At a glance
Indexed programs
8
All currently active
Top direct funding
$3,000
AI Venture Challenge
Equity
Mixed equity terms
Program mix
7
Incubator · Pitch Competition · Venture Fund
Programs to explore
Compare funding, equity, and timing before you apply.
8 programs indexed
Pitch Competition
Accelerator
Startups
Post a startupACTS Peanut Butter
Baylor New Venture Competition 2012 1st place; Baylor University team.
Nanodropper
Baylor New Venture Competition 2019 top-10 finalist; Forbes 30 Under 30 (2021).
Orai
Baylor New Venture Competition 2018 2nd place; Forbes 30 Under 30 (2021).
Vendevor
Baylor New Venture Competition 2013 1st place; Baylor University team.
Building here too? Create a founder account
Known Startups and Winners
- Orai — NVC 2018 2nd place; Forbes 30 Under 30 (2021)
- Nanodropper — NVC 2019 top-10; Forbes 30 Under 30 (2021)
- HEARTio — University of Pittsburgh; NVC 2022 1st place overall ($50,000); Forbes 30 Under 30 (2024)
- Intero Biosystems — NVC 2025 1st place ($50K), University of Michigan
- ACTS Peanut Butter — NVC 2012 1st place, Baylor University
- Vendevor — NVC 2013 1st place, Baylor University
- TriFusion Devices — NVC 2016 1st place, Texas A&M University
More about this ecosystem
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private Christian research university in Waco, Texas, with approximately 20,000 students. Its entrepreneurship ecosystem is anchored by the John F. Baugh Center for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise at the Hankamer School of Business — one of the nation's earliest university entrepreneurship centers (1977) and a USASBE National Model Program.
Ecosystem Overview
- Central hub: John F. Baugh Center — 40+ years; NASDAQ Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence; Top 50 undergrad entrepreneurship (Entrepreneur 2025); No. 6 global entrepreneurship research (TCU 2025)
- Pitch competition: Baylor New Venture Competition — global, $200K+ prizes, $50K grand prize, 800+ applicants historically
- Incubator: 1846 Business Incubator — early-stage student ventures, all majors, office space and mentorship
- Accelerator: OSO Launch — selective semester program for operating student businesses
- Angel network: Baylor Angel Network — $60M+ invested, 100+ companies, ACA top-5 nationally (2024), student analyst model
- Tech transfer: Lab to Market collaborative + Product Launch Program (bootcamp + 10-week summer incubation)
- No dedicated student equity venture fund: BAN deploys alumni/member capital; strong non-dilutive competition and angel pathways
News & articles
8 articles
University pages(7)
Baylor Hankamer School of Business
1846 Business Incubator
Official page for the 1846 Business Incubator — early-stage student venture program providing office space, faculty/mentor support, and entrepreneurship education modules at the Foster Campus.
Read on Baylor Hankamer School of Business
Baylor Hankamer School of Business
Baylor Angel Network
Official Baylor Angel Network page and Dec 2024 news on ACA top-five ranking. Alumni angel investor network with student analyst deal screening model.
Read on Baylor Hankamer School of Business
Baylor Hankamer School of Business
John F. Baugh Center for Entrepreneurship
Official homepage for the John F. Baugh Center for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise — one of the nation's earliest university entrepreneurship centers (1977), National Model Entrepreneurship Program, and NASDAQ Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence.
Read on Baylor Hankamer School of Business
Baylor Office of the Vice Provost for Research
Baylor Lab to Market Collaborative
Official commercialization and Lab to Market pages describing Baylor's technology transfer process, BRIC facility, invention disclosure workflow, and startup formation support.
Read on Baylor Office of the Vice Provost for Research
Baylor Hankamer School of Business
Baylor New Venture Competition
Official page and 2026 guidebook for the Baylor New Venture Competition — global business plan and elevator pitch competition with $200K+ prize pool and $50,000 grand prize.
Read on Baylor Hankamer School of Business
OSO Launch / Baylor University
OSO Launch Accelerator
Official OSO Launch site — selective semester-based accelerator for Baylor students operating registered businesses with verifiable traction.
Read on OSO Launch / Baylor University
Baylor Office of the Vice Provost for Research
Product Launch Program
Official Product Launch Program page under Office of Innovation & Economic Development — two-day bootcamp, mentor matchmaking, Community Connect License, and 10-week summer incubation pathway.
Read on Baylor Office of the Vice Provost for Research
Compiled from public sources; not reviewed or endorsed by the school. Request a correction or removal.