Technology Partnerships
Technology
Partnerships
10-Year Report
Innovation Without Borders:
A Decade of Regional Impact
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Catalyst for Regional Innovation
Andrea Cuellar pitches at the 2023 SoCal OASIS™
Challenge, UC Riverside’s premier entrepreneurship
competition designed to empower innovators
tackling society’s most pressing challenges of today.
Since 2023, the program has awarded over $250,000
in non-dilutive funding to high-impact startups,
many of whom leveraged these funds for
prototyping, IP, go-to-market strategies, and more.
2 Office of Technology Partnerships
LETTERS FROM THE VICE
CHANCELLOR & ASSOCIATE VICE
CHANCELLOR
3 7
9 11
13 A DECADE OF EMPOWERING
ENTREPRENEURS
MILESTONES THAT SHAPED
A DECADE
COMPANIES SUPPORTED
BY OTP
WHITE GLOVE SUPPORT
THROUGHOUT THE PIPELINE
14 TECHNOLOGY
COMMERCIALIZATION
CORPORATE & STRATEGIC
PARTNERSHIPS
CORPORATE RESEARCH
CONTRACTS
ENTREPRENEURIAL PROOF-OF-
CONCEPT & INNOVATION CENTER
INNOVAR: BUILDING THE
ENTREPRENEURIAL PIPELINE
BLACKSTONE LAUNCHPAD:
STUDENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP
PROOF-OF-CONCEPT
GRANTS
17 19
21 24
28 32
34 39
41 45
ENTREPRENEURS-IN-RESIDENCE
UNLOCKING ACCESS TO CAPITAL
THE SBIR/STTR
RESOURCE CENTER
BIZTECH CONNECT
47 EXCITE TECHNOLOGY
INCUBATOR
SOCAL OASIS® INITIATIVE
ZERO-TO-ENTREPRENEUR
SOCAL OASIS® PITCH CHALLENGE
BUILD TO SCALE
SOCAL OASIS® PARK
THE LIFE SCIENCES INCUBATOR
AT UC RIVERSIDE
49 51
52 53
54 56
INTERNATIONAL
PARTNERSHIPS
OUR TEAM
57 63
Our focus now is on growing a vibrant, high-impact innovation ecosystem that positions UCR as both a regional leader and a globally competitive research university. One clear example of this vision is SoCal OASIS®, which we launched to directly address some of the biggest challenges facing our communities and the world. Through SoCal OASIS, we are investing in the future through seed funding and building capacity for grants and other awards that help launch the next generation of technologies and innovation. And this past June, we celebrated the groundbreaking of the SoCal OASIS Park, which will serve as a hub for testing, demonstrating, and scaling sustainable technologies for years to come.
A Letter from the Vice
Chancellor
Greetings Colleagues, Friends, and Partners,
As we look back on ten years of the Office of Technology Partnerships (OTP), I want to recognize Dr. Rosibel Ochoa and her team for building a strong bridge between UC Riverside’s world-class research and the growing economy of Inland Southern California and beyond. The programs they have created have transformed how our campus interacts with and support entrepreneurs and innovators, creating an infrastructure on par with those at larger and longer established universities in the nation. But this 10-year milestone is not just about celebrating structures or programs—it reflects a shared commitment to turning discoveries into real solutions for people, communities, and industries.
That is at the heart of what Research and Economic Development is all about. 3 Office of Technology Partnerships
We are also extending this innovation pipeline to reach well beyond Riverside.
Our research does not just stay in the lab—it is making its way into the marketplace, across borders, and onto the global stage. Working closely with the City of Riverside, the County, and our regional partners, we have attracted international businesses such as Ohmio, Seedorina, and Voltu Motor, Inc. With support from programs like Build 2 Scale, these companies are not only creating jobs but also making a real impact on the Inland Southern California economy.
Cheers!
Rodolfo H. Torres
Vice Chancellor
Research, Innovation and
Economic Development
At a time when the value of higher education is being questioned and resources for research and education face an uncertain future, we must double down on demonstrating the transformative economic impact of our universities and looking ahead, the next decade will be about building on the momentum we have created. We will keep pushing the boundaries of research excellence, expanding programs that create opportunities for our students, faculty, and community partners, and strengthening UCR’s role as a powerful engine for regional and global progress.
Office of Technology Partnerships 4
The impact of this integrated approach is clear. Our Technology Commercialization team has evolved from a transactional service to a strategic partner, working with faculty like Drs. Huinan Liu and Will Grover to transform their groundbreaking research into ventures that reach patients and industries. This foundation is amplified by our Innovation & Entrepreneurship engine, which provides the critical "handholding" that turns ideas into sustainable businesses. Through mentorship, non-dilutive funding, and access to regional and global networks, we support entrepreneurs from every corner of campus and community, who prove that great ideas can emerge from anywhere. Completing this ecosystem, our Corporate & Strategic Partnerships group acts as a bridge to industry, forging strategic alliances that bring vital resources and opportunities to our region.
A Letter from the
Associate Vice Chancellor
As we approach ten years of the Office of Technology Partnerships (OTP), I am struck by how far we have come from our early beginnings. When we launched in 2016, OTP was a small team of five focused primarily on technology transfer. In those days, our role was limited to protecting intellectual property through disclosures, patents, and licenses—a traditional model that left much of the innovation journey to chance. 01 Today, OTP is something entirely different. This transformation was intentional, built on an integrated, matrix-based model that combines the strengths of our three core pillars:
Technology Commercialization, Corporate Research Partnerships, and Innovation & Entrepreneurship. By working as a unified team across these functional areas, we have built a full-spectrum engine for innovation—one that not only protects ideas but walks side by side with the innovators who create them. Our success is a direct result of this collaborative spirit, which allows us to provide seamless, "white-glove" support at every stage of the journey from lab to market.
1 place winning company of the SoCal
OASIS® Pitch Challenge competition, Super
Foam, with Associate Vice Chancellor Dr.
Ochoa, Vice Chancellor Dr. Rodolfo H. Torres,
and various judges. Zef Neemuchwala, CEO of
Super Foam, delivered an outstanding pitch
that rewarded his team with $75,000 in non-
dilutive funding.
st
5 Office of Technology Partnerships
This spirit of internal collaboration is mirrored in our deep engagement with the community. We are proud to have shaped not just companies, but culture. A key part of this cultural shift has been our commitment to entrepreneurial education.
This work powerfully reflects the spirit of UC
Riverside itself. Ranked #1 in the nation for
social mobility, UCR provides pathways for
students and community members to
transform their lives. At OTP, we extend that
mission by creating new routes to success
through entrepreneurship. Our journey is
proof that strategic vision, persistence, and
deep community collaboration are the true
drivers of impact. The next decade will bring
even greater challenges and opportunities,
but our mission remains the same: to
transform bold ideas into pathways of
opportunity and to make Inland Southern
California a model for inclusive innovation.
Through flagship programs like our Blackstone LaunchPad workshops and the NSF-funded INNOVAR I- Corps, we have exposed more than 5,000 students, faculty, and community members to entrepreneurship as an opportunity for professional growth. Even for those who don’t start companies, the experience is transformative. Learning to work in teams, talk to customers, and present ideas to investors and mentors provides a powerful skillset they can take with them regardless of where they end up. This foundational work helped change the conversation in our region. Today, thanks to persistent partnership and creativity—from launching the Green Motion platform to accelerate plant innovation from science to market to the success of our SBIR/STTR Resource Center—innovation is recognized as a pillar of regional economic development. The State’s designated Inland SoCal Accelerate Hub, now a coalition of over 30 organizations, is powerful proof that we can align diverse stakeholders around a single vision for inclusive prosperity.
Dr. Rosibel Ochoa
Associate Vice Chancellor
Technology Partnerships
Dr. Ochoa during her
opening remarks
speech during the
SoCal OASIS® Park
groundbreaking
ceremony in spring
2025.
Our impact is defined by our unique role within this community. As the major R1 research university in Inland Southern California—a region of over 5 million people with a nascent innovation ecosystem—we have a distinct responsibility to be a catalyst. In an area that has historically lacked a culture of venture investment, we recognized the need to build the infrastructure and excitement from the ground up.
Through strategic partnerships with the City and County of Riverside, and powered by vital programs like the EDA's Build to Scale initiative, we have created undeniable momentum. This collaborative effort has been instrumental in attracting innovative international companies like Ohmio, Voltu, and Seedorina to Inland SoCal, proving that we can cultivate a thriving innovation hub right here.
Office of Technology Partnerships 6
A Decade of Empowering
Entrepreneurs and Driving
Regional Growth
Over the past ten years, the UC Riverside Office of Technology Partnerships (OTP) has transformed from a technology transfer office into a full-spectrum engine for entrepreneurship, innovation, and regional economic development. Our mission has grown beyond commercializing campus research — today, OTP serves as a catalyst for building an inclusive, world-class innovation ecosystem that empowers entrepreneurs, attracts investment, and strengthens Inland Southern California’s competitive position in the global economy.
Zero-to-Entrepreneur instructor Dr. Javier Narvaez-
Vasquez teaching students about clonal
micropropagation in the 2024 Zero-to-Entrepreneur
agriculture class. Entrepreneur students acquired
technical education to innovate market-worthy
agricultural ideas.
7 Office of Technology Partnerships
At UC Riverside's Office of Technology Partnerships, our mission is to foster economic development in Inland Southern California by building a dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem. We connect the university, industry, and community to provide fast, accessible, and tailored business support. Our efforts focus on facilitating the startup creation, funding, commercialization, validation, growth, and incubation of life- changing innovations from local entrepreneurs, benefiting both society and the regional economy.
The Corporate & Strategic Partnerships team
facilitates collaborations between faculty and
industry. The team provides specialized
company access to the pioneering research,
faculty, students, and infrastructure at UCR.
Additionally, The Corporate Research Contracts
office helps faculty members advance their
research by negotiating industry agreements
and providing grant proposal support.
EPIC (Entrepreneurial Proof of
Concept & Innovation Center)
provides faculty, staff, students, and
local innovators valuable with the
resources they need to start &
build their companies. EPIC
is a path-to-market
platform that provides
access to mentorship,
training, incubator
facilities, and access to
capital.
Corporate & Strategic Partnerships
The Technology Commercialization
team protects and helps commercialize
cutting edge research developed at
UCR. From developing an IP strategy,
and filing disclosures, to licensing
technologies, the TC team provides
faculty, students, and staff full service
support in protecting and
commercializing their UCR intellectual
property.
Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Support for Entrepreneurs
The Office of Technology Partnerships drives
regional economic growth by empowering
startups, small businesses, and industry
partners with the tools to innovate and
scale. Through programs like Build to Scale
and the Inland SoCal Accelerate Hub, we help
bolster job creation, attract investment, and
position Inland Southern California as a hub
for cutting-edge innovation.
Economic Development
Technology Commercialization
Corporate & Strategic PartnershipsInnovation and Entrepreneurship Economic Development
What We
Provide
Technology Commercialization
Office of Technology Partnerships 8
UCR was awarded a
$2.5M grant from
the Economic
Development
Agency to develop
the Life Sciences
Incubator.
Life Sciences
Incubator opens at
the Multidisciplinary
Research Building.
Oct 2019
Jun 2021
OTP advances the SoCal
OASIS® Initiative, driving
regional economic growth
through clean tech
research, innovation,
entrepreneurship, and
workforce development.
