Creative Destruction Lab
Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School has partnered with Creative Destruction Lab (CDL), a nonprofit venture growth program aimed at scaling early-stage technology companies.Quick Links
About the Program
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.
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.
Innovation Accelerated
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.
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.
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.
Invest in Your Future
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.