The Impact Factory

Innovation & Entrepreneurship. For Good.

A collaboration between Dell Medical School and the LBJ School of Public Affairs, The Impact Factory is an engine for civic innovation, entrepreneurship and service learning at The University of Texas at Austin.

A first-of-its-kind, cross-sector collaboration, The Impact Factory aims to measurably improve health and prosperity for vulnerable populations in the United States.

Four members of the Good Apple team standing in a warehouse with produce boxes.

Dell Med Health Discovery Building with the Texas Capitol in the background.

The University of Texas at Austin's campus Tower.

The Impact Factory consists of multidisciplinary practitioners, educators, researchers, advocates, community leaders and other trailblazers who favor big ideas that challenge conventional thinking. From hunger and homelessness to lack of economic opportunity, The Impact Factory strives to address communities’ toughest problems because it envisions an America where everyone thrives.

Explore The Impact Factory

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Founder & Executive Director

Michael K. Hole, M.D., MBA

What We Do

The Impact Factory harnesses the power of human-centered design, cross-sector partnerships, cutting-edge research and business tools to launch and scale innovative programs and build an evidence base and talent pipeline for civic impact.

The Impact Factory leverages business tools to design, launch, study and scale proof-of-concept innovations.

The Impact Factory connects promising ventures with the networks, funding and mentorship they need to scale impact.

The Impact Factory builds tomorrow’s leaders via experiential learning programs, fellowships, workshops and formal courses on design, impact evaluation, entrepreneurship and more.

The Impact Factory equips changemakers with cutting-edge data by strategically disseminating discoveries and best practices to academic, policy, other professional and lay audiences.

How We Do It

The Impact Factory uses five complementary strategies to identify needs, unite stakeholders and develop relevant, sustainable solutions.

The Impact Factory develops and tests interventions alongside the individuals, organizations and systems facing the problems The Impact Factory aims to solve.

The Impact Factory meets people in places they frequent and trust by incorporating the initiative’s products and services into health clinics, community centers, places of worship and more.

The Impact Factory identifies and leverages the untapped resources of local leaders, agencies and the university to break down silos, increase efficiency and scale interventions.

The Impact Factory shares insights, stories and news with local, state and national audiences to mobilize a network of entrepreneurial public servants.

The Impact Factory studies its programs’ scalability and impact on health and economic outcomes alongside experts at The University of Texas at Austin, a top-tier research university.

The Impact Factory

Innovation & Entrepreneurship. For Good.

Serving People Facing Food Insecurity

Good Apple, a portfolio company of The Impact Factory, fights food insecurity and joblessness for families in need.

What We Do

How We Do It

Introducing The Impact Factory

A collaboration between Dell Med and the LBJ School aims to improve health and prosperity for vulnerable populations in the U.S. through innovation and entrepreneurship.