UCI’s cutting-edge research holds the potential to improve and save lives. UCI Beall Applied Innovation ensures that the most impactful, life-enhancing discoveries and inventions are transferred to the market and into the hands of the people who need it most. At last count, UCI had supported the development of nearly 1,000 inventions and managed the issuance of more than 800 U.S. patents.
Grace Han
Director of Development
949-824-5701
Grace.han@uci.edu
The space between basic research grants (of which UCI receives roughly $400 million annually) and early investment funding is often called the “valley of death” because it’s where potential products tend to languish. POP grants are awarded to UCI faculty innovators in amounts up to $100,000 per project to commercialize their inventions for the public good.
RTG fellowships offer UCI science, medicine and engineering graduate student researchers a hands-on introduction to technology evaluation and intellectual property management. Fellows contribute to RTG technology assessments, prior art searches and market research for UCI inventions. Funds raised will provide stipends for graduate fellows, enhanced program workshops, educational events, travel to business conferences with Applied Innovation staff and program management costs.
The Wayfinder incubator program gets startups investor-ready with expert guidance, labs, office space, workshops, networking events and, ultimately, introductions to investors. This endowment will fund grants in varying amounts to startups as they enter the Wayfinder program — exponentially increasing the number of companies gaining traction, and reducing the time to secure subsequent rounds of funding from angel and venture investors.
Research and public service are two of the fundamental missions of the University of California. Research leads to economic growth through the creation of new products, technologies, jobs, companies and even new industries. The University of California performs a public service by translating scientific discoveries into practical knowledge and innovations that benefit California and the world. Born in California is a series of events where UCI will provide a platform to gather the best startups from the UC system and fund the most promising teams.