UCR supports seven
cleantech companies
through the
CalTestBed Initiative,
providing testing,
validation, and early
commercialization
support.
Milestones That Shaped a Decade:
A chronological look at the programs, partnerships, and breakthroughs that shaped OTP’s growth
Mar 2019
UCR hosts first
annual SBIR/STTR
Conference.
Aug 2016
Apr 2018
Apr 2019
UCR became an
official NSF I-Corps
site, securing
funding to train UCR
teams for the next 5
years.
OTP received a grant
from the SBA to launch
the EPIC Small
Business Development
Center (SBDC).
Oct 2016
Feb 2018
May 2019
EPIC was launched,
establishing UCR’s
first formal
innovation and
entrepreneurship
hub.
EPIC SBDC launched the
SBIR/STTR Resource
Center — a hub for
building partnerships
and sharpening
proposals to boost
funding success.
UCR signs a $5M
Eurosemillas
agreement supporting
proof-of-concept
funding and advancing
citrus and avocado
breeding programs.
Mar 2017
Dec 2017
Aug 2019
Center for Molecular
and Translational
Medicine (MolMed)
launched to
accelerate medical
and bioscience
innovation.
OTP formed a long-
term collaboration
with Know Hub Chile
to fast-track
technology
commercialization
and transfer.
Blackstone
LaunchPad launched
at UCR, expanding
entrepreneurial
access for students.
Apr 2017
Sep 2017
Nov 2019
Creat’R Lab launched
as a new innovation
makerspace
supporting student
entrepreneurship.
UCR initiated the
Avocado Variety
Improvement
Program to develop
the next generation
of avocado varieties.
Know Hub Chile
Ignition Program
launched using UCR’s
INNOVAR Lean
Launchpad
methodology.
Apr 2017
Jul 2017
Nov 2019
ExCITE Incubator re-
launched with
expanded capacity
and programming.
UCR was awarded a
5-year National
Science Foundation
(NSF) Innovation
Corps Site grant,
awarding $500,000
for entrepreneurial
training and
funding to UCR
faculty, staff,
students and
alumni.
Eurosemillas
Technology
Acceleration Program
(ETAP) launched to
focus on de-risking high
potential technologies
through proof of
concept funding.
Jun 2017
Highlander
Venture Fund
established,
providing seed and
pre-seed capital for
UCR-affiliated
startups.
Apr 2021
EPIC startups
raise a record
$15.4 million in
capital.
Mar 2021
Nov 2021
Blackstone
LaunchPad hosts the
Entrepreneur
Summit, advancing
women’s
entrepreneurship
through workshops,
networking, & more.
UCR launches the
TACIES Program,
supported by $900K
in EDA funding to
strengthen small-
business resiliency
post-pandemic.
Jan 2021
Apr 2022
Discover UCR platform
launched, connecting
30 Inland Empire
manufacturers with
UCR innovation
resources to support
development and
workforce needs.
UCR partners with
Cleantech San Diego,
securing a $5M
California Energy
Commission grant to
advance clean-
energy innovation
for regional
companies.
Oct 2020
Jun 2022
First tenants move
into the MRB
Incubator, including
Murrieta Genomics,
NeyroblastGX,
Karamedica, GattaCo,
and Armida Labs.
Life Sciences
Incubator reaches 10
resident companies,
marking a major
milestone in UCR’s
wet-lab
commercialization
capacity.
Aug 2022
Nov 2022
UCR awards $2.4M in
Proof-of-Concept
funding to faculty
innovators,
accelerating
commercialization of
climate, agriculture,
health, and
sustainability
technologies.
Launched the UCR
EPIC Eurosemillas
Incubation
Challenge, a
$100,000 program
supporting six Latin
American deep-tech
startups with soft-
landing and U.S.
market readiness.
May 2020
UCR licenses a
promising HLB-
fighting technology
to Invaio Sciences,
advancing years of
USDA-, CRB-, and
Citrus Nursery
Board-supported
research toward
protecting the global
citrus industry.
Oct 2021
Feb 2023
Established the
Inland Empire NAI
Chapter, recognizing
three UCR faculty as
Fellows and Senior
Members.
9 Office of Technology Partnerships
Hosted the 1st
annual Inland SoCal
OASIS Climate
Action Conference,
convening 150+
entrepreneurs,
policymakers, and
faculty.
Dec 2023
Awarded $1.3M in
SoCal OASIS®
internal funding for
faculty-led
sustainability and
clean tech research.
Dec 2023
Jan 2024
Secured $1M in federal
funding (via Rep.
Takano) to advance
the Northside
Agriculture Innovation
Center.
Mar 2023
Dec 2023
Mar 2024
Launched the OASIS
Faculty
Entrepreneurial
Fellows Program,
awarding $600,000
to advance climate-
resilient
commercialization.
Completed the Basis
of Design for Phase 1
of the SoCal OASIS™
Innovation Park,
advancing plans for
UCR’s sustainability
and mobility
innovation district.
UCR designated an
Innovation & Economic
Prosperity University
by APLU, recognizing
its regional economic
and entrepreneurship
impact.
May 2023
Nov 2023
Jun 2025
Launched Zero-to-
Entrepreneur
certificates in
agriculture and
transportation,
attracting 80+
participants.
Received a $2M EDA
Build-2-Scale grant
to accelerate
sustainability-
focused startup
growth in Inland
Southern California.
UCR breaks ground
on the $68M SoCal
OASIS® Park,
launching a new
regional hub for
labs, incubators, and
startup space.
Jun 2023
Oct 2023
Jul 2024
Life Sciences
Incubator reaches 10
resident companies,
two new spinouts,
and support for 18
faculty using its $2M
equipment suite.
Hosted the SoCal
OASIS Pitch
Challenge, providing
bootcamps,
mentorship, and
$110,000 in awards to
regional startups.
Kicked off the Inland
SoCal Accelerate
Hub, launching a
coordinated regional
effort to support
innovation,
entrepreneurship,
and economic
development across
Inland Southern
California.
Aug 2023
Oct 2023
Apr 2025
Opportunity
Exposure Workshops
introduce 60+ high
school students to
careers in modern
agriculture and clean
transportation.
Eurosemillas
partnership
releases UCR’s new
avocado cultivar
‘BL516’ (Luna
UCR™), later
named one of
TIME’s Best
Inventions of 2023.
OTP-backed companies
excel at the Riverside
County Fast Pitch
Finale, with Glid and
Super Foam winning
first and second place
after advancing through
the regional startup
pipeline.
Sep 2023
Hosted three
Chilean startup
teams for the Know
Hub soft-landing
immersion week.
COMPANIES SUPPORTED BY OTP
Over the past decade, OTP has helped hundreds of startups and small businesses advance their technologies, refine business models, and secure critical funding. Through mentorship, proof-of- concept support, SBIR/STTR guidance, and incubation resources, these companies have grown across sectors such as ag-tech, clean mobility, biotech, and climate solutions. The companies highlighted here reflect the breadth and impact of OTP’s support ecosystem. 11 Office of Technology Partnerships
Office of Technology Partnerships 12
Our impact over the past decade is measured not
only in patents, licenses, and research funding, but
in the tangible economic and societal benefits we
have delivered:
Hundreds of high-quality jobs created in
sectors such as clean transportation, ag-tech,
life sciences, and advanced manufacturing.
Entrepreneurship programs reaching over 70%
participation from historically underserved
communities in our region.
Expansion of innovation resources into rural
and economically disadvantaged areas,
ensuring that opportunity reaches every corner
of Inland Southern California.
Over the last decade, OTP has delivered measurable change:
Helped clients and startups secure more than $72 million in federal SBIR/STTR funding, often doubling the national average success rate.
Supported companies in raising over $160 million in private and venture investment, fueling local job creation and business growth.
Supported over 620 ventures with launch and growth
Coordinated more than 30 regional organizations through the Inland SoCal Accelerate Hub to provide unified, “white-glove” support for companies relocating or expanding to the region. 2,000
Served Over
entrepreneurs and
innovators through direct
training, mentorship, and
consulting
This report captures the milestones, stories, and
measurable outcomes that define OTP’s first
decade. It highlights the innovators we’ve
supported, the partnerships we’ve built, and the
regional transformation we’ve helped drive.
13 Office of Technology Partnerships
Entrepreneur Rito Sur of Indrio Technologies
accepting an award of $20,000 at the 2023 SoCal
OASIS® Pitch Challenge Competition. Non-dilutive
cash awards are given each year to winning
companies during the annual pitch competition.
Every client benefits from personalized mentorship, typically led by a dedicated Entrepreneur-in- Residence (EIR), and has access to OTP’s full network of capital providers, technical experts, corporate partners, and regional stakeholders. Through structured onboarding, intake assessments, and milestone-driven Scopes of Work, OTP ensures that each venture receives customized, measurable support aligned with its stage of growth.
White-Glove Support Throughout the Pipeline
TECHNOLOGY
COMMERCIALIZATION:
Protecting & Advancing Innovation
Before the Office of Technology Partnerships (OTP) was established, UC Riverside’s efforts in innovation were led by the Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC). Its primary mission was to protect intellectual property generated by UCR faculty researchers, manage invention disclosures, and translate those ideas into patents, licenses, and ultimately, commercial ventures. Over the past decade, these efforts have grown into the broader mandate of OTP, expanding beyond IP management to include
entrepreneurship, incubation, and regional economic development.
Invention Disclosures
Over the past decade, UC Riverside researchers
submitted 640 invention disclosures, representing a
steady pipeline of ideas emerging from the
university’s labs and research centers. These
disclosures reflect the creativity and technical
expertise of UCR faculty and the breadth of
research that has the potential to generate real-
world impact.
Licenses & Startups
During this period, UCR executed 71 new licenses
across agriculture, life sciences, clean energy, and
advanced materials. These agreements
demonstrate the value of UCR’s discoveries and
help bring innovation to market. Licensing fueled
startup creation, with 20 new companies launched -
18 from UCR-owned IP and 2 from jointly owned IP
by partner universities. Many of these ventures
entered OTP’s broader pipeline for incubation,
mentorship, and access to capital to scale their
businesses.
Patents Filed & Issued
Between 2016 - 2025, UCR filed more than 350 U.S.
patent applications and secured more than 210
issued U.S. patents, creating the protections needed
to bring faculty innovations to market. This growing
portfolio of intellectual property demonstrates the
university’s ability to translate research into
tangible technologies while building the foundation
for industry partnerships and commercialization.
Royalties & Commercial Returns
Royalties generated from licensed technologies
have provided steady reinvestment into UCR
research and innovation capacity. A significant
share of these returns comes from UCR’s leadership
in agriculture, with plant varieties and ag-related
technologies gaining adoption across the globe in
crops such as citrus and avocado. This global reach
underscores the role of UCR discoveries in
addressing food security and sustainability
challenges while contributing to the university’s
financial resilience.
