UT
110 Inner Campus Dr, Austin, TX, 78712, United States
Overview
The University of Texas at Austin is one of the largest public universities in the United States and is the largest institution of The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, the university has grown from a single building, eight teachers, two departments and 221 students to a 350-acre main campus with 17 colleges and schools, about 24,000 faculty and staff, and more than 50,000 students. The university’s reach goes far beyond the borders of the main campus with satellite campuses and research centers across Texas, including the J.J. Pickle Research Campus, the Marine Science Institute, the McDonald Observatory, the Montopolis Research Center and the Brackenridge tract. With an enrollment of 11,000 students and more than 3,500 master’s and doctor’s degrees awarded annually, the Graduate School is a national leader in graduate degrees awarded and one of the largest graduate schools in the nation. More than 8,700 bachelor’s degrees are awarded annually in more than 170 fields of study and 100 majors. The university has one of the most diverse student populations in the country and is a national leader in the number of undergraduate degrees awarded to minority students.
- Total investments
- 7
- Lead investments
- 3
- Investments · 12mo
- 2
- Active investors
- 9
Sector focus
- Education
- Higher Education
- Universities
Investment portfolio
- Celadyne Technologies
Led · Seed · May 2026
Celadyne Technologies develops advanced membrane materials—branded Dura and Electra—for hydrogen electrolyzers and fuel cells to improve efficiency, durability, temperature tolerance, and safety. The company targets challenges that have limited hydrogen adoption, including membrane durability, gas permeation safety, and manufacturing complexity. Its technology is described as dual-use, intended to strengthen the domestic hydrogen supply chain and enable self-sustaining vehicles and operations in remote or mission-critical environments. CEO Gary Ong framed hydrogen as a materials science problem, arguing that improving the membrane unlocks downstream advances across hydrogen applications. The company will use the UT Seed Fund investment to accelerate adoption of its membrane products in defense, transportation, and industrial manufacturing applications.
- Supra Elemental Recovery
Led · Seed · Feb 2026
Supra Elemental Recovery is a University of Texas at Austin spin-out commercializing a proprietary extraction platform that combines the advantages of solvent extraction and ion exchange in a modular, 3D-printed porous cartridge. The cartridge acts like a molecular sponge, using simple solvents—primarily alcohol and water—to recover critical minerals from mine tailings, industrial by-products and electronic waste. By targeting hard-to-refine elements needed for semiconductors, batteries, magnets and consumer electronics, the company aims to fortify U.S. supply chains and reduce reliance on foreign sources. Its technology is designed for customization and scalability, enabling manufacturers, mines and other industry partners to install the system on-site for high-purity output. Founders Zachariah Page, Michael Cullinan and Jonathan Sessler developed the process to overcome purity limitations, high costs and toxic by-products common in traditional extraction methods. Looking ahead, Supra plans to work with U.S. manufacturers and mines to deploy its cartridges at scale and capture value from domestic waste streams. Financially, the startup has secured $250,000 in pre-seed funding from UT Austin’s Discovery to Impact Seed Fund, providing initial capital for commercialization and pilot deployments.
- Sally
Participated · Series A · Jul 2024
Sally builds and operates Uzu, a platform-focused murder‑mystery (マーダーミステリー/"madamis") app and ecosystem including the Uzu app, Uzu Studio editor, and Madamis.jp booking/review service. The company also offers event planning and production services for corporates and municipalities. Uzu has surpassed 1 million cumulative plays and averages 6.8 hours of voice call time per user per week. Creators can produce and publish content via the dedicated Uzu Studio editor, and the firm is developing both online and offline offerings. Strategic priorities include strengthening the Uzu platform, expanding creator support, investing in high‑quality content, improving product features, accelerating overseas expansion (notably China and Korea), expanding offline presence and specialty stores, and developing IP from original mysteries. Sally is headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo.
- Group1
Led · Equity · Aug 2023
Group1 develops potassium‑ion battery (KIB) technology and commercially produced potassium cathode material Kristonite™ (Potassium Prussian White, KPW), a 4V cathode designed for KIBs. The company says Kristonite™ enables faster charging, enhanced safety, and higher energy density versus LFP‑based lithium‑ion and sodium‑ion batteries. Led by CEO and co‑founder Alex Girau and CPO and co‑founder Leigang Xue, Group1 intends to scale production of its potassium cathode material and commercially produce KIBs to support domestic manufacturing and U.S. energy security. The company is pursuing partnerships with Tier‑1 cell and automotive manufacturers and is in early engagement with supply‑chain partners and several large cell manufacturers, domestic and global. Group1 has raised $7.5M to date to bring KIB technology to market and is positioning Kristonite™ as a lithium‑alternative solution.
- Contoro Robotics
Participated · Seed · Jun 2023
Launched in 2022 and led by CEO Youngmok Yun, Contoro develops a human-in-the-loop (HITL) platform that blends AI and remote human operators to control robots that unload trucks and shipping containers. Its robots use grasping techniques designed to handle a wide range of box sizes and weights and reportedly achieve a 99% success rate in unloading operations. The company employs 35 people and is focused on scaling deployments of its autonomous systems. Following the $84M investment from Coupang, Contoro plans global expansion and is accelerating preparations for a potential pilot program at Coupang logistics sites in Korea and elsewhere. The article does not disclose revenue or prior funding round details.