Schedule
Awards Dinner April 22, 2026
| Location | Event | Time |
| TCU Brown-Lupton University Union | Networking among startups, innovators, investors, and corporate leaders | 5-6:30 p.m. |
| Formal recognition of nominated innovators | ||
| TCU Brown-Lupton University Union | Awards dinner | 6:30-9 p.m. |
| Speakers | ||
| Panel | ||
| Recognition |
Conference Schedule April 23, 2026
| Track | Session Title | Time |
|
Plenary |
Coffee and Continental Breakfast |
8-8:30 a.m. |
|
Plenary |
Keynote + Government Officials Panel: State of Entrepreneurship & Innovation in Texas: 2026 Outlook |
8:30-9:30 a.m. |
|
Investor Meetings |
Texas Innovation Awardee Investor Matchmaking |
9:35 a.m.-3:55 p.m. |
|
Exhibitors |
Sponsor Exhibits |
9:35 a.m.-3:55 p.m. |
|
Commercialization |
From Disclosure to Spinout: Building the Commercialization Pathway + Deal Structure That Works |
9:35-10:20 a.m. |
|
Funding |
Fundraising 101: SAFE vs Priced Rounds + How Investors Really Decide |
9:35-10:20 a.m. |
|
Partnerships |
Statewide Collaboration: R1/R2 Innovation Partnerships + Shared Infrastructure Models |
9:35-10:20 a.m. |
|
Growth |
1 → 10: Enterprise Pilots, Pricing, and Getting to Repeatable Revenue |
9:35-10:20 a.m. |
|
Commercialization |
Launch: 0 → 1: Building the First 10 People and the First 10 Customers |
10:25-11:10 a.m. |
|
Funding |
The VC / Growth Lens: What Makes a Startup Investable After Seed |
10:25–11:10 a.m. |
|
Partnerships |
Industry Partnerships That Work: Sponsored Research, Pilots, & Joint Development |
10:25 -11:10 a.m. |
|
Growth |
Pricing, Packaging & Go-to-Market: Turning Pilots Into Repeatable Revenue |
10:25-11:10 a.m. |
|
Commercialization |
From Lab to Scale: What Kills Deep‑Tech Commercialization (and How to Avoid It) |
11:15 a.m.-noon |
|
Funding |
SBIR/STTR Playbook: Non‑Dilutive Funding for Research‑Driven Startups |
11:15 a.m.-noon |
|
Partnerships |
Corporate Innovation & Procurement: How to Win Pilots in Energy, Health, and Defense |
11:15 a.m.-noon |
|
Growth |
10 → 100: Hiring Leaders, Culture, and Operational Cadence |
11:15 a.m.-noon |
|
Plenary |
Lunch + Networking |
12:05-1:25 p.m. |
|
Bus Tour |
Tour Option A: AllianceTexas — Logistics, Advanced Manufacturing & Supply Chain Innovation |
1:30-3:55 p.m. |
|
Bus Tour |
Tour Option B: Medical Innovation District — Translational Research, Clinical Partnerships & Health Innovation |
1:30-3:55 p.m. |
|
Plenary |
From Breakthrough to Business: Building Category-Defining Companies in Texas |
1:30-2:15 p.m. |
|
Activation Labs |
From Recognition to Action: Commercialization Pathways for Awarded Researchers |
1:30-2:15 p.m. |
|
Plenary |
Scaling What Matters: Capital, Customers, and Partnerships at Texas Scale |
2:20-3:05 p.m. |
|
Activation Labs |
Investor Readiness & Deal Progression Lab (Top 100 Startups Only) |
2:20-3:05 p.m. |
|
Plenary |
The Future of Innovation in Texas: What’s Next for Universities, Startups, and Industry |
3:10-3:55 p.m. |
|
Activation Labs |
University–Industry Deal Lab: Turning Conversations into Pilots |
3:10-3:55 p.m. |
|
Plenary |
Close-Out Networking Happy Hour |
4-5 p.m. |