Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to the questions we hear most often. If you don't see what you're looking for, please contact our team.
Have questions about SATOP?
We're happy to help.
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Yes, it really is free! SATOP is a state-funded program designed to drive economic growth in Texas, so there is zero cost to the small business or entrepreneur. Engineering expertise is provided on a volunteer basis by our network of Alliance Partners.
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SATOP assists with physical product development challenges across virtually any industry. The product does not need to be space-related to apply! Common assistance areas include: mechanical design and CAD modeling, materials selection, electrical engineering, PCB layout, and manufacturing process optimization. For examples of past projects, see Our Impact.
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Projects are generally not a great fit for SATOP if they fall entirely outside the domain of engineering or physical product development (e.g., software-only app development, general website/IT support, basic marketing, or business plan writing). Additionally, SATOP cannot assist with providing solutions that are already commercially available. If you are not sure if your project qualifies, feel free to submit an application and a SATOP representative will follow up with you.
Program Basics
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While SATOP frequently works with established Texas small businesses (under 500 employees), the program is also open to individual entrepreneurs, inventors, and early-stage startups. To be eligible for assistance, you must have at least an active DBA ("Doing Business As" / Assumed Name) registered in Texas, or a registered legal entity such as an LLC or Corporation.
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Yes, provided you meet Texas operation requirements. SATOP is funded by the State of Texas to drive local economic growth and job creation. As long as your business is legally able to operate in Texas, and you have reasonable intent to do so, you are eligible to apply.
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No, neither a patent nor prototype is required. As long as you have a clear product concept and specific technical need, you are eligible to apply. While having a patent or prototype could help us provide targeted assistance, working with SATOP can also help you turn your concept into a physical prototype, and/or develop and refine the background information needed to apply for a patent later on.
Eligibility
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After you submit the online application, a SATOP team member will contact you via email within three business days. If eligible, the typical next step is a virtual consultation to discuss your project in more detail.
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No, there is a single intake form. The SATOP technical team will assess your challenge, current prototype stage, and project scope during the initial review to determine which program pathway best fits your needs and goals.
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No, SATOP handles the matching process internally. Projects are routed to Alliance Partners based on specific technical domains, volunteer availability, and alignment with academic timelines.
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No, SATOP does not provide business grants or funding for prototyping or manufacturing. However, projects that are accepted into the University Capstone Design Pathway may receive an academic prototype at the conclusion of the project.
Assistance
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SATOP can only work on one request at a time. You can submit multiple requests for consideration, but after consultation we will need to prioritize just one to become a SATOP project.
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Yes, potentially. SATOP will review each distinct technical challenge independently through our standard eligibility and selection criteria. Repeat requestors may have longer wait times for assistance during periods of high demand.
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Because SATOP serves the entire state of Texas, and Alliance Partners are geographically scattered, all meetings are held virtually via Zoom or Microsoft Teams. This ensures we can quickly connect you with the best alignment of engineering expertise regardless of location across the state.
Working with SATOP
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Yes, your information is treated with strict confidentiality by both SATOP staff and our Alliance Partners. SATOP understands that proprietary ideas and trade secrets are critical to your startup's success. You do not need to bring your own Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA); SATOP’s standard partner agreements include built-in confidentiality protections to ensure your technical concepts and business details are fully protected throughout the project.
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To ensure expedient technical assistance and comply with state reporting requirements, SATOP does not sign NDAs. Rest assured, your project information will remain confidential (see question above).
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An IP Exclusion Agreement (or IP Release) is an explicit contractual agreement confirming that anyone who is working on your SATOP project waive and exclude any claim of ownership over the intellectual property created during the collaboration. This ensures that any novel designs or prototypes developed during your project belong entirely to your business. University Capstone Design projects are more likely to involve the creation of new IP. As such, you will have the option to request IP Exclusion Agreements from students who are assigned to your project.
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You do. One of the core principles of SATOP is that the small business retains full ownership of all designs, intellectual property, data, testing results, and physical prototypes generated during the project. Neither SATOP, the state of Texas, nor the volunteer engineers retain any commercial rights or equity in your technology. This allows you to freely license, patent, or commercialize your product post-project to grow your business in Texas.
Confidentiality & Intellectual Property
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Contact the SATOP team or submit an application, and we'll help determine whether your project is a good fit.