▁S our cing ▁ ▁The ▁E TF ▁established ▁seven ▁Regional ▁Cent ers ▁of ▁In nov ation ▁and ▁Com mer cial ization ▁( RC IC s ) ▁to ▁fost er ▁technology ▁commercial ization ▁throughout ▁the ▁entire ▁state ▁of ▁Texas ▁and ▁act ▁as ▁an ▁efficient ▁deal ▁s our cing ▁mechanism . ▁In ▁addition , ▁a ▁state wide ▁Life ▁Science ▁Regional ▁Center ▁of ▁In nov ation ▁and ▁Com mer cial ization ▁also ▁was ▁formed . ▁The ▁RC IC s ▁act ▁as ▁the ▁regional ▁agent ▁to ▁identify , ▁evaluate , ▁and ▁submit ▁prom ising ▁propos als ▁from ▁their ▁respective ▁regions ▁to ▁the ▁E TF ▁Ad vis ory ▁Committee . ▁The ▁E TF ▁Ad vis ory ▁Committee ▁makes ▁recommend ations ▁to ▁Trust ees ▁who ▁make ▁final ▁dec isions ▁on ▁awards . ▁RC IC s ▁work ▁closely ▁with ▁applic ants ▁in ▁assist ing ▁with ▁E TF ▁proposal ▁development , ▁post - pro pos al ▁de br ief ings , ▁and ▁commercial ization ▁activities . ▁In ▁addition , ▁RC IC s ▁are ▁a ▁strong ▁foc al ▁point ▁to ▁increasing ▁co operation ▁and ▁sp urr ing ▁collaboration ▁between ▁industrial , ▁financial , ▁and ▁academic ▁entities . ▁ ▁Acc ol ades ▁ ▁The ▁E TF ▁has ▁been ▁recognized ▁nation ally ▁as ▁the ▁most ▁active ▁early - stage ▁technology ▁vent ure ▁funds ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁The ▁fund ▁estimates ▁that ▁port folio ▁companies ▁and ▁aw arde es ▁have ▁raised ▁close ▁to ▁$ 1 B ▁in ▁follow - on ▁invest ment ▁and ▁private ▁fund ing ▁ ▁following ▁E TF ▁invest ment ▁yet ▁this ▁is