Director, UCLA Anderson Venture Accelerator
Showcase 2023
2023 UCLA Innovation Showcase
The UCLA Innovation Showcase — an invite-only event — features pitches and demos from cross-campus UCLA founders, an expert panel on the impact of AI across industries and networking opportunities with tech and startup professionals. Winning startups will secure up to $100,000 in investment capital from three Draper UCLA alumni in venture: Jesse Draper (B.A. ’06, Halogen VC), Billy Draper (B.A. ’11, Path Ventures) and Adam Draper (B.A. ’09, Boost VC). Our generous host, Google Cloud, will present the audience award along with up to $350K in Google service credits for its product portfolio.
Watch Now
October 26, 4:00 p.m. PT
Panelists
The Impact of AI Across Industries Panel Featuring:
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Brian Goldstein, Google GM, AI Go-to-Market
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UCLA Asst. Professor Aditya Grover, ClimaX and ClimateLearn
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Buck Jordan (’11), President, Miso Robotics, Founder, Vebu Labs
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Maureen Burgess , Partner, Cedars Sinai Health Ventures
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Moderator: Allie Garfinkle, Yahoo Finance
Presenting Companies
65%
Underrepresented Founders
6
Verticals
10
UCLA Alumni
16
Cross-Campus Programs Represented
BridgeDoc
BridgeDoc is a B2B SaaS project management tool for public works construction.
Founder: Kelly Wheeler (EMBA ’23)
Aphelion Aerospace
Aphelion Aerospace is a high-performance, eco-friendly and game changing space propulsion technology company.
Founder: Miguel Ayala (M.S. ’08)
SparkGene Biotechnology
SparkGene Biotech democratizes cell therapies with innovative microfluidic technology.
Founder: Binru (Andy) Chen (Ph.D. ’23)
Popsy
Popsy is a medical tool that streamlines the opening of blister packs for nurses and healthcare professionals.
Founder: Veronica Pellegrino, Registered Nurse, UCLA Health
Active Membranes
Active Membranes creates advanced membranes for water treatment and desalination at any scale, from household point of use to large, commercial plants.
Founder: Arian Edalat (CERT ’16)
Sage Cerebrovascular Diagnostics
Sage Cerebro is a brain health diagnostics company focused on longevity.
Founder: Dr. Jason Hinman, Faculty, UCLA Neurology
Unisoy Plant-Based Jerky
Unisoy is a delicious, planet-friendly, high-protein snack bursting with flavors, made with verified non-GMO ingredients.
Founder: Karin Lin (EMBA ’24)
Symphony Biosciences
Symphony Biosciences produces a biodegradable device administered at the time of surgery to fight solid cancers.
Founder: Negin Majedi (Ph.D. ’20)
Vonova
Vonova is improving access to treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy with Cerebro Atlas, a safe and fast alternative to high-resolution mapping of seizure activity that doesn’t require drilling through the skull.
Founder: Wesley Jones (FEMBA ’21)
UAV-IQ
UAV-IQ is an agtech company that uses drones to perform biological pest control for commercial farms, vineyards and orchards.
Founder: Andreas Neuman (EMBA ’14)
UCLA Alumni Companies
Elims
Elims is a social impact company crafted by dentists to bring science-backed products that work for you and the planet.
Founder: Belinda Lau (EMBA ‘20)
Dalton Bioanalytics
Dalton Bioanalytics analyzes nearly all major classes of bio-relevant molecules at a fraction of traditional multiomic costs.
Founder: Seungjun Yeo (B.A. ‘17)
Concrete.ai
Concrete.ai delivers concrete producers a simple decision making tool to optimize concrete performance, cost savings and carbon reduction.
Founder: Mathieu Bauchy, Faculty, UCLA Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty
CreatorUp
CreatorUp is a creative studio service platform that enables organizations to produce diverse content at scale using generative AI and a creative professional network.
Founder: Nick Almond (FTMBA ’99)
UCLA Anderson Consumer Goods Showcase
Bolstered by esteemed faculty, accomplished alumni and cutting-edge technologies, UCLA helps to nurture brilliant concepts into successful commercial ventures
Acknowledgements
We would like to extend a special thank you to all the alumni mentors, speakers and executives who hosted workshops and office hours. Your expertise and insights accelerate the trajectory of our startups!
Generous Supporters
| James Freedman (’78) | William Grabe (’63) | Faye Karnavy-Sahai (’95) |
Get Involved
The Accelerator’s experiential learning complements the Price Center’s entrepreneurial curriculum and activities. Accelerator companies enjoy guest speakers and practical workshops; access to a large and engaged mentor network and coaching via office hours; and the opportunity to participate in a number of business plan competitions. The staff connects teams with professional service providers and industry experts that include law firms, sources of capital, and alumni. Most importantly, the Accelerator fosters a sense of community among its resident teams and serves as a significant addition to the UCLA entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The extensive resources and year-long programming provide both a learning opportunity and practical know-how for founders to launch their companies while in the Accelerator. Founder testimonials attest to the impact of the program and the staff who function as full-time advisors. Accelerator alumni companies are operating at an 85% success rate due to the hands-on advisory work and resources offered from UCLA Anderson.
We need your support for the growing number of founders who are seeking program inclusion. You can donate to the Accelerator by donating your time as a speaker or mentor; providing access to your network; or making a financial contribution.
Please contact us to connect with any of our companies and learn more about how you can support our efforts.
Sr. Program Manager, Price Center
Senior Program Coordinator, Finance & Operations, Venture Accelerator
Senior Coordinator, Marketing, Venture Accelerator