The I2P® UT Austin Competition is a student-led event, coordinated by the I2P® Program and the Technology Entrepreneurship Society with support from the Chair of Free Enterprise. The competition is an early-stage technology commercialization plan competition that is open to UT Austin students of all disciplines who are interested in technology-focused entrepreneurship. Student groups present assessments of their technology-based products or services to a panel of judges.

Entries should be unique and innovative, be feasible to implement, and address an identified market need, and they must have an underlying technology component.  Teams are encouraged to focus on the benefits of their technology and its associated market potential, rather than the technical features.

The I2P® Competition gives competitors hands-on commercialization experience, mentoring and feedback from experienced entrepreneurs on the UT-Austin faculty and from industry. The teams compete for $8500 in cash prizes and a chance to represent UT Austin at the I2P® Global Competition.  Based on the work done by past student teams, university patenting efforts for certain technologies have been stepped-up, university technologies have been licensed, and new companies have been formed. 

"The moment I decided to participate in the I2P® competition, I began to add value to an emerging technology, and with the mentorship and connections that are a part of the competition, I became an entrepreneur. In fact, as a direct result of participating my partner and I went on to found two angel-backed start-up companies."

--Scott Evans, Represented UT Austin at 2003 I2P® Global Competition