- stage ▁technology ▁invest ment ▁funds ▁designed ▁to ▁assist ▁companies ▁in ▁transform ing ▁ideas , ▁concepts , ▁and ▁pro tot ypes ▁into ▁commercial ▁vi able ▁products . ▁ ▁Research ▁Award ▁Match ing : ▁funds ▁create ▁public - private ▁partners hips ▁which ▁le verage ▁the ▁unique ▁strength s ▁of ▁univers ities , ▁federal ▁government ▁grant ▁programs , ▁and ▁industry . ▁ ▁Ac quisition ▁of ▁Research ▁Super ior ity : ▁funds ▁for ▁Texas ▁higher ▁education ▁institutions ▁to ▁rec ruit ▁the ▁best ▁research ▁talent ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁E TF ' s ▁first ▁invest ments ▁were ▁executed ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁By ▁October ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁the ▁E TF ▁was ▁the ▁single ▁largest ▁pre - seed ▁invest or ▁for ▁emer ging ▁technology ▁companies ▁in ▁the ▁entire ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁As ▁of ▁June ▁ 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁the ▁E TF ▁had ▁inv ested ▁$ 1 9 6 M ▁in ▁ 1 3 2 ▁commercial ization ▁invest ments . ▁Appro xim ately ▁ 1 / 2 ▁of ▁E TF ' s ▁commercial ization ▁invest ments ▁have ▁been ▁made ▁within ▁the ▁bi ote chn ology ▁and ▁life ▁sciences ▁industry . ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁has ▁witness ed ▁a ▁slow down ▁in ▁all ▁three ▁versions ▁of ▁E TF ▁awards ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁a ▁special ▁Texas ▁House ▁sub comm ittee ▁expl ores ▁in cent ives ▁programs ▁ahead ▁of ▁the ▁ 8 4 th ▁Texas ▁regular ▁legisl ative ▁session . ▁ ▁De al