About this programme
The Product Development Research Program is run by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), the state agency that funds cancer research and prevention using Texas taxpayer-supported general obligation bonds. The program funds Texas-based companies developing novel products or services meant to benefit cancer patients, moving laboratory discoveries through the early stages of regulatory development into drugs, diagnostics, and therapies.
CPRIT groups Product Development Research into four Requests for Application (RFAs): Texas Therapeutics Company, Texas Device and Diagnostics Company, Texas New Technologies Company, and Texas Seed Company. The Texas Seed Company RFA is the earliest-stage of the four. It funds company formation and early research and development of novel oncology therapeutics, devices, treatment-oriented information technology products, diagnostics, or tools, with the goal of taking an interesting technology and progressing it toward a business opportunity attractive to private investors.
CPRIT has approximately $70 million per fiscal year available across all product development awards, and it can close the application portal until the next fiscal year once that allocation is used up.
How it works
CPRIT awards are grants, not investment, but they are delivered through a contract that specifies agreed-upon goals and objectives. The contract requires matching funds contributed by the company and an agreement to share revenue with the state, through royalty payments, equity, or another arrangement.
All four RFAs support three-year projects based in Texas, with an option to extend the contract to fully spend the awarded funds.
Except for Seed Company Awards, which are capped at $3 million per project, companies may request any amount of funding appropriate to the proposed work and development stage. CPRIT evaluates larger requests more strictly to confirm the project's innovation and impact justify the amount.
Companies located outside Texas can apply to any of the four RFAs, but as a condition of the award they must commit to locating and maintaining their business in Texas. Because out-of-state companies can already apply to any RFA, CPRIT has retired its separate Relocation Company RFA.
Who can apply
The Texas Seed Company RFA generally expects applicants to have already identified a novel therapeutic, diagnostic technology, or clinical tool and shown a biological effect; conducted preliminary safety and toxicology testing for therapeutic agents; shown the product can be manufactured at small scale or as a prototype; assessed the business opportunity with a business plan that starts to address clinical utility, target market, financial plan, IP strategy, and technical challenges; laid out a preliminary development plan; and established a company.
Companies from outside Texas are eligible to apply to any of the four RFAs, but must meaningfully commit to locating in Texas and maintaining a business presence there as a condition of receiving the grant. CPRIT applies Texas location criteria to confirm this commitment, and warns that fraud or bad-faith avoidance of the obligation will result in termination, repayment, and other legal remedies.
How to apply
- Submit a preliminary application while the application portal is open. It consists of a 2-page executive summary, a slide deck of up to 16 slides covering the scientific basis for the project, and a 1-page explanation of the project's aims and requested budget.
- The Product Development Review Council (PDRC) reviews the preliminary application for scientific merit and whether it presents a compelling case for CPRIT investment.
- CPRIT notifies the applicant of the PDRC's decision within 3 to 5 weeks of submission. Applicants not invited to submit a full application generally have limited opportunities to resubmit.
- If invited, the applicant submits a full application and is given a specific date and time to present the proposal to the review panel over Zoom.
Frequently asked
Is a CPRIT award a grant or an investment?
CPRIT awards grants through a competitive, peer-reviewed process, but the funds are delivered via a contract that requires matching funds from the company and revenue sharing with the state through royalties, equity, or another arrangement.
How much can a Seed Company Award provide?
Seed Company Awards are capped at $3 million per project. Other RFAs have no fixed cap; companies may request an amount appropriate to the work and development stage, but larger requests face stricter evaluation.
How long do the awards run?
All four Product Development Research RFAs support three-year projects in Texas, with the option to extend the contract to fully spend the awarded funds.
Can a company outside Texas apply?
Yes, CPRIT encourages out-of-state companies to apply to any of the four RFAs, but as a condition of the grant the company must commit to locating and maintaining its business in Texas.
How long does the review take?
CPRIT notifies applicants of the Product Development Review Council's decision on the preliminary application within 3 to 5 weeks of submission.
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Reviewed 2026-09-25. Programmes change, so check eligibility, amounts and deadlines on the official page before you apply. CapEasy is a private firm and is not part of any government body.