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CoLab at Dell Med

Taking a Holistic Approach to Commercialization, From Idea to Impact

The CoLab at Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin supports Dell Med’s mission to revolutionize how people get and stay healthy by quickly translating and commercializing life-changing health innovations.

It is a launchpad for transformative health solutions that provides resources for innovators interested in commercializing an invention, starting a company or collaborating with industry partners.

The CoLab addresses the challenges in bringing novel procedures, treatments and devices to market, bridging the gap between breakthrough discoveries at research universities like UT and everyday consumers.

Areas of Focus

Based on the stage and needs of each project, the CoLab identifies market gaps, develops smart solutions, builds partnerships and commercializes opportunities.

  • A painstorming process defines desired health outcomes, articulates challenges to achieving outcomes and develops problem statements that can be used to guide new solutions.
  • Texas Health Catalyst — a cross-campus collaboration — leverages clearly defined problem statements to solicit, vet and shape promising health innovations. It convenes teams from across industries and through the entire value chain and creates a safe harbor and clear process through which ideas can be presented, challenged, built upon and tested.
  • Partnership and commercialization efforts identify partners, facilitate collaborations and negotiate agreements to commercialize promising innovations, as well as provide a support structure to manage and advance projects toward commercialization.

UT students and faculty “learn by doing” when they work through the translation and commercialization of their technologies. Through CoLab’s associate program, students and graduates gain exposure to the business of health care through hands-on work with project teams and by supporting program operations.

The CoLab’s programs, supported projects, and diverse partners and advisors attract investors and members of the health care industry to engage with the research of UT students and faculty. Additionally, health care companies from across the world partner with — and hire — UT students, faculty and staff in local offices and labs.

The CoLab’s programs, including Texas Health Catalyst, are redefining what product innovation and commercialization — designed to efficiently support a value-focused health system — look like. To learn more about the approach, download an overview.

We believe every health system can build and benefit from a Texas Health Catalyst-style accelerator, and can even use it to support a regional health innovation ecosystem.

NEJM Catalyst Commentary

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Strategic Programs

Painstorming

Painstorming is a workshop-based process that convenes a group of key stakeholders to identify a clear problem statement.

Texas Health Catalyst

Texas Health Catalyst provides researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs customized guidance on product development.

Commercialization

Partnership and commercialization efforts at the CoLab apply expertise and seed funding to innovations that address real market needs.

Accelerating Innovation in Central Texas