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About Longhorn Startup
Longhorn Startup is a course aimed at entrepreneurial-minded students that allows them to learn what it takes to start your own company and then put it to the test. The fall seminar course is lecture-based features prominent entrepreneurs telling the stories of how they founded their companies and answering questions from the students. Students get to pitch their idea to the class and participate in speed-dating events to meet potential co-founders and get advice from mentors. an intensive project-based course in the Spring semester that identifies student entrepreneurs who are building scalable technology companies and gets them real course credit for working on their startups while still in school. These students receive weekly one-on-one mentoring sessions with successful entrepreneurs and access to free co-working space. The semester culminates in a Demo Day where the students present their companies to the Austin community.
About the Longhorn Startup Fund
The Longhorn Startup Fund supports these aspiring entrepreneurs in a multitude of ways, ranging from seed money to create their companies to providing additional resources to help them succeed. The students in the Longhorn Startup Lab have access to mentorship and the opportunity to pitch the companies they develop in class to the Austin startup community at their annual event, Demo Day. Help support these aspiring entrepreneurial students succeed!
FAQ's
What is an endowment? Endowments are a sound investment in a better future. With an endowed gift, you provide permanent support for the University. Your gift is invested — never spent — and each year a distribution, like dividends on a mutual fund account, is made to your chosen program or area. Investment earnings above the dividend rate help the endowment value grow over time, to keep pace with inflation and maintain your endowment’s spending power.
What is a pledge? A pledge is a promise to pay a specific amount over a set period of time. Pledges for the Longhorn Startup Fund can be made over a 5-year window. For example, if you make a $2,000 pledge today you can pay off the pledge by making a $400 gift each April for the next four years. We will send you a reminder each April. If you would like to make a pledge, click here.
Can I utilize my company match? YES! Many employers sponsor matching gift programs (Apple, Google, Microsoft, etc.) and will match any charitable contributions made by employees. To find out if your company has a matching gift program, please click here. Tip: You will need to request the matching gift from your employer.
Longhorn Startup Seminar is a 1-hour lecture based class in the fall open to all UT students.
The Longhorn Startup Lab is a 3-hour lab during the Spring semester where students have access to funding, mentorship, and resources to help them be successful.
The Longhorn Startup Lab culminates into Demo Day, a year end event where students pitch their companies to the Austin community and network with local entrepreneurs.
Longhorn Startup lecturers include heavy hitters like Josh Baer (founder of Capital Factory), Mellie Price (co-founder of Capital Factor, co-founder of SoftMatch, founder and CEO of FrontGate Tickets), and Bob Metcalfe (co-inventor of ethernet, director of the Innovation Center at the Cockrell School of Engineering).
Longhorn Startup brings in a list of incredible speakers every year, including Brett Hurt, Michael Dell, and Mark Cuban. Don't miss your opportunity to hear Tim Ferris speak this year at Demo Day on May 3rd!
