RED Labs

Accelerating startups at the University of Houston

What is RED Labs?

RED Labs is a coworking space and startup accelerator at the University of Houston. We take teams of students who have great ideas, give them access to a space on campus, connect them to relevant mentors and resources in the startup community, and help them grow their ideas into scalable companies that fill a need in the market.

Program Details

Mentors

Our mentors guide startups through the process of validating an idea with customers, developing a business model, and building a product. We’ve tapped into the local startup community and through partnerships with organizations such as the Houston Technology Center can match you with successful individuals who have actually built startups and are committed to devoting their time to help you create a sustainable business. Each startup is paired with mentors that have startup experience and can provide valuable advice.

Program Length

The initial cohort lasts 12 weeks, and begins in the Spring semester. Demo Day is scheduled for May.

Demo Day

Demo Day is the capstone event for each RED Labs cohort. We invite investors and selected members from the startup community to view pitches from the RED Labs teams. It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase your progress and network with people that can help you.

About the Coworking Space

Access-controlled shared space in Melcher Hall reserved exclusively for RED Labs startups
Unlimited coffee and ramen
Abundant power plugs, ethernet, and WiFi
Storage lockers
Flat screens with HDMI/VGA inputs to connect your device and work with your team
Access to a conference room for meetings with mentors and potential investors

Admission Requirements

At least one member of the team must be an actively enrolled UH student. RED Labs is open to both undergraduate and graduate students.
Commitment. This is critical. RED Labs is not a line item on a resume, it’s an opportunity to become an entrepreneur in an environment that is focused on your success.
NOTE: You don’t need to have any knowledge of “business” whatsoever. In fact, we welcome students with innovative ideas who don’t have a business plan or any of the typical business requirements. We’ll get you thinking about the fundamental questions you need to answer from a business perspective.

What type of startups does RED Labs accept?

We invite any company and idea to apply, but are particularly interested in startups that incorporate technology as a vital component of their business.

What if I don’t have a team/idea?

If you don’t have an idea or team, you may still get access to the co-working space. Please contact Dr. Panahi via email to setup an interview. Be prepared to discuss what you’d like to accomplish while at RED Labs.

Optional Course Credit

Undergraduate students may optionally enroll in an undergraduate elective course to earn course credit for working on their startup. Students are encouraged to check with their advisors for questions regarding the applicability of the course to their degree plan.

Apply

We are currently accepting applications for the Fall 2013 cohort. Apply now.

Contact

RED Labs is founded by Dr. Hesam Panahi, Clinical Assistant Professor at the Bauer College of Business. Dr. Panahi’s contact information is available in the Bauer directory, and you can email him with any questions about RED Labs.