About ICIC
The Institute of Commercialization and Industry Collaboration (ICIC) is a transformative umbrella organization designed to seamlessly integrate two pre-existing units within UCLA Samueli School of Engineering (SSE). These units, namely TANMS Engineering Research Center and Institute of Technology Advancement (ITA), share a common mission of fostering an innovation ecosystem through engagement with industry.
Center for Translational Applications for Nanoscale Multiferroic Systems (TANMS)
The NSF Nanosystems Engineering Research Center for Translational Applications of Nanoscale Multiferroic Systems (TANMS), was established on September 1, 2012 as one of National Science Foundation’s prized multi-institutional engineering research centers charged with supporting convergent research that will lead to strong societal impact through the translation of technology. It is established on the integration of foundational components of research, engineering workforce development, and diversity and culture of inclusion, that lead to value creation within an innovation ecosystem.
The TANMS vision is to develop a groundbreaking approach that couples electricity to magnetism using engineered nanoscale multiferroic elements. This innovation aims to achieve increased energy efficiency, reduced physical size, and enhanced power output in consumer electronics. By transcending the scaling limitations of the century-old mechanism for controlling magnetism (current in a wire), TANMS represents a significant leap forward in the field.
On November 30, 2023, TANMS officially graduated as a NSF-funded program and rebrands itself as the Institute for Commercialization and Industry Collaboration. shifts its primary objective towards becoming a self-sustaining entity on the UCLA campus. This transition aligns with the NSF’s directive for all ERCs to achieve self-sufficiency upon completing the 10-year program. The creation of the umbrella ICIC organization significantly contributes to fulfilling the NSF’s sustainability mandate and reflects positively on UCLA’s capacity to lead and maintain an ERC. ICIC’s infrastructure also provides the essential support and expertise for potential future submissions to large-scale programs including the ERC.
Institute of Technology Advancement
The Institute of Technology Advancement (ITA) is a technology development center established in 2010 by the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering (SSE) with the generous donations from Henry and Susan Samueli and the Easton Foundation. Its primary purpose is to accelerate the transition of high-impact innovative research from UCLA to technology development and commercialization.
Throughout its existence, the ITA program has successfully facilitated the formation of several spinout companies from UCLA and engaged with numerous UCLA faculty and large programs. Notably, the partnership with ITA played a critical role in the success of UCLA’s submission for the TANMS ERC.
Despite its impactful contributions to the UCLA campus, the ITA faced challenges with a limited revenue stream that hindered its growth and sustainability. By incorporating ITA into the ICIC framework, the organization adopts TANMS’ model for sustainability to provide ongoing support for much-needed entrepreneurial and commercialization efforts within UCLA Samueli School of Engineering.