Southeast Texas Venture Mentoring Service
The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), an integral part of the University of Texas System, was founded in 1891 as the state’s first medical school and is deeply rooted in healthcare, education, and research. From constructing the first X-ray machine in Texas to being internationally recognized for infectious disease research, UTMB has proven itself as a leader in clinical excellence, groundbreaking research, and top-tier education.
As a member of Texas Medical Center (TMC), the largest medical center in the world, UTMB is now home to the Southeast Texas Venture Mentoring Service (VMS) formerly known as VMS Houston. The program was originally established at MD Anderson Cancer Center with support from the University of Texas System Office of Innovation and Strategic Investment in 2016. The program participated in the MIT VMS Immersion Program in 2016, followed by an onsite Mentor Training delivered by MIT VMS instructors in 2017. In 2023, with support from UT System, the leadership and management of VMS Houston was assigned to UTMB from MD Anderson Cancer Center. Today, as a resource to catalyze innovation and entrepreneurship within UT institutions in the southeast Texas region and TMC, VMS serves as a key resource for innovators and entrepreneurs from UTMB, UTHealth Houston, and MD Anderson Cancer Center. Byproviding access to experienced mentors, the program aims to accelerate and support the transition of discoveries and services developed by UT researchers to commercialization, benefiting not only faculty, staff, and trainees but also the broader community. Currently, the program has an engaged, collaborative, and multidisciplinary network of over 30 mentors.