ACTiVATE Program, Recruiting Texas Women for High-Tech Entrepreneurial Opportunities

In a little more than a month, Texas State University will start a new entrepreneurial program called ACTiVATE. The ACTiVATE acronym emphasizes the goal of the program, as ACTiVATE focuses on Achieving the Commercialization of Technology in Ventures through Applied Training for Entrepreneurs. The ACTiVATE program demonstrates that Texas State University is taking proactive and progressive steps toward technology commercialization.

The program is designed to promote women’s entrepreneurship in science and technology. ACTiVATE will recruit and train women who have technical or business experience to be entrepreneurs. The program will help women develop plans to commercialize suitable technologies and start companies, with mentoring and instruction coming from advisors and entrepreneurs-in-residence with considerable industry experience.

Texas needs more talented and experienced entrepreneurs. Terry Golding, director of the Center for Research Commercialization at Texas State, mentioned in a recent San Antonio Business Journal article that, Texas State has a goal of increasing entrepreneurship in technological industries for under-represented communities throughout the Austin-San Antonio corridor.

ACTiVATE, though new to Texas, was originally developed by the University of Maryland at Baltimore. The program has proven successful on UMBC’s campus. Approximately three to five companies get launched out of UMBC’S program every year, and since inception the program has created some two dozen startup companies from local universities and research institutions.

We hope the ACTiVATE program can be just as successful in Texas. It is innovative programs, like this, that draw workforce talent and expand economic activity in a particular area. With the adoption of the program, Texas State is demonstrating their commitment to expand entrepreneurial activity in the region for years to come. We welcome the ACTiVATE program to Texas and applaud the leadership of Texas State for implementing such an innovative program.

For more information on becoming a participant or to learn more, please visit ACTiVATE’s web site.