Texas Health Catalyst
Supporting the Translation of Promising Ideas to Products That Improve Health
Texas Health Catalyst provides researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs customized guidance on product development from industry and clinical experts as well as milestone-based seed funding.
About Texas Health Catalyst
Early stage ideas and discoveries have the potential for profound impact, but translating innovations into health products is often expensive, time-consuming and complex. To give cutting-edge ideas a better chance of impacting health outcomes, Texas Health Catalyst leverages The University of Texas at Austin’s world-class academic research, Dell Medical School’s clinical enterprise and Central Texas’ innovative environment to identify and accelerate promising research.
Texas Health Catalyst is a collaborative initiative of Dell Medical School with the Cockrell School of Engineering, College of Natural Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Office of Technology Commercialization at UT Austin. The program’s network includes clinical, scientific, regulatory and commercialization experts, as well as seasoned industry leaders and investors. The program supports innovation across all health care sectors including therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices and digital health products.
The impact of Texas Health Catalyst extends well beyond Dell Med, into UT Austin and the Central Texas community, and has included the development of new products for better care and improved outcomes, novel interdisciplinary collaborations with expanded funding opportunities, academic-industry partnerships, and unique educational offerings.
Researchers, Innovators & Entrepreneurs
Texas Health Catalyst works with projects that have the potential to address real unmet needs in health care through technology innovation. The program evaluates projects by their likelihood of making a significant impact on health. In line with Dell Med’s focus on value-based care, Texas Health Catalyst also emphasizes the ability to improve health outcomes while reducing costs.
Many past awardees have achieved major milestones since participating in Texas Health Catalyst, including company spinouts, significant funding from investors, corporate partnerships, clinical implementation and media coverage.
Texas Health Catalyst accepts applications during its open submission period. The program encourages investigators to submit their project regardless of the stage — Texas Health Catalyst is open to collaborating with promising projects at even the earliest stages.
Clinical & Industry Experts
Texas Health Catalyst’s network of more than 300 experts — in clinical workflow, business, funding, intellectual property, regulatory, reimbursement and strategy — are the crux of the program. The advisers volunteer to assess applicants, provide feedback on projects and mentor investigators. In turn, Texas Health Catalyst aims to provide opportunities for experts to stay up to date on nascent and novel research and to network with a cross-sector community of professionals with common health care and research interests.
If you are a clinician, Texas Health Catalyst is also interested in hearing about pain points you are interested in solving. The program can connect Dell Med and community clinicians with UT Austin scientific experts to create teams with the right mix of expertise to address real unmet needs.
Corporate Partners & Investors
Texas Health Catalyst has engagement opportunities for industry partners looking to gain access to pioneering research and future health care trends. Through the program, companies can get a quick introduction to Dell Med’s unique capabilities and explore partnerships including co-development of new tools, clinical validation studies and health outcomes research.
In collaboration with corporate partners, the program hosts “painstorming” sessions to identify, define and frame unmet clinical needs to drive demand-pull health innovation. Sponsorship opportunities are also available for Texas Health Catalyst showcase events.
Students
UT Austin graduate students and recent graduates can get involved in Texas Health Catalyst operations through the highly selective Associate Program. Undergraduates may occasionally be accepted into the program if they have the requisite experience.
Associates gain exposure to the business of health care through hands-on work with project teams and by supporting program operations including due diligence, communications and events. Texas Health Catalyst also occasionally has volunteer opportunities.