Office of Technology Partnerships 14
The TC team at the 1 annual patent award
ceremony
st
COMPANIES FORMED FROM UCR IP
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
80 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
0 10
20 30
40 50
10 Years of IP & Commercialization at a Glance
(2016 - 2025)
Invention Disclosures (640)
Patents Issued (215)
Active IP Portfolio by College (500)
Bourns College of
Engineering (247)
College of Humanities,
Arts, & Social Sciences (11)
College of Natural and
Agricultural Sciences (220)
Other (2)
School of Medicine (20)
247220
20 11
2 15 Office of Technology Partnerships
Sponge
NanoHUE
PolyLoop
Recyling
Match
Sample
Corporation
Over the last decade, UC Riverside has built a robust commercialization pipeline, moving discoveries from invention disclosure to patents, licenses, and startups that deliver real-world value. This foundation has not only protected faculty innovations but also created pathways for industry partnerships, startup creation, and international reach. Among the many successes are standout inventions that exemplify the breadth of UCR’s impact — from agricultural breakthroughs like the ‘Tango’ mandarin and Luna UCR™ avocado, to life sciences ventures like Basilard Biotech. These stories highlight how faculty ingenuity at UCR has grown into innovations that shape markets, support growers, and advance human health.
From Patents to Global Impact:
UCR Inventions That Changed Industries
‘Tango’ Mandarin
UC Riverside Citrus Variety Collection
The ‘Tango’ mandarin, developed by UCR scientists, is a seedless citrus variety that revolutionized the mandarin market by offering growers a fruit resistant to cross-pollination and highly desirable to consumers. Now licensed worldwide, Tango has become a staple in citrus groves across multiple continents, generating substantial royalty revenue for UCR. Its rise from experimental grove to global orchards captures the essence of how one variety can change what shoppers expect to find on store shelves.
Luna UCR™ avocado
One of TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2023
In 2023, UCR released the Luna UCR™ avocado (‘BL516’), a variety praised for its compact growth, exceptional taste, and high postharvest quality. Licensed exclusively to Eurosemillas, S.A., Luna UCR is expanding globally, celebrated at the Green Motion Avocado Summit with 35 international partners from 12 countries. Named one of TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2023, Luna UCR shows how international partnerships bring UCR innovations to the world.
For growers and consumers, Luna UCR represents the next chapter of the avocado story where sustainability and flavor travel hand in hand.
Excalibur™ Asparagus
A New Standard for Global Production
Excalibur™ (cultivar ‘77-80’) is a high-yield, rust-tolerant asparagus hybrid that maintains vigorous plants for many years, licensed exclusively to Eurosemillas, S.A. for commercialization in Peru, China, Mexico, and the EU — the world’s top asparagus markets.
Office of Technology Partnerships 16
According to documents spanning 2016–2024, the UCR Proof of Concept (POC) / Eurosemillas Technology Acceleration Program (ETAP) was created to help faculty bridge the gap between laboratory research and commercial readiness.
Early rounds (2016–2018) awarded up to $50,000 per project to validate feasibility, reduce technical risk, and prepare innovations for licensing or startup formation. By 2019–2020 the program had scaled significantly, awarding $250,000 across seven projects and introducing structured mentorship, customer discovery, and a competitive pitch review process supported by Entrepreneurs-in-Residence.
Will Grover, Associate Professor of Bioengineering
($35,000) – Created a benchtop device that detects fraudulent or altered chemical formulations to protect pharmaceutical and food supply chains.
PROOF-OF-CONCEPT (POC) GRANTS:
A Critical Resource to Validate UCR’s Most Promising Discoveries in POC Grants Awarded
Since Launch
$2.6M+
Return on Investment
Generated Through
Follow-On Funding
12.1x
Technologies Advanced
to Licensing, SBIR/STTR
Awards, or Startup
Formation
22 Proof-of-Concept
Projects Funded Since
Launch
69 Chronoprinting – Fraud Detection for Pharma & Food (2019) Paul Larsen, Professor of Biochemistry
($35,000) – Engineered amino-acid–based approaches to improve carbon fixation, plant growth in marginal soils, and agricultural yield.
Carbon Fixation Enhancement for Agriculture (2019)
Linda Walling, Professor of Genetics
Peter Atkinson, Dean of CNAS
($35,000) – Developed a synthetic biology approach to control whitefly pests, creating a foundation for a more sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides.
Biotech Solutions for Whitefly Crop Damage (2017)
In later years, the POC program became a core component of OTP’s commercialization engine, awarding between $230,000 and $343,400 annually beginning 2023 and consistently producing technologies that advanced to licensing agreements, startup formation, and follow-up funding.
POC Spotlight: 10 Innovations That Defined UCR’s Commercialization Pipeline 17 Office of Technology Partnerships
Office of Technology Partnerships 18
Caroline McGowan, Assistant Clinical Professor of Health Sciences David Lo, Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Sciences; Sr. Assoc. Dean, Research ($77,400) – Investigated TLR4 inhibition to reduce inflammatory responses to environmental aerosol toxins, advancing potential new respiratory protection strategies.
Blocking Inflammatory Responses to Airborne Toxins (2024) Faculty fellows with Vice Chancellor Rodolfo H. Torres after sharing their research in a panel at the 2024 Inland SoCal OASIS® Climate Action Conference.
From left to right: Mona Eskandari, Rodolfo H. Torres, Jeoffrey George, Ken Gruys, Xi Chen, Dawn H. Nagel, and Basak Guler.
Mona Eskandari, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering ($50,000) – Developed a fast, non-invasive device for routine lung monitoring to enable earlier detection of respiratory issues.
Rapid Lung Diagnostics for Early Intervention (2021)
Juan Pablo Giraldo, Assistant Professor of Botany & Plant Sciences ($46,000) – Invented a nanoparticle-based pesticide delivery system reducing chemical use by 10x while improving agricultural sustainability.
Targeted Delivery of Pesticides via Nanotechnology (2021) Huinan Liu, Professor of Bioengineering
Eddie Zagha, Associate Professor of Molecular Cell & Systems ($90,000) – Developed a sustained intra-arterial drug delivery approach for localized treatment of brain swelling, advancing a more precise and less invasive alternative to conventional systemic therapies.
Targeted Drug Delivery for Treating Brain Swelling (2024) Lorenzo Mangolini, Professor of Mechanical Engineering
($35,000) – Created battery additives that significantly enhance lithium-ion capacity without requiring changes to existing manufacturing processes. 4 STATE ENERGIES Battery Additives (2019)TH
Masaru Rao, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering ($35,000) – A POC award supported validation of Masaru Rao’s microfluidic platform for CAR T-cell manufacturing, enabling its successful licensing to Basilard BioTech.
Advancing CAR T Innovation Through Basilard BioTech (2019)
The Corporate & Strategic Partnerships (CSP) group serves as a bridge between academia and industry, connecting UCR faculty expertise, intellectual assets, including IP and research centers and facilities, and student talent with companies seeking innovation. Through the team’s hands-on and innovative approach, CSP has helped bring in $9.5M through 28 sponsored research agreements (a subset of the agreements facilitated CORPORATE & Strategic PARTNERSHIPS
KARMA Automotive President, Marques McCammon, and Chief of Staff, Frank Qi, visit CE-CERT (Center for Environmental Research and Technology) on September 26, 2024.
Visit to CalPortland Cement Plant on January 19, 2024.
Inaugural University-Industry Speaker Series with BASF on October 31, 2022 (pictured: Neal Okarter, Investment
Manager at BASF Venture Capital)
Corporate Engagements & Campus Visits
by the Corporate Research Contracts team) over the past ten years, partnering with leading organizations such as BASF, Bayer, Eurosemillas, and Givaudan. Together with OTP’s broader network of industry, economic development, and community stakeholders, these collaborations strengthen UCR’s role as a trusted partner across diverse sectors.
CSP’s work spans key verticals such as agriculture, energy, mobility, biotechnology, and advanced computing, ensuring that industry collaborations align with the university’s research strengths and strategic priorities. Beyond contracts, CSP has elevated UCR’s visibility and engagement by hosting conferences, workshops, and speaker series with companies including Microsoft, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chevron- Phillips Chemical, and Sun World International. These platforms showcase UCR’s expertise, foster dialogue among faculty, industry, and regional partners, and create pathways for future collaboration.
By working in concert with Corporate Research Contracts, economic development partners, and the wider OTP ecosystem, CSP helps transform industry engagement into a dynamic network that fuels discovery, attracts investment, and positions UCR as a sought-after partner for cutting-edge solutions.
19 Office of Technology Partnerships
Seedorina
Automating the Future of Farming
Born out of UC Riverside’s Big Idea Challenge, Seedorina is tackling one of agriculture’s toughest challenges: precision planting at scale. The company’s flagship product, the Seedbot 3, is a robotics-based system that ensures accurate planting, reduces labor needs, and increases crop yields. Through ExCITE, Seedorina refined its prototype, engaged with local growers, and pre- sold units before going to full-scale production. In 2025, the company proudly delivered its first four Seedbot 3 units — all manufactured in Riverside. By combining robotics and agriculture, Seedorina is putting Inland Southern California on the map as a hub for ag-tech innovation.
UCR’s avocado scion and rootstock breeding programs entered a new phase in 2020 through a sponsored research partnership with Eurosemillas, S.A. This collaboration accelerates the commercialization of UCR’s most advanced avocado selections through Green Motion, an international platform led by
Eurosemillas to advance UCR-bred cultivars worldwide.
The Green Motion Avocado Summit marked the culmination of this multi-year collaboration. The three-day forum brought together more than 35 growers, breeders, and industry leaders from 12 countries to engage with UCR’s breeding program and align partners across the global commercialization pipeline.
Through technical sessions, field tours, & planning workshops, participants established commercialization priorities,
coordinated international trial sites, and strengthened the shared strategy for advancing UCR’s next-generation scions and rootstocks.
By aligning global partners and creating structured pathways for evaluation and adoption, the Summit reinforced the foundation for future releases and strengthened UCR and Eurosemillas’ joint commercialization strategy, positioning UCR as a global leader in avocado breeding.
Advancing Climate Solutions Through
Plant-Based Carbon Capture
UC Riverside received a $1.5 million grant from the Grantham Foundation to support pioneering research by Professor Paul Larsen aimed at enhancing plants’ ability to capture and sequester carbon in soil. The funding supports a collaboration with a climate-focused startup to translate Larsen’s lab-based discoveries into scalable agricultural applications.
Since 2017, OTP has supported Larsen by providing proof-of- concept funding, entrepreneurial training via UCR’s INNOVAR program, and tailored mentorship through its EPIC SBDC
Entrepreneur-in-Residence program. OTP also facilitated key industry connections, including introductions to CEOs,
ultimately leading to both funding and an exclusive option agreement for this technology.
nasa deep space food challenge
Seedorina, a robotics ag-tech startup founded by Uruguay- born entrepreneurs, partnered with UCR faculty Robert
Jinkerson and Martha Orozco to develop the “NOLUX” system, an electricity-driven growth chamber for deep-space food production and extreme-environment agriculture on Earth.
With support from OTP, the team secured a $250,000 award as runner-up in the NASA Deep Space Food Challenge. OTP
fostered the faculty-startup collaboration, guided
commercialization strategy, and positioned the innovation for global impact in sustainability and space agriculture.
thE green motion avocado summit
Office of Technology Partnerships 20
$27M
Peak proposal
years surpassed
annually
corporate Research Contracts
in Corporate-Sponsored
Research Funding
$63M
Industry-Sponsored
Research Proposals
Submitted
1,001
Executed Corporate
Sponsored Research
Agreements
688
in Industry Proposal
Value Submitted
$166.3M
Streamlining Contracts, Strengthening Collaboration
The Corporate Research Contracts (CRC) team at UC Riverside plays a critical role in advancing faculty research and strengthening the university’s innovation ecosystem. By streamlining contract negotiations and reducing administrative barriers, CRC enables faculty to focus on high-impact applied research while ensuring agreements meet compliance and industry standards. The team works closely with the Office of Technology Partnerships to connect companies with UCR expertise, facilitate sponsored research agreements, and accelerate the transition of university-developed innovations into real-world applications. In the past ten years, CRC team has supported more than 1,000 proposals valued at $166 million and executed over 3,000 agreements, providing more than $63 million in corporate research funding to UCR.
Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs)
MTAs govern the transfer of tangible research
materials between UCR and industry or academic
partners. Whether sharing plant varieties,
biological samples, engineered materials, or
prototypes, MTAs ensure that materials are used
appropriately, protected under defined terms, and
aligned with UCR’s intellectual property policies.
Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs)
NDAs protect confidential information exchanged
during preliminary discussions with companies,
startups, and research collaborators. These
agreements allow faculty and industry partners to
openly evaluate potential projects, assess
technology readiness, and scope sponsored
research opportunities while safeguarding
proprietary data.
2025 Impact: 46 NDAs
10-Year Total: 384 NDAs
2025 Impact: 181 MTAs
10-Year Total: 1826 MTAs
21 Office of Technology Partnerships
Our Approach to Engagement
Technology
Commercialization
IP and Licensing Officer
IP and Licensing Officer
IP and Licensing Officer
Business
Development Support
& Mentorship
EIR Academic
Entrepreneur Project 1
EIR Academic
Entrepreneur Project 3
EIR Academic
Entrepreneur Project 2
Research
Contracts
RC Team Member
RC Team Member
RC Team Member
Corporate
Partnerships
CSP Team Member
CSP Team Member
CSP Team Member
Multi-Disciplinary
Innovation Support Team
Our Approach to Engagement
OTP’s engagement model begins with building trust-based, individualized relationships with faculty innovators. Each collaboration starts by aligning expectations, communicating clearly, and understanding the researcher’s goals and timelines. By intentionally investing in rapport—and recognizing the cultural differences between academic and industry environments—OTP creates an environment where faculty feel supported, heard, and empowered to advance their research toward real-world impact.
To deliver the right expertise at the right moment, OTP operates as a matrix organization, drawing on staff across technology transfer, licensing, IP strategy, industry engagement, regulatory guidance, proof-of-concept funding, and entrepreneurial support. Rather than a single point of contact, faculty receive coordinated support from a cross-functional commercialization support team that adapts to the needs of each project.
By integrating diverse expertise, aligning stakeholders, and providing hands-on guidance throughout the commercialization journey, OTP ensures that innovations across disciplines— from agricultural pest management to plant disease solutions—advance efficiently and strategically toward real-world deployment.
Office of Technology Partnerships 22
UC Riverside’s partnership with industry has powered a
bold research effort known as the “Space Tomato”
project, led by Professors Martha Orozco-Cardenas and
Robert Jinkerson. Their work explores plant varieties
engineered for controlled-environment agriculture,
including vertical farms and off-planet growing systems that can support long-duration space missions.
CRC’s contracting support enabled UCR to establish key
industry collaborations, including a $400,000
Sponsored Research Agreement with Unfold, a company
Research Spotlight:
Martha Orozco-Cardena holds a blossoming tomato plant in the laboratory.
Advancing Sustainable Agriculture on Earth and Beyond
With Space Tomatoes
later acquired by Bayer. The project went on to secure a $450,000 grant from the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) and a $2.4 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, advancing the development of climate-resilient crops with global relevance.
OTP expanded the project’s trajectory by providing EPIC mentor support, NSF I-CORPS commercialization training, and strategic introductions to industry partners, helping connect UCR’s plant-science innovations to real-world applications and commercialization pathways. 23 Office of Technology Partnerships
Since its launch in 2016, the Entrepreneurial Proof of Concept and Innovation Center (EPIC SBDC) has supported more than 600 ventures across Inland Southern California, averaging more than 60 new companies per year.
Through direct advising, technical validation, and proposal support, EPIC clients have secured over $66.5 million in SBIR/STTR and other non-dilutive funding, $43.6 million in equity, and $6.7 million in debt — totaling more than $117 million in capital directly supported through the program. When considering the broader ecosystem, EPIC-affiliated companies have raised over $160 million in combined capital, including funds raised independently by EPIC- supported ventures. Companies engaged through EPIC have also relocated or expanded operations into the region and created thousands of local jobs in clean technology, agriculture, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing.
ENTREPRENEURIAL PROOF-OF-CONCEPT
AND INNOVATION CENTER
Inland Southern California
Orange County
San Diego County
Los Angeles County
Northern California
376
101
39 88
23 Companies
Served Across
California
629
24 Entrepreneur and former UC Riverside professor David Kisailus, left, former chancellor Kim A. Wilcox, and former graduate student Jesus Rivera attend the launch of UC Riverside’s EPIC SBDC.
621
Total Clients Served Since
Creation
Capital Secured by Clients
$160M
New Jobs Created
385
Jobs Supported Across
Inland Southern California
1,720
Mentorship
Access to Capital
Education
Incubation
Entrepreneurs-in-Residence
CEO-in-Residence
Proof of Concept
Venture Capital
Government Grants
Demonstration Funds
Contracts
NSF I-Corps
Blackstone Launchpad
Specialized Certificate
Programs
Faculty Fellows
ExCITE Riverside
Life Sciences
SoCal OASIS® Park
2016 2017201820192020 20212022202320242025
0 100
200
300
400
500
600
Our impact over the past decade is measured not
only in funding secured, but also in the tangible
economic and societal benefits EPIC has
delivered. The program has helped create
hundreds of high-quality jobs across Inland
Southern California and expanded
entrepreneurial opportunities into historically
underserved communities, including rural and
economically disadvantaged areas. By broadening
access to innovation resources, EPIC ensures that
entrepreneurship is not limited to a few, but
strengthens the entire regional ecosystem.
The results speak for themselves:
Cumulative Clients
25 Office of Technology Partnerships
The Entrepreneurial Proof of Concept and Innovation Center (EPIC) provides a comprehensive pipeline of support for innovators and entrepreneurs, guiding them from the earliest idea stage through to commercialization and scale-up. Our process ensures that founders — whether they are faculty, students, staff, community members, or international entrepreneurs — have access to the right programs, mentorship, and resources at each stage of their journey.
Year 1
Concept Stage
Entrepreneurial training (I-Corps, Blackstone
Launchpad, INNOVAR)
Zero-to-Entrepreneur certificates
BizTech Connect
At the earliest stage, entrepreneurs receive foundational training and exposure to entrepreneurship through:
Year 2
From Concept to Scale:
How EPIC Supports Regional Startups
Validation Stage
Proof of concept studies & IP strategy
Company incorporation & team formation
Entrepreneur-in-Residence mentorship
Funding support
EPIC provides resources to validate market fit and
technical feasibility of their technology:
Year 2-4
Incubation Stage
Prototype testing & validation
Pitch deck & fundraising strategy
Talent recruitment & incubation space
Ongoing mentorship & progress tracking
EPIC supports companies in turning validated
technology into viable enterprises:
Year 4+
Graduation & Scale-Up Stage
Testbeds & customer pilots
Soft landing services
Regulatory & workforce support
Access to growth capital & corporate partners
State & local incentives
The final stage prepares companies to thrive in the
marketplace and scale their operations:
Office of Technology Partnerships 26
Over the past decade, EPIC SBDC clients have secured more than $160 million in combined funding to fuel their growth. This includes nearly $66.5 million in non-dilutive SBIR/STTR and federal grants, $43.6 million in equity investments, and $6.7 million in loans. With these resources, startups have not only validated their technologies but also attracted follow-on capital, built strong corporate partnerships, and scaled operations in Inland Southern California.
Capital Raised & Economic Impact
$0
$10,000,000
$20,000,000
$30,000,000
$40,000,000
$50,000,000
$60,000,000
$70,000,000 $66,525,000
$43,570,000
$6,745,000
$60,000,000
Non-Dilutive
Grants
Equity
Investments Debt Financing Business Revenue
Generated
(SBIR/STTR & Federal)
The economic ripple effect has been substantial: EPIC-supported ventures have generated over $60 million in business revenue, created 385 new jobs, and supported a total of 1,720 jobs across the region. These outcomes demonstrate that EPIC is not just fostering startups, but building sustainable businesses that strengthen the regional economy for the long term.
Grant & Investment Success
EPIC SBDC clients consistently outperform national
averages in securing federal funding, with a 35% SBIR/STTR award rate — double the national average. Advisors provide hands-on guidance through proposal development,
commercialization planning, and corporate partnerships, enabling startups to move from concept validation to long- term sustainability. This combination of non-dilutive
capital and follow-on investment has allowed EPIC
companies to advance critical technologies in clean energy, life sciences, advanced manufacturing, and beyond.
2x
EPIC ventures
have a 35%
SBIR/STTR win
rate—
the national
average
27 Office of Technology Partnerships
Graduate Student
27.9%
Community
21.3%
Faculty
18.4%
Undergraduate Student
15.2%
Staff
7.4%
Alumni
4.1%
Intern
2.9%
Modeled after the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps™ program, INNOVAR equips researchers, students, and community innovators with the tools to validate ideas and test markets through structured customer discovery. Since 2016, more than 250 teams have been trained, leading to the creation of 70 ventures and millions in follow-on funding through SBIR/STTR, Catalyst Fund, and private investment. The program serves as the gateway into OTP’s broader entrepreneurial pipeline, with many participants continuing into incubation, mentorship, and scale-up support.
INNOVAR:
Building the
Entrepreneurial Pipeline
INNOVAR PARTICIPANTS
Across the Years
2016-2024
252 Teams Trained, Countless Ideas
Unlocked:
Since 2016, INNOVAR has equipped over
two hundred teams from across
disciplines with the tools to test, validate,
and pursue their entrepreneurial visions.
From Campus to Companies:
INNOVAR has served as the launchpad for
faculty-led enterprises, graduate research
spinouts, and student-founded startups,
seamlessly bridging university innovation
with community entrepreneurship.
A Proven Pathway to National Stages:
Using the fundamentals of evidence-
based entrepreneurship, INNOVAR has
prepared founders from diverse
backgrounds to compete — and succeed —
in national programs such as NSF I-Corps
National, VentureWell, and Techstars.
Office of Technology Partnerships 28
Alumni
Community
Faculty
Staff
Graduate Student
Undergraduate Student
Postdoctorate Student
Medical Student
Intern
Students of the 2025 INNOVAR class pictured with various instructors and entrepreneurs-in-residence (EIR) serving as mentors for each student’s team.
Teams have gained hands-on
experience in customer discovery and
market validation since 2016,
establishing INNOVAR as the first step
in the region’s entrepreneurial
pipeline.
252 70
Ventures have gone on to secure
funding, build teams, and scale into
incubators and accelerators,
representing industries from med-tech
and ag-tech to fintech and advanced
materials.
3-5
Ventures are formed per year as a
result of formed teams, becoming
actualized businesses that move from
ideation to prototyping, proof of
concept, and industry engagement.
