Startup Resources
ICIC stands at the heart of UCLA’s vibrant and growing entrepreneurial ecosystem. Building on UCLA’s extensive experience and established programs, we empower students and faculty as they embark on their journeys to create successful startups.
Below is a list of established startup programs available on campus. Feel free to reach out to ICIC director of industry relations, Schaffer Grimm for guidance on which program best suits your team.
NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps)
UCLA is part of the regional NSF I-Corps Hub West. This is an immersive training program geared toward STEM-based university researchers that facilitates the transformation of invention into impact. The purpose is to offer lab-to-market insight and a pathway to $50,000 in NSF grant funding.
UCLA Ventures, a department under the UCLA Technology Development Group, supports UCLA-affiliated startups, faculty, students, staff and alumni via a variety of programs that serve innovators at all stages of development. Our goal is to aid in the transition from idea to market through startup creation, funding, education, and success. UCLA Ventures programs include Startup in a Box, Bruin Founders, Pitch Gym, an exclusive Philanthropic Community, and entrepreneurial ecosystem events.
In collaboration with UCLA Health, David Geffen School of Medicine, School of Dentistry and UCLA’s Divisions of Life Sciences and Physical Sciences, the UCLA Technology Development group is proud to present the UCLA Innovation Fund. The UCLA Innovation Fund is a proof-of-concept program designed to facilitate the commercialization of advanced UCLA-owned technologies. Focusing on advanced therapeutics, medical devices/diagnostics, and digital health technologies, the UCLA Innovation Fund speeds technologies from idea to market, bridging the funding gap between academia and industry. Funding will be in the range of $50-$150k per project to support commercialization activities not supported by basic research grants. Projects with significant commercial potential may apply for an exemption for funding up to $200k.
Magnify Incubator at California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI)
Centrally located at UCLA’s Court of Sciences, Magnify strives to enhance the vibrant culture of entrepreneurship at UCLA and the broader Los Angeles region. Featuring flexible co-working laboratory and office spaces, Magnify was built with one goal in mind: to help startups succeed by vastly accelerating their access to facilities while increasing their capital efficiency and market opportunities.
The Venture Accelerator at UCLA Anderson, housed within the Harold and Pauline Price Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, is a transformative cohort-based program for early-stage startups and their founders. Our programs operate in a hybrid format and leverage the depth and breadth of UCLA’s resources to support and accelerate business growth. We are proud that 85% of the startups that go through our programs continue to scale successfully.