Every founder’s journey looks different, and UH Innovation is built to support that. Some arrive with a research breakthrough. Others begin with a question, a hunch, or an early concept. Wherever you are in the process, UH has programs to help you take the next step.

For UH faculty, staff, and students still exploring their idea’s potential, the Innov8Hub Discovery Lab is a four week program that helps refine ideas, test assumptions, and identify real opportunities.

About the Program

The Innov8Hub Discovery Lab gives you space to explore the potential of your idea with structure and guidance. Over the four weeks, you will meet one-on-one with advisors from the Office of Technology Transfer and Innovation and the UH Small Business Development Center. Sessions are one hour each and can be held in person or virtually.

This program is not about launching right away, but about thinking critically, asking the right questions, and understanding your path forward. You will explore feasibility, assess market opportunity, and build a foundation for informed next steps—whether that means pursuing a license, applying for a grant, or joining a later stage program like Innovator to Founder.

By the end of the program, our participants have greater clarity, a broader understanding of their opportunity, and the tools to make a confident decision about what comes next.

What You Will Build

By the end of the program, participants will complete two core deliverables:

• A Lean Canvas Model, which is a one page business framework that outlines your problem, solution, potential customers, and key resources. It is a simple, visual way to understand your idea as a potential venture.
• A Three Month Commercialization Plan that lays out clear next steps. Whether you plan to apply for a grant, license a technology, or join an accelerator, this document helps you focus your strategy.

Both these tools are practical, flexible, and tailored to your project.

Who Should Apply

• UH faculty, staff, or students with an early stage idea
• Researchers exploring the market potential of their work
• Individuals seeking structured guidance to develop or test a concept
• Innovators who are not yet ready to launch, but ready to learn

You do not need a team, a product, or a business plan. Just an idea and a willingness to explore where it can lead.

How to Apply

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. To apply, email ottitb@central.uh.edu with the subject line “Discovery Lab.”