$420K
In total funding has been provided to
participant support, enabling innovators
to cover costs for prototyping, customer
interviews, and market research, giving
them the tools to validate and advance
their ideas.
INNOVAR Fall 2024 graduates pictured with various mentors and instructors 29 Office of Technology Partnerships
HexHomes is a California-based startup pioneering customizable modular housing solutions designed to be fast, affordable, and sustainable. Using an innovative hexagonal pod system, HexHomes creates prefabricated homes that can be configured to meet diverse needs—from accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to full residences—while streamlining the entire process from design and permitting to delivery and installation. With a promise of move-in ready housing in under 30 days, the company aims to tackle pressing challenges around housing affordability and availability in Southern California and beyond.
As a participant in INNOVAR, UC Riverside’s entrepreneurial training program, HexHomes refined its business concept, validated its market opportunities, and built the foundation to grow within the modular housing industry. After developing their business idea, they went on to win 1st place at the 2024 Fast Pitch Finale during Riverside County’s Innovation Month.
By combining visionary design with practical business development support, the company is positioning itself to meet rising demand for innovative housing solutions that are sustainable, flexible, and accessible.
HexHomes
The HexPod: a modular, prefabricated unit that forms the building block of HexHomes’ customizable housing system Sustainable & Customizable
Prefabricated Modular Homes
Office of Technology Partnerships 30
For many participants, INNOVAR represents their first step toward entrepreneurship — a safe and structured environment where ideas are tested and refined before scaling. Its emphasis on customer discovery and mentorship not only strengthens startups but also creates a lasting entrepreneurial culture across the university and the Inland Southern California community.
Over the past decade, INNOVAR has proven to be more than a training program: it is a pipeline of innovation, empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs to transform research into solutions and solutions into thriving ventures.
From Ideation to Real-World Execution
Helicoid Industries
Faculty, 2019
Redefining Performance Materials
Inspired by the structure of mantis shrimp shells, serial entrepreneur Chad Wasilenkoff developed a novel fiber-
reinforced composite with applications in aerospace,
defense, and sporting goods. His development under
INNOVAR led to partnerships with manufacturers like CCM Hockey, which integrated the patented material into
high-performance hockey sticks.
Edge Sound Research
MBA & PhD Students, 2020
Redefining the Way We Experience Sound
Founded by UCR graduate students Ethan Castro and Valtteri Salomäki, Edge Sound Research developed the ResonX
system, turning surfaces into speakers for a full-body audio experience. Through INNOVAR, they tested their concept and refined their value proposition, laying the groundwork to join Techstars Music and scale nationally. Today, their technology is used in NBA arenas and entertainment venues.
DASHBILL
Undergraduate Student, 2020
Simplifying Student Finances
Business student Will Wang founded DashBill, a financial app to streamline dues collection for student
organizations. Validated through customer discovery in
INNOVAR, the venture has scaled into a live platform,
processing more than $2 million in payments to date.
31 Office of Technology Partnerships
Since its establishment in 2019, Blackstone LaunchPad at UCR empowers an average of 3,596 students annually to turn bold ideas into thriving ventures by providing mentorship, funding opportunities, and access to a global entrepreneurial network. The program has become a launchpad for undergraduates and graduate students alike, offering them hands-on experience in entrepreneurship while connecting them to national fellowships, pitch competitions, and accelerator programs.
Blackstone launchpad:
Igniting Student Entrepreneurship
at UCR
SARU RECYCLING
Reinventing Waste Management
Founded by UCR engineering students
Mahmood Shaheen, Toluwani (Semi)
Cole, Sebastian Mukuria, Nathaniel Ortiz, and Jakeb Tivey, Saru Recycling is developing solar-powered recycling containers with autonomous sorting technology and a companion mobile app. With initial funding secured through a UCR pitch session and continued mentorship from the LaunchPad network, Saru has advanced to pilot testing in Riverside and gained recognition at international programs like Oxford and the London School of Economics.
EZBedpan
Simplifying Patient Care
UCR School of Medicine graduate Dr. Sawyer Schuljak founded EZBedpan, a redesigned medical device that improves ease of use for patients and caregivers. Supported by Blackstone LaunchPad and INNOVAR, Sawyer secured patents, launched retail sales across the Inland Empire, and expanded his ventures to include Boards Buddy, an app that helps medical students prepare for board exams. His journey highlights how LaunchPad mentorship and national fellowships equip UCR alumni to build med-tech solutions with real-world impact.
Events hosted
188
Event participants
4,419
Average annual number of
students reached
3,596
Mentoring Sessions
per Year
733
Blackstone Launchpad student
Ernesto Romero displaying his
biomedical harness designed for
children with neurological disorders.
Office of Technology Partnerships 32
Blackstone Launchpad Across the Years
Blackstone Campus Director Francis Reyes with students competing at the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Fair in collaboration with the UCR library Total FY2019 FY2020 FY2021 FY2022 FY2023 FY2024
Number of Events 188 47 43 25 28 33 12
Total Event Participants 4,419 662 1,605 450 463 771 468 Undergraduate Students 2,966 449 1,375 280 192 481 190
Graduate Students 1,225 202 205 150 25 233 183
Others (Faculty, Staff,
Post Docs) 140 12 26 20 18 57 7
Mentoring Sessions 733 260 300 35 77 30 31
Prospective Student-Led
Startups 100 15 25 21 13 19 7
Companies Formed 29 11 4 7 4 1 2
Numbers of Jobs
Created 41 8 12 0 21 0 0
EPIC SBDC Clients 19 11 1 2 2 2 1
Total Students Reached 3,930 4,403 3,600 3,175 3,200 3,267 33 Office of Technology Partnerships
Our Entrepreneurs-in-Residence:
Expert Mentorship Driving Founder Success
For the past decade, our Entrepreneurs-in-Residence have served as a core pillar of support for the founders and companies in our ecosystem. These seasoned operators, investors, and industry leaders provide hands- on mentorship that bridges the gap between early-stage ambition and real-world execution. Through one-on- one coaching, pitch refinement, business model evaluation, and strategic guidance, our EIRs help founders navigate the complexities of launching and scaling technology and sustainability ventures.
Tailored Guidance That Accelerates Startup GrowtH
Our EIR expertise spans product development, customer
discovery, market validation, fundraising strategies, and go- to-market execution. EIRs meet companies where they are, offering tailored insight that accelerates decision making and strengthens each company’s path toward growth. Over the last ten years, they have supported hundreds of
startups through EPIC SBDC, ExCITE Incubator, INNOVAR,
Zero-to-Entrepreneur, and the SoCal OASIS® Initiative,
helping founders avoid common pitfalls and position their companies for long-term success.
Entrepreneurs-in-Residence Program: A 10-Year Evolution Office of Technology Partnerships 34
Phase 1: Foundations Built (2016–2018)
Mentorship begins informally with the launch of EPIC and the re-establishment of the ExCITE Incubator, introducing early advisory support for founders developing their first products and pitches.
Phase 2: Formalization and Structure (2018–2020)
EIR roles become formally integrated into EPIC SBDC consulting and incubator programming, providing structured, one-on-one guidance in market validation, business modeling, and funding readiness.
Phase 3: Expansion Across Programs (2020–2022)
As OTP programs scale during and after the pandemic, EIR support expands into INNOVAR and Zero-to-Entrepreneur, increasing access to specialized expertise across multiple founder pathways.
Phase 4: Strategic Integration with SoCal OASIS (2022–2024) The launch and growth of the SoCal OASIS Initiative brings EIRs deeper into sustainability-focused bootcamps, pitch evaluations, and commercialization planning, strengthening regional impact.
Phase 5: Full Ecosystem Alignment (2024–2025)
EIRs now serve as core mentors across all OTP programs, supporting founders navigating commercialization, investment strategy, and growth. Their guidance contributes to higher startup survivability and stronger economic outcomes for Inland Southern California.
ENTREPRENEURS-IN-RESIDENCE
Martin Kleckner
Martin Kleckner brings nearly three decades of experience in operations, business development, and commercialization across life sciences, healthcare, and technology. He has advised more than 115 emerging and Fortune 100 companies throughout Europe, Asia, and the Americas, and has served as a founder or early team member in five venture startups, including two successful exits. His career includes senior roles at RefluxMD.com, Respiratory Technology Corporation, and multiple medical device and diagnostics ventures, where he led business development, R&D oversight, and commerci
alization strategy. Dr. Kleckner has also
supported federal and foundation grantmaking through advisory and proposal review for organizations such as the National Institutes of Health. He holds a PhD and MA in Public Policy from the University of California and an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School.
Galen Williams
Galen Williams is an accomplished entrepreneur and business leader with over 15 years of experience in start-up ventures and investment advisory. With a background in new product and business development, Galen has excelled in various roles, including co-founder, CEO, and partner. He played a pivotal role in establishing one of the first formal angel investment networks and served as a former CEO of Israeli-backed start-up operations in the USA.
Galen’s expertise extends to mergers and acquisitions, due diligence, fundraising, and strategic strategies, Galen is recognized for his leadership skills and entrepreneurial mindset.
He holds an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Commerce from DePaul University.
Art Salyer
Art Salyer is an experienced business leader with extensive C-level operations management across North America, Latin America, Asia, and Europe. He previously served as COO of SDI Media, overseeing 38 global locations and completing the company’s successful sale to a consortium of Japanese entertainment partners. Before that, he was CEO of Palladium Energy, one of the largest independent producers of lithium batteries and power systems, guiding its growth and merger with a major competitor. Art has held leadership roles across technology, consumer electronics, batteries and power supplies, entertainment, and manufacturing, with a strong focus on operations and global execution. He is currently a senior partner at Global Interim Executives LLC, supporting private equity, venture-backed companies, turnaround initiatives, and executive coaching. He holds an engineering degree from California State University and an MBA from Pepperdine University.
Isabelle Bart
Isabelle Bart is passionate about empowering individuals of all backgrounds to create innovative and impactful enterprises. Isabelle was previously the Director of the Small Business Development Center at University of California Irvine Beall Applied Innovation and the Executive Director of RevHub OC, where she managed partnerships and led operations of their social impact incubator/accelerator. She is currently a lead instructor for the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps program at UC Irvine. Isabelle also held various leadership roles in business planning, marketing strategy and digital transformation for several organizations in the healthcare and nonprofit sectors. Isabelle holds a Masters in Business Administration from ESSEC Business School in Paris, France.
Over the years, OTP has partnered with a wide range of EIRs and subject-matter experts. The individuals highlighted below represent the EIRs who are currently supporting our founders and faculty innovators. 35 Office of Technology Partnerships
Philip Topham
Philip Topham is a growth and innovation expert with over 25 years of experience helping companies navigate rapid expansion, overcome obstacles, and build sustainable value. He has worked one-on-one with more than 250 founders, offering practical guidance rooted in real-world experience, including raising venture capital, scaling a profitable startup, and leading through industry disruption. Philip provides executive coaching and advisory support focused on driving innovation and enabling the next phase of growth for emerging companies. He holds a BS in Biological Sciences from UC Irvine and an MBA from Pepperdine University, and serves on the board of Tech Coast Venture Network and as MEERS Co-Chair of the Southern California Chapter of the Private Directors Association.
