Creative Destruction Lab

 

Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School has partnered with the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL), a nonprofit venture growth program aimed at scaling early-stage technology companies. Through a nine-month program, founders grow their businesses through the frequent and focused advice of world-leading business, investment, and technology mentors, along with support from top Mays Business School students.

A girl in a CDL Seminar wearing a grey hoodie
A big group of people dining and discussing

About the Program

CDL is more than a typical accelerator — it’s a best-in-class mentorship program, where we connect ambitious technical founders with an elite group of highly successful entrepreneurs, business leaders, top-tier investors, cutting-edge scientists and technology experts. CDL leverages the collective expertise of world-class mentors in a highly structured environment to craft targeted roadmaps that drive founder success.

The inaugural program year will start in October 2025. Beginning spring 2026, Mays students can access this global network of founders and mentors and gain hands-on startup experience by registering for the CDL course.

Technology Streams

CDL-Texas offers two technology streams: Energy and Space. Within each, venture cohorts participate in a nine-month objective-setting program that requires founders to compete for the expertise, time, and networks of the renowned bench of mentors. Each venture is assigned a team of business students to support their work.

Two people presenting to a class

Keys to Venture Growth

Sessions

Highly structured, full-day discovery periods where all ventures, mentors, and students engage in activities to facilitate the sharing of ideas/information, screening of technology/teams, and setting of objectives. Session days take place every two months at Mays Business School.

Sprints

Eight-week periods where ventures, with support from student teams, focus on achieving key objectives outlined by mentors.

Screening and Selection

Ventures are rigorously and repeatedly evaluated by CDL prior to entry and by mentors during each session-sprint cycle to drive competition. Only the top performers advance.

Opportunities for Students

Through CDL-Texas at Mays Business School, students work directly with ventures and mentors. They deepen their understanding of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, interact with capital providers, and connect with a global network of some of the most powerful minds in business, investment, and technology. Hear what some CDL alumni say about working with students.

CDL-Texas Course

The CDL-Texas course offers students an experiential, career-enhancing learning opportunity by integrating student-led teams directly into ventures participating in the CDL program. Students exchange classroom theory for real world practical application by working directly with a startup providing hands-on business support as they scale their business. Students gain invaluable first-hand experience of the startup mindset while earning course credit. The CDL-Texas course will launch in Spring 2026. Ask your advisor for more information about requirements and how to enroll.

Meet All the CDL-Texas Mentors

Invest in Your Future

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Hours of applying classroom theory to real-world business development
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Hours of in-person networking and exposure to start-up founders and worldclass mentors
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Early stage ventures traveling to Mays campus, seeking top talent
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Weeks scaling a real startup through measurable, high-impact projects

Creators, Innovators and Entrepreneurs Wanted

Join CDL-Texas and immerse yourself in a world-class innovation ecosystem—where visionary students collaborate with pioneering entrepreneurs to transform bold ideas into real-world impact.