Entrepreneurship Resources
QB3 offers aspiring entrepreneurs from the greater UC Santa Cruz community the following resources to leverage from its network, as well as a listing of select other area resources:
TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200
Ready to take your startup to the next level? Then look no further than Startup Battlefield 200 at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 this October.
Startup Battlefield 200 accelerates your startup journey. Network with top-tier VCs, showcase your MVP to 10K+ attendees, tap into an alumni network of 1300 startups with $29B raised post-Disrupt.
Of the 200 startups, 20 will get to pitch on stage for the chance to win the $100k equity-free grand prize.
As a Startup Battlefield 200 founder, you’ll receive:
– 4 complimentary passes
– 3 days of free exhibition space
– Access to workshops & pitch training
– VC office hours for personalized guidance
– VIP networking opportunities
– A chance to secure $100k equity-free funding
It’s 100% free to apply and participate in the program. Apply now before the June 10 deadline.
https://techcrunch.com/events/
DARPA Innovation Fellowship
DARPA recently launched their Innovation Fellowship, a 2-year on-site position for early career scientists (within 5 years of their PhD defense date).
Fellows develop and manage a portfolio of high-risk, high-impact exploratory efforts to identify breakthrough technologies for the Department of Defense.
This is a unique opportunity for scientists to make meaningful contributions while advancing their careers, broadening their research experience outside the laboratory, and engaging with leaders in industry, academia, government, and entrepreneurial circles.
Website: www.darpa.mil/work-with-us/
EmPOWERED to Serve Business Accelerator
The business accelerator is a program for entrepreneurs, businesses and non-profit organizations making a health impact in U.S. communities. The accelerator provides access to valuable and actionable knowledge as well as funding for businesses to achieve success and sustainability.
Learn more about EmPOWERED to Serve Business Accelerator™
HS Chau Women in Enterprising Science Program
The IGI is continuing, a bio-entrepreneurship program, the HS Chau Women in Enterprising Science Program for postdocs or soon-to-graduate PhD students, and is encouraging outstanding entrepreneurially-minded individuals to apply. For the program, they are looking to create a cohort of really engaging entrepreneurs at the IGI and foster a diverse portfolio of ideas. Program fellows will have access to career development resources in business and entrepreneurship, and at the end of the one year fellowship they can compete for up to $1M in funding directly from the program donor to launch their company (off campus). For more details about the programs please click here.
Biotech Incubators
To address the challenges unique to biotech entrepreneurship, QB3 has established Bay Area incubators that allow startups affiliated with QB3 or University of California investigators access to rental laboratory space close to UC faculty. QB3 has also teamed with private partners to offer microspace in a network of locations throughout the Bay Area. These spaces are open to tenants from UC and the Bay Area community. Learn more at qb3.org/incubators.
Illumina for Startups
This external resource is for genomics startups looking for funding, mentorship and other support. Illumina for Startups initiatives include Illumina Accelerator, founded in 2014, and Sequoia Capital China Intelligent Healthcare Genomics Incubator, Powered by Illumina. They focus on helping innovators advance breakthrough genomics applications, including therapeutics, diagnostics, agriculture, synthetic biology, software, and direct-to-consumer applications. Learn more at illumina.com/science/accelerator.html
Medical Device Startup Support: Rosenman Institute
The Rosenman Institute drives medical device innovation and education and improves patient care by helping entrepreneurs develop technologies from concept to commercialization.
Startup Sandbox
Startup Sandbox provides bioscience entrepreneurs business training, access to academic excellence, and an incubator where they launch their companies and productize their research. Learn more at https://startupsandbox.org
Startup School from Y Combinator
Startup School is a free resource created by YC for anyone considering starting their own company. While being part of Startup School does not automatically improve your chances of getting into YC, it can certainly help indirectly by making your company more successful.
Support for Launch: QB3 Startup in a Box
Because sometimes the hardest part of starting a venture is actually starting, QB3 Startup in a Box offers legal assistance, mentorship, a business bank account, SBIR/STTR application assistance, and operational checklists to help guide founders through the maze required to turn their idea into a company.
CruzX
CruzX is a social network bringing together UC Santa Cruz students, faculty, alumni and partners interested in innovation, entrepreneurship and change-making. On CruzX, you’ll be able to find inspiring teams and team-mates, mentors, innovation courses, workshops, events and more offered by UCSC and its partners. You’ll also be able to contribute your own stories and experiences, ask questions and share ideas.
About Commercialization
The Office of Research supports commercialization of UCSC intellectual property (IP) in various ways. Our goal is to provide a cohesive, multi-faceted, multi-level program comprised of several long-term innovation, commercialization and entrepreneurship support activities.
The programs we offer leverage existing initiatives and organizations to bring in various strengths from across campus, the UC system and the surrounding communities to support innovation at the various stages including:
- mentoring, training and cultivating the entrepreneurial skills in undergraduate and graduate students;
- providing infrastructure support to up and coming start-ups;
- seed-funding the validation of software and hardware technology concepts;
- and jump-starting technology start-ups with the right training, infrastructure and exposure to investment opportunities.
Leading up to commercialization, the Office of Research supports university researchers in the various stages of IP management process, including invention disclosures, patent prosecution, copyright registration, Industry Alliances and licensing.
Climate Action Solutions Incubator Program
The Innovation & Business Engagement Hub’s Climate Action Solutions Incubator Program provides small-scale supplemental project funding and access to capacity-building workshops and mentorship in order to advance action-oriented solutions being developed at UC Santa Cruz that have the potential to address one or more of California’s most pressing climate challenges.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis with a maximum of $10,000 awarded to selected projects.
Please reach out to hub@ucsc.edu with any questions.