Shomit Ghose
Shomit Ghose is a longtime Silicon Valley venture capitalist and former startup executive with experience spanning software engineering to CEO roles, contributing to multiple successful IPOs and acquisitions. As a general partner at ONSET Ventures, he led early-stage investments in data-centric technology companies. He serves on corporate and academic advisory boards in the US and Europe, including the BioInnovation Institute, UC Berkeley’s Sutardja Center, the Lundbeck Foundation’s Danish-American Research Exchange, and UC Riverside. Shomit has taught at UC Berkeley, the Technical University of Denmark, and is currently an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at the University of San Francisco. He holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from UC Berkeley.
Scott Brovsky
Scott is an angel investor, startup mentor, and the Associate Director of Regional Engagement and EPIC SBDC at UC Riverside. He has been a founder or founding executive of multiple startups, including the VC-funded mobile game studio Muti Labs and the sports tech company NZN Labs/LIT Pro, and previously sold his first company, Industrial Strength Network, to frog design. Scott also served on Disney’s global leadership team, where he helped build The Avengers franchise in the interactive games space, leading the launches of Avengers Alliance and Avengers Initiative, which reached more than 40 million players. He introduced several industry firsts, including premiering a film TV spot inside a game and developing the connected-storytelling platform Marvel XP. He holds a Humanities Honors degree from The University of Texas at Austin, graduating Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa.
Stephen Sharp
Steve Sharp has 40+ years’ experience as a business executive, board member and business consultant, spanning startups to Fortune 500 companies. Deep category experience in all types of manufacturing businesses, both B2B and B2C. Steve’s functional background is particularly steeped in Marketing, Product Development and Operations, with extensive depth in strategy, execution and organizational excellence. Served on three nonprofit boards, currently board president for Three Angels Haiti. He earned a BA from Occidental College in psychology and economics and MBA from Anderson Graduate School of Management (UCLA), finance/marketing.
36 Office of Technology Partnerships
Jay Gilberg
Jay Gilberg is an EPIC instructor and entrepreneur who founded and scaled an INC 500 company before transitioning into advisory and educator roles. He previously served as lead instructor for the von Liebig Center’s NSF I-Corps Program, teaching Lean Launchpad, Business Model Canvas, and commercialization strategies to engineering and research teams.
Jay specializes in the human side of entrepreneurship, including goal setting, pitching, professional communication, team building, and personal brand development. Since joining EPIC in 2016, he has continued mentoring emerging companies and strengthening UC Riverside’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Ken Gruys
Ken Gruys holds a BS in Chemistry from Gustavus Adolphus College and a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, followed by an NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He later completed the Stanford Executive Program. Ken brings 25 years of private-sector R&D experience in agricultural biotechnology, where he led the discovery and development of key biotech crop traits and built high-performing scientific teams. He is also an experienced instructor in project planning, leadership, and team development. He currently serves as a Senior Advisor in Technology Partnerships at UC Riverside and as a Professor and Director of the Team Master’s Project at Keck Graduate Institute.
John Shearer
John is an experienced C-level executive, board member, and entrepreneur with four decades of leadership across communications, enterprise software, AI, wireless power, and network security. He has founded and commercialized multiple technology ventures, including EarlyX Systems, DarkLight, Powercast Corporation, and Information & Graphics Systems. He currently serves as CEO of EarlyX Systems, supporting dual-use technology integration for the Department of Defense and other federal agencies, and sits on the board of The Early X Foundation while advising startups such as Level 42 AI and MemryX. Previously, he was a Professor and Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Pepperdine University, where he helped expand the MBA Entrepreneurship Program. John holds degrees in physics and business from the University of Colorado Boulder and has been granted 11 U.S. patents, with additional international patents granted and pending.
Doug Kollmyer
Doug has 35+ years’ experience in sales management, business development, marketing, strategic planning, distribution and channel strategy, manufacturing and service operations, team building, and P&L responsibility. Doug has experience in large, medium and small companies, in several industries, including automotive, HD trucking and transportation, RV’s, real estate and construction. Doug is creative and analytical in approach, and has developed skills in virtually every aspect of business, excelling in sales management, marketing, team building and organizational change.
Office of Technology Partnerships 37
Francisca Reyes
Francisca Reyes is an expert in entrepreneurship-led economic development, specializing in entrepreneurship and technology transfer. She has provided technical assistance to entrepreneurs for more than 15 years. Most recently, she has worked on developing strategies for investment attraction and small business incorporation into global value chains with the United Nations Development Program Mexico. She holds a Doctorate in Economic Development from New Mexico State University, an MBA and MPA from the University of Texas at El Paso, and a BS in Industrial Engineering.
Gioia Messinger
Gioia Messinger is a seasoned executive with over 30 years of experience in the technology, consumer, and healthcare industries. She is the founder and Principal of LinkedObjects, Inc., a strategic advisory firm specializing in digital transformation through AI and IoT. Previously, she founded and led Avaak, Inc., now Arlo Technologies (NYSE), pioneering the home video security market.
Mario Diez
Mario has over 11 years of R&D experience working for Ericsson in the areas of TDMA and CDMA digital communications technologies, where he was involved in the design of private radio systems (former General Electric Mobile Communications), cable modem broadband telecommunications, and wireless infrastructure systems (former Qualcomm CDMA Infrastructure). He also worked for the Banzai Research Institute in the design and implementation of fully autonomous unmanned ground vehicles for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
Jay Kadowaki
Jay has over 35 years of service in the Department of Defense both in uniform as a career Naval Officer and a defense contractor. His experience includes Commanding Officer tours as the CEO equivalent of a 700 personnel Operational command, a 2000 personnel Engineering organization managing a $250M budget, and a Major Program Management tour managing a $1B budget. Jay’s experience in industry includes Business Development roles for companies ranging in size from $5M to $1B. Jay’s leadership and management skills were honed during seven ship tours homeported in the United States, Europe, and Asia. His understanding of organizational excellence in industry was demonstrated as California’s Baldridge Examiner of the year. Jay holds degrees from the United States Naval Academy, Naval Postgraduate School, and the Naval War College.
Tim Richardson
Tim is a seasoned technology executive, founder, and board member with a strong record of leading high-growth companies through innovation and acquisition. He was a founder and senior executive of Liquid Robotics, acquired by Boeing in 2016, and previously served as President and CEO of Micro Linear Corporation (Nasdaq: MLIN) and Co-Founder/President of VeriFiber Technologies, both later acquired. He has served on the board of IXYS Corporation (Nasdaq: IXYS) and continues to contribute as a strategic advisor and guest lecturer for the Georgia Tech Research Institute, a founding member of the Jupiter Research Foundation, and a council member of Stanford’s Hoover Institution.
Lada Rasochova
Lada Rasochova is an experienced life sciences, biotech, pharma, and consumer health executive with a strong track record of commercializing scientific innovations and building successful businesses. She is the Founder and CEO of DERMALA, a microbiome-based dermatology company developing patented, clinically-validated treatments and diagnostics.
Lada spent more than 15 years in the ag-tech, biotech, and pharma industries, beginning at Mycogen and later holding senior leadership roles in the Dowpharma division of Dow Chemical, including R&D Leader for Vaccines & Immunotherapies and Director of New Business Development. She subsequently spent a decade at UC San Diego, Rady School of Management, where she built a world-class entrepreneurship center and multiple startup accelerators, founded and managed the Rady Venture Fund, and supported more than 200 technology-driven startups.
38 Office of Technology Partnerships
15 Access to early-stage capital is one of the greatest challenges for emerging innovation ecosystems. While regions like Silicon Valley and Los Angeles have deep pools of venture and angel funding, Inland Southern California has historically lagged behind, limiting the ability of promising startups to grow locally. Recognizing this gap, UC Riverside has made it a strategic priority to cultivate a culture of investment and entrepreneurship — one where innovators don’t need to leave the region to find the capital, mentorship, and connections they need to scale.
UNLOCKING ACCESS TO CAPITAL
Citrus Seed Investors presenting a check to Riverside Angel Summit winner, FarmSense. Left to right: Brian Hawley, President of Luminex Software, Eamonn Keogh, Co-Founder of FarmSense, Jaime Robinson, Senior EVP of Pacific Premier Bank Highlander Venture Fund
Established in 2017, the Highlander Venture Fund (HVF)
was created to close the early-stage funding gap for
startups emerging from UC Riverside’s research
ecosystem. Operated in partnership with Vertical Venture Partners, the fund provides seed and pre-seed capital to accelerate the commercialization of UCR-developed
technologies and support founders connected to the
university, including faculty, alumni, and regional
entrepreneurs.
Riverside Angel Summit
The Riverside Angel Summit (RAS) was launched in 2021
to strengthen the angel investment culture in Inland
Southern California by connecting new investors with
high-quality, vetted local entrepreneurs. Through the
Summit, UCR has helped recruit 15 new local angel
investors and engaged with 25 venture capital groups
from across the country.
Office of Technology Partnerships 39
Since the launch of the UCR EPIC Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in 2018, the university and its partners have helped startups raise $40.3 million in capital, the majority of which came from investors outside the region. Building on that success, UCR is now focused on unlocking capital from within — activating local investors and connecting them to the entrepreneurs shaping the region’s future.
The inaugural Summit concluded in January 2022 with
Citrus Seeds LLC Angel Investors investing $80,000 in
two local startups (FarmSense, Inc. and SiLi-ion, Inc.) selected from 54 Inland Empire applicants. Each
company received $40,000 in seed capital to help move
their innovations closer to commercialization.
Following its success, the second Summit launched in
2023, continuing the momentum to make Inland SoCal a
hub for angel and early-stage investment.
HVF advances UCR’s mission to move discoveries from the lab to the marketplace, a systemwide effort strengthened by Assembly Bill 2664 (2016), which allocated $2.2 million per UC campus to expand entrepreneurship
infrastructure. Beyond funding, HVF offers mentorship,
investor-readiness support, and serves as a bridge
between UCR’s Office of Technology Commercialization
and the business community. This alignment ensures that innovations in life sciences, agriculture, sustainability, and technology have a clear path to market, fueling
regional growth and competitiveness.
Since its inception, the Highlander Venture Fund has empowered UCR innovators to transform groundbreaking research into market-ready ventures. By providing critical early-stage capital, mentorship, and access to investor networks, the Fund helps founders bridge the gap between scientific discovery and commercial success. Each company supported by Highlander represents a story of innovation born at UC Riverside - where bold ideas move beyond the lab to create real-world solutions, attract investment, and strengthen Inland Southern California’s growing innovation economy.
Funding the Future of Discovery
basilard biotech
Revolutionizing Gene Therapy with Safer Delivery
Basilard Biotech, a spinout from UCR research, exemplifies how faculty innovation can grow into venture-backed companies.
Supported by the Highlander Venture Fund with a $500,000 investment, Basilard advanced novel biomedical technologies that attracted additional capital and federal support. Its trajectory shows how discoveries rooted in university labs can move toward lifesaving therapies, carrying the promise of new treatments to the broader healthcare landscape.
SensoryGen
Nature + AI: Creating Safer Everyday Products
Founded by UCR Professor Anandasankar Ray, Sensorygen uses AI and computational biology to create natural alternatives to harsh chemicals in consumer products. Backed by the Highlander Venture Fund, the company developed a breakthrough mosquito repellent and signed a licensing agreement with Urban Tribe to bring it to retail markets. Sensorygen has since raised over $1.3M in angel and venture funding to scale its pipeline of safe, effective consumer products.
