrepreneurship
$ 0 K
Awarded Annually
0
Students Mentored
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"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

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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 Freed Family Pitch Competition, + more!

Entrepreneur In Residence Mentor Sessions

Entrepreneur in Residence Mentor Sessions

In-Person and Virtual 30 Minute Sessions Available Now!

Book a mentorship session with Quoc V. Tran (McCombs MBA, 2022) today! With an extensive background as an entrepreneur and CFO, Quoc brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the table.

Quoc V. Tran is a seasoned entrepreneur and founder based in Austin, Texas, where he has made significant contributions to the startup ecosystem. He has established himself as a technical and financial advisor, providing invaluable guidance to small businesses and startups seeking to navigate the complexities of growth and sustainability.

Quoc is currently available for 30 minute in-person and virtual meetings, schedule your session today!

Freed Family Pitch Competition Finals 2023

Thurs, 10.26.23 | 3-7 PM | AT&T Conference Center Room 204

The Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center invites you to join us for the Freed Family Pitch Competition Finals 2023!

The Freed Family Pitch Competition (FFPC) is an annual competitive funding opportunity for undergraduate students at The University of Texas at Austin. Hosted by the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center at the McCombs School of Business, FFPC is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for fully immersive learning – and a chance for student teams to walk away with some serious cash.

This pitch competition is all about never settling, pushing boundaries and testing new ideas. Come see if the next generation of industry leaders have what it takes to break the mold!

Upcoming Events

Check back at the beginning of the Spring Semester for more information on upcoming events!

April Startup Coffee Connect

Thurs, 4.11.24 | 10 - 11:30 AM | RRH 4.308

Join the Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center and Texas Momentum for Startup Coffee Connect, a casual networking event for entrepreneurs, innovators, and dreamers!

Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, this event is the ideal opportunity to network, share experiences, and find potential collaborators for your next big venture. With a relaxed atmosphere and a diverse group of attendees, you'll have the chance to make meaningful connections and expand your professional network. Come pitch ideas to other founders, learn what’s happening in the UT startup scene, and connect with other ambitious minds over a complimentary coffee bar and FREE breakfast tacos!

Forty Acres Founders Pitch Competition
Finals 2024

Thurs, 4.18.24 | 2-6 PM | Crum Auditorium

The Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center invites you to join the ultimate pitch showdown at the Forty Acres Founders Pitch Competition Finals 2024!

Witness the future of business at the Forty Acres Founders Pitch Competition – where student dreams become $20,000 realities! Be there to cheer on the founders, network, and ignite the entrepreneurial spirit!

This competition caps the end of the Forty Acres Founders Pre-Accelerator Program, where 20 UT student founders spend the semester honing their business strategy, vetting their market, and establishing product-market fit. During the competition, four finalists from the cohort will have 10 minutes to pitch their ideas to an elite judge's panel for funding and top industry feedback. While the judges deliberate on who will take home the grand prize, you'll also get to hear from the rest of the cohort as they each deliver a 2-minute pitch for the $1,000 Elevator Pitch Award.

Secure your seat to witness the next generation of entrepreneurs in action – RSVP now for the Forty Acres Founders Pitch Competition!

Open Applications

Freed Family Pitch Competition

Application Deadline: Sunday, 9.17.23 at 11:59 PM

Are You Ready to Break the Mold?

Calling all student founders! The Herb Kelleher Entrepreneurship Center is looking for big ideas and the passionate students behind them to compete in the Freed Family Pitch Competition!

The competition, previously known as DisrupTexas, offers a chance to hone your business strategy and opens the door for professional feedback and lasting relationships with mentors. Are you ready to break the mold? Apply today to pitch your startup in competition for $60k in cash and prizes!

Forty Acres Founders Program Spring '24 Cohort

Application Deadline: Tues, 10.31.23 at 11:59 PM

Do you want to position yourself and your ideas for maximum success? Vet your business idea with rigorous product-market fit and customer discovery in the Forty Acres Founders Program at McCombs!

The Forty Acres Founders Program is a semester long practicum designed to guide undergraduate and graduate student founders through studying potential customers, improving their product, and establishing product-market fit. Founders leave the program with their product or service positioned for success within the marketplace.

Throughout the semester, founders will learn to vet their ideas through rigorous customer research, coach up their fundamental entrepreneurship skillset, and develop tools for building a product/service that appropriately fits a market need.

This program is completely free and may be used to complete 3 credit hours of coursework.

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