NanoCellect Biomedical
Democratizing Cell Analysis for Global Research
Founded by UCR alum José Morachis, NanoCellect Biomedical is transforming single-cell analysis with its proprietary microfluidics platform, WOLF Cell Sorter. The technology provides a gentler, safer, and more affordable alternative to traditional cell-sorting systems, unlocking new opportunities for research in genomics, immunology, and precision medicine. With early support from UCR’s Highlander Venture Fund and regional entrepreneurial networks, NanoCellect attracted over $35 million in venture funding, scaling into a leading force in the biomedical instrumentation. The company’sproducts are now used worldwide in laboratories advancing cancer research, stem cell therapies, and drug discovery.
40 Office of Technology Partnerships
Competitive Awards
Supported Through the
Center
100+
Proposal Success Rate,
Over 2x the National
Average
35%
Participants Engaged
Through 75+ Regional
Training and Conferences
1,300+
in SBIR/STTR and
Federal Funding
Secured
$72M
Over the past ten years, the UCR SBIR/STTR Resource Center has become a cornerstone of federal funding success for innovators across Inland Southern California. Established to help small businesses and researchers navigate the complex SBIR/STTR landscape, the Center has consistently delivered high-touch mentorship, hands-on proposal development support, and strategic guidance in research design, team formation, commercialization planning, and federal submission processes. Since its launch, the Center has supported more than 300 competitive proposals, achieving a 35 percent success rate that is more than double the national average. Over the decade, companies in our ecosystem have secured more than $72 million in SBIR/STTR and federal awards, fueling groundbreaking technology development and accelerating commercialization across the region.
As a pillar of the Inland SoCal Accelerate Hub, the Resource Center has strengthened the regional innovation pipeline by making federal non-dilutive funding more accessible to under-resourced founders, university researchers, and early-stage technology companies. The Center has delivered more than 75 workshops, hosted the region’s largest annual SBIR/STTR conference, and engaged over 1,300 participants from across California and the United States. Through deep collaboration with the ExCITE Incubator, EPIC SBDC, CalTestBed, the I-Corps program, and campus research units, the Center has expanded the federal-funding readiness of the region’s startups while building a culture of competitiveness around technology transfer and commercialization.
THE SBIR/STTR RESOURCE CENTER
Office of Technology Partnerships 41
Misty Madero introduces faculty to the importance of working with industry partners at OTP’s faculty luncheons, which gives researchers the opportunity to have 1-on-1 time with OTP staff to ask questions about intellectual property, industry sponsored research, and opportunities to fund their research.
SBIR/STTR CONference: Building a Stronger Federal Funding Pipeline The SBIR/STTR Conference began as a focused effort to help Inland Southern California founders understand federal funding pathways and engage directly with agencies awarding SBIR/STTR grants. What started as a small workshop has grown into the region’s largest convening of its kind, attracting entrepreneurs, researchers, and federal representatives from across California and the United States.
Organized by the SBIR/STTR Resource Center, the conference was designed to demystify the funding process and equip early founders with practical tools for competitive proposal development.
Today, the conference serves as a high-impact platform for connecting startups with federal program officers, experienced awardees, and commercialization experts. Attendees gain direct insight into agency priorities, proposal expectations, and strategies for strengthening technical aims and commercialization plans. Through hands-on sessions, pitch reviews, and one-on-one consultations, companies learn how to craft award-ready proposals while building essential networks. This annual event has contributed significantly to the region’s success in securing more than $72 million in federal SBIR/STTR funding, helping establish Inland Southern California as a rising hub for technology commercialization. 42 Office of Technology Partnerships
The impact of the SBIR/STTR Resource Center is best reflected in the companies that have advanced from early concept to funded innovation with its guidance. Beyond proposal preparation, the Center works closely with founders to clarify their technical value, strengthen commercialization pathways, and position their research for strong agency alignment. This targeted, high-impact support has helped numerous startups secure the resources needed to validate technology, enter new markets, and build sustainable momentum. Two companies that exemplify this trajectory are StarNav and ReJoule, whose technologies and funding success illustrate the transformative outcomes made possible through the Center’s long-term commitment to founder readiness.
Rejoule
Next-generation EV battery diagnostics that unlock
safety, efficiency, and second-life performance
ReJoule Inc. secured $6.3 million from the U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) to scale its EV battery
diagnostics technology, designed to detect system-level hazards and defects at collection points. In total,
ReJoule has received $16.9 million from the DOE. The
company develops advanced diagnostics tools and a
battery management system (BMS) to optimize lithium-
ion battery performance, supporting second-life
applications for EV batteries.
StarNav
Reliable navigation when GPS fails, powered by
ambient radio signals
StarNav LLC was awarded $4.0 million in grants in 2024, including $2.0 million from the NSF Phase II SBIR and
$2.0 million from the DoD (Air Force Research Labs). The company, already a recipient of multiple SBIR and
contract awards, has developed technology that
converts ambient radio signals (e.g., cellular signals) into positioning data as a GPS backup. StarNav also
provides consulting in sensor fusion, navigation
systems, and signal processing. An EPIC SBDC client
since November 2020, StarNav has secured $7.2 million
in grants with EPIC's support, along with assistance in business and market development.
How the Resource Center Helps Companies Win & Grow
Funding Success in Action:
Office of Technology Partnerships 43
Cadenza Bio
Cadenza Bio is developing novel microbiome-based
therapies and diagnostics that address both human
health and agricultural resilience. With guidance
from EPIC SBDC, the company secured $275,000 in
early-stage grants and raised over $1 million in
venture capital to expand its research pipeline. Pilot
collaborations with UC Riverside and regional
healthcare partners have validated its technology
with data from more than 200 clinical and
agricultural samples, paving the way for larger trials.
Founded in Riverside, Aquatrino is tackling one of California’s most urgent challenges: water scarcity and quality. The company has developed sensor-based monitoring and
advanced filtration systems that improve water efficiency for both municipal and agricultural users. With advising and proposal support from EPIC SBDC, Aquatrino secured $250,000 in Catalyst funding and leveraged this to attract pilot projects with regional water districts. Its systems have demonstrated the ability to cut monitoring costs by 40% and reduce waste by improving detection of contaminants at early stages.
Aquatrino’s growth reflects how Inland Empire startups are not just innovating locally, but addressing global
sustainability challenges in water management.
Aquatrino
Featured Companies in the OTP Portfolio
Smart Water Solutions for a Drier World
Harnessing the Microbiome for Health and Resilience
44 Office of Technology Partnerships
Richard Hutchison of From the Land in one of their micro-farms, which grow high-value crops using just a fraction of the space, water, and energy.
Key Lessons Learned from TACIES
BIZTECH CONNECT
From Pandemic Response to Lasting Small Business Resilience BizTech Connect was originally developed during the COVID-19 pandemic as TACIES, a program created to help small businesses strengthen operations, adopt digital tools, and prepare for growth. It has since evolved into a targeted accelerator for operational businesses ready to scale, offering one-on-one mentorship, tailored training, and post- program follow-up to ensure companies not only survive but thrive in an increasingly digital economy. By focusing on resilience, adaptability, and accessible mentorship, BizTech has become a bridge between traditional small business support and OTP’s advanced entrepreneurship pipeline, helping Inland Empire businesses build confidence, adopt new tools, and compete in a global marketplace.
Big-league mentorship for small business growth
BizTech Connect gives small business owners direct, one-on-one mentorship with Gioia Messinger, a serial entrepreneur who founded Avaak, Inc., the pioneer of home video security that grew into Arlo Technologies (NYSE: ARLO). With 30+ years of experience across technology, consumer, and healthcare industries, Gioia brings the rare expertise of someone who has scaled a startup into a publicly traded company. For Inland Empire businesses, access to her guidance in AI, IoT, and digital transformation offers big-league insight at the local level, giving entrepreneurs the tools and confidence to modernize and grow.
Adapting the Model
OTP used TACIES as a learning opportunity to create a stronger, more effective model. BizTech Connect was developed as the next generation of the program — a four-part bootcamp that emphasizes business foundations first, technology second. Delivered in smaller cohorts of 10–15 companies, the program pairs entrepreneurs with mentorship of serial entrepreneur Gioia Messinger, who bring real-world experience in scaling companies, including taking startups public.
Small businesses often need foundational
support before they are ready to adopt
advanced technology.
Smaller cohorts and focused mentorship
create stronger outcomes than large-scale
outreach.
Programs must clearly communicate value
— “what’s in it for the business.”
Follow-up support after workshops ensures
lasting impact and adoption.
Focused Curriculum for Growth
Pitch Development: Crafting and delivering investor-ready presentations that clearly communicate business value.
SWOT Analysis: Identifying internal strengths and
weaknesses to drive strategy and sustainable growth.
Vision & Mission Alignment: Defining a company’s purpose to support branding, leadership, and long-term planning.
Financial Literacy & Capital Access: Building confidence in financial management and helping businesses secure
funding and investment.
BizTech Connect centers around four key pillars:
4 Cohorts Conducted
Office of Technology Partnerships 45
377 Companies Supported
Supported By
CALI Auto Glass, a Riverside-based provider of
automotive glass repair and replacement, joined
the BizTech Connect Bootcamp in 2025 with the
goal of doubling revenue within three years.
Through targeted mentorship, the company
expanded its services to include wiper blade
sales, installation, and window tinting, while
also implementing email marketing and Net
Promoter Score (NPS) tracking. These strategic
moves have already generated 20% year-over-
year revenue growth in 2025, setting the
company on track to achieve its ambitious
growth targets.
Cali Auto Glass
From Repair Shop to Regional
Powerhouse
President of Cali Auto Glass Ambar
Martinez Palacios
46 Office of Technology Partnerships
36 Launched in 2015 as a unique public–private partnership between UC Riverside, the City of Riverside, and Riverside County, the ExCITE Incubator has become a cornerstone of Inland Southern California’s innovation ecosystem. Designed as a nonprofit 501(c)(3), ExCITE provides startups with far more than office space — it offers mentorship, entrepreneurial education, and a collaborative community that helps founders scale their ventures from early concept to market-ready solutions.
Building a Thriving Innovation
Ecosystem in Riverside
ExCITE:
Companies
Incubated
In Local Revenue
Generated
$13.6M
In Grants, Investments,
and Loans Raised
$27M+
High-Tech Jobs
Supported
191
10 Years of Growth and Impact
Since its inception, ExCITE has incubated 36
companies, fueling a new generation of high-tech,
high-growth startups in the region. These
ventures have collectively raised more than $17.3
million in grants, $10 million in investments and
loans, contributed $13.6 million in local revenue,
and supported 191 high-technology jobs in the
Inland Empire. Even after graduation, ExCITE
companies continue to strengthen the local
economy, with seven maintaining offices in
Riverside and Riverside County.
Community & Collaboration
ExCITE has established itself as a convening
space for the region’s entrepreneurial
ecosystem. Through quarterly StartUp Socials,
international collaborations such as hosting
Chile’s Know Hub Ignition program, and
Riverside County’s Innovation Month Pitch
Competitions, ExCITE fosters a culture of
innovation that connects startups, investors,
and community leaders. National organizations
like CAMEO and local partners regularly use
ExCITE as a hub for training and networking,
broadening its reach and impact.
Office of Technology Partnerships 47
Providing affordable, accessible incubation space in the earliest stages of development can make the difference between a startup that thrives and one that never makes it out of the lab. Early-stage ventures often face high overhead costs and lack the networks needed to scale, making supportive environments essential. ExCITE fills this critical gap by offering startups not just space, but a community of mentors, investors, and peers who understand the challenges of entrepreneurship. This combination of facilities and ecosystem support has enabled numerous companies to grow, graduate, and establish themselves in the broader industry — proving that with the right foundation, startups in Inland Southern California can achieve national and global success.
FarmSense
Smart Insect Monitoring for Smarter Farming
FarmSense has transformed pest management through its FlightSensor, an automated system that uses optical sensors and AI to identify insects in real time. Developed by UCR researchers Eamonn Keogh and Shailendra Singh, FarmSense’s technology saves growers time, money, and resources while reducing the need for pesticides. With ExCITE’s support, the company has won multiple national awards and recognition from the USDA and is scaling its solution to farms across California and beyond. With its mix of innovation and environmental sustainability, FarmSense is a standout example of how university-backed startups can solve global agricultural challenges.
Tinker the Robot
Building STEM Skills for the Next Generation
StarNav
Navigating Where GPS Cannot
StarNav LLC is pioneering navigation systems designed for GPS-denied environments, where traditional signals are blocked, jammed, or unreliable.
Its innovations are critical for defense, aerospace, and commercial applications, where accuracy and resilience are mission-essential. With support from the Build to Scale program, StarNav secured over $2 million in Department of Defense funding, validating its technology at the Edwards Air Force Test Pilot School. Founded by Dr. Joshua Morales, the company has since launched the first product capable of using Xona Space Systems signals, a private satellite navigation service, and is already fulfilling orders with large commercial and university partners.
Founded by entrepreneur Kay Yang, Tinker the Robot began as a hands-on robotics kit for students and has grown into a nationally recognized edtech company. Through ExCITE, Tinker expanded its reach by developing new STEM curriculum, collaborating with schools, and even partnering with PBS to produce educational content. Today, Tinker inspires thousands of students across the U.S., sparking curiosity in science and technology at an early age.
Early Support That Fuels Lasting Success
Lowering Barriers, Raising Possibilities:
48 Office of Technology Partnerships
In 2019, UC Riverside launched the Inland Empire’s first wet-lab Life Sciences Incubator, made possible through a $2.5 million U.S. Economic Development Administration
grant and supported by California Assembly Bill 2664, a UC systemwide initiative that provided $2.2 million to
each campus to expand entrepreneurship infrastructure
and move groundbreaking discoveries from the lab to the marketplace. Located within the Multidisciplinary
Research Building, this state-of-the-art facility was
designed to support startups in biotechnology, medical
technology, and agricultural sciences — offering
resources that early-stage ventures previously had to
seek in Los Angeles or San Diego.
the Life Sciences
incubator at uc
riverside
Measuring Impact: 2019–2025
In just five years, the incubator has supported 15
startups, attracted over $8.1 million in grants and
investments, and created 48 high-tech jobs in the
region. Tenants benefit from shared wet-lab space,
core campus facilities, grant support, and
connections to UCR faculty, making it the only
facility of its kind in the Inland Empire. Even during
the pandemic, the incubator demonstrated
resilience by repurposing space for COVID-19
testing, underscoring its role as both a research hub
and community asset.
State-of-the-Art Wet Lab Facilities & Equipment
The Life Sciences Incubator at UC Riverside provides
state-of-the-art wet lab facilities supporting startups in biotechnology, medtech, and agricultural sciences.
Located in the Multidisciplinary Research Building, it
offers access to advanced equipment such as
incubators, spectrometers, microscopes, centrifuges,
and PCR systems, along with furnished offices, shared
workspaces, and meeting rooms. Tenants also benefit
from access to UCR’s core research facilities and
services, creating a collaborative environment where
life science ventures can efficiently move from
concept to commercialization.
Office of Technology Partnerships 49
Seedorina
Automating the Future of Farming
Born out of UC Riverside’s Big Idea Challenge, Seedorina is tackling one of agriculture’s toughest challenges: precision planting at scale. The company’s flagship product, the Seedbot 3, is a robotics-based system that ensures accurate planting, reduces labor needs, and increases crop yields. Through ExCITE, Seedorina refined its prototype, engaged with local growers, and pre- sold units before going to full-scale production. In 2025, the company proudly delivered its first four Seedbot 3 units — all manufactured in Riverside. By combining robotics and agriculture, Seedorina is putting Inland Southern California on the map as a hub for ag-tech innovation.
At UC Riverside, the Life Sciences Incubator stands at the intersection of world-class faculty talent and entrepreneurial ambition. As one of only two wet-lab incubators in Southern California, it provides startups with access to state-of-the-art facilities, equipment, and mentorship that are typically out of reach in the earliest stages of company formation. This unique combination empowers innovators to move beyond the limits of makeshift labs or borrowed space and instead focus on true breakthroughs in biotech, medtech, and agricultural sciences. By pairing faculty-driven discoveries with entrepreneurial drive, the incubator has become a launchpad where bold ideas can take root, scale, and transform into thriving companies.
Remote Epigenetics, Inc.
Breakthroughs at the Molecular Level
Remote Epigenetics is commercializing volatile histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDAC inhibitors) discovered by UCR Professor Anandasankar Ray.
These compounds show promise across multiple sectors — from enhancing crop growth to treating cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. With incubation support, the company advanced its pipeline, laying the foundation for agricultural and biomedical applications. Remote Epigenetics shows how university discoveries can spin out into companies that push the frontiers of human health and sustainable agriculture.
Water Illumination
Tackling PFAS Contamination at the Source
Water Illumination, founded by UCR Professor Haizhou Liu, is pioneering a breakthrough method for eliminating PFAS “forever chemicals” from water.
Using UV-generated reactive molecules, the company’s technology neutralizes contaminants that traditional treatment methods cannot remove, offering a scalable solution to a global crisis in drinking water. Supported by $950,000 in SBIR funding, Water Illumination developed and validated its system during its time at the incubator and successfully graduated in 2025, moving into its own facility in Orange County.
Uniting faculty innovation and entrepreneurial drive
Where Breakthroughs Become Businesses:
Armida Labs
Targeting Hard-to-Treat Cancers
Founded in 2021 by UCR Professor Maurizio Pellecchia and former senior scientist Carlo Baggio, Armida Labs is developing Targefrin™, a patented therapy for pancreatic and other solid tumors. The startup secured a $400,000 SBIR Phase I grant from the National Cancer Institute, funding production scale-up and preclinical validation. With plans to file an Investigational New Drug (IND) application and pursue $2 million in Phase II SBIR funding, Armida Labs represents the cutting edge of faculty-led innovation. Their work pushes cancer therapeutics forward and shows how the Life Sciences Incubator helps ventures advance from discovery to clinic. 50 Office of Technology Partnerships
Launched in 2019, the SoCal OASIS® Initiative is UC Riverside’s flagship effort to position Inland Southern California as a hub for sustainable innovation and inclusive economic growth. Supported by The James Irvine Foundation and US Bank, the initiative integrates research, entrepreneurship, and workforce development and is now expanding into a dedicated innovation park currently under construction.
SoCal OASIS delivers a full entrepreneurial pipeline that supports individuals at every stage — from early exposure workshops for high school and college students, to ideation training through Zero-to-Entrepreneur, and finally to investor readiness through the SoCal OASIS Pitch Challenge. This continuum has strengthened the region’s capacity to develop homegrown innovators and advance sustainability-focused ventures.
The initiative also convenes regional partners through major events such as the 2024 Inland SoCal OASIS™ Climate Action Conference, which gathered more than 150 experts, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and community members.
The conference highlighted practical climate solutions in sustainable freight, renewable energy, water management, and local policy, alongside research presentations and startup-led demonstrations that reinforced OASIS as a catalyst for regional collaboration.
SoCal OASIS® Initiative
Opportunities to Advance Sustainability, Innovation, and Social Inclusion Awarded to innovators in
the SoCal OASIS® Pitch
Challenge
$260K
Internal faculty awards for
clean tech & sustainability
projects
$1.3M
Projected jobs from
international companies
recruited
700+
Individuals trained in
the 2023 Zero-to-
Entrepreneur Program
155
Office of Technology Partnerships 51
SoCal OASIS is structured around 4 core verticals that align with the region’s economic & environmental priorities:
Advancing zero-emission mobility, grid modernization, & clean technology manufacturing Building resilience in sustainable farming, food security, & ag-tech innovation Supporting innovations that improve public health, biotech, & equitable access to care Driving research and entrepreneurship in water sustainability, air quality, & climate adaptation Energy & Transportation –
Agriculture & Food Systems –
Health & Human Development –
Climate & Environment –
focus areas
Panelists at the 2023 SoCal OASIS Inland SoCal Climate Action Conference discussing climate change in the Inland Southern California Region.
Students working on a team exercise at the 2023 summer agriculture workshops, designed to expose high schoolers to the agtech innovation space.
Zero-to-Entrepreneur is a six-month hybrid
entrepreneurial training program under the SoCal
OASIS® umbrella that was launched in 2023 to equip
Inland Empire residents with the skills, tools, and
confidence to build sustainable businesses rooted in
regional needs. Offered in targeted tracks—including
agriculture and transportation—the program blends
workshops, coaching, and hands-on business
development to help new founders move from idea to
launch.
In its first year, Zero-to-Entrepreneur trained 155
Zero-to-Entrepreneur:
Participants of the 2023 Zero-to-Entrepreneur Program cohort with instructors Francisca Reyes, Jay Gilberg and Dr. Rosibel Ochoa
Training Inland Southern California Residents to Build
Sustainable Ventures
participants, many of whom entered the program with no prior business experience. Early successes demonstrate the program’s impact: participants such as From the Land went on to secure $250,000 from the Catalyst Fund to scale their urban micro-farming technology, while others advanced into additional OTP programs, pitch competitions, or EPIC SBDC consulting.
By lowering barriers to entry, centering sustainability, and serving historically underrepresented communities, Zero-to-Entrepreneur strengthens the region’s capacity to generate new small businesses and cultivate a more inclusive innovation ecosystem across Inland Southern California.
Dr. Gina Oliver and Richard Hutchison,
co-founders of From the Land
52 Office of Technology Partnerships
Supported By
The SoCal OASIS Pitch Challenge is a cornerstone program for accelerating sustainability-focused startups in the Inland Southern California region. Each year, the
competition attracts founders from both the community
and UC Riverside, offering selected teams intensive
bootcamps and personalized mentorship from EPIC SBDC
Entrepreneurs-in-Residence to refine their business
models and develop investor-ready pitches.
In 2023, the Challenge awarded $110,000 in non-dilutive funding—supported by The James Irvine Foundation and
US Bank—and drew over 180 attendees, including
policymakers, investors, and regional industry leaders.
Awardees such as Indrio Technologies and From the Land leveraged this support to advance product development, with one finalist securing a new connection to Tech Coast Angels. Audience numbers continued to grow in 2024, surpassing 180+ participants, with attendance expected to increase each year.
Beyond funding, the SoCal OASIS Pitch Challenge strengthens the region’s entrepreneurial pipeline by equipping founders with critical pitch training, investor exposure, and access to key networks. This platform plays a vital role in expanding the region’s capacity to launch scalable, sustainability-driven ventures aligned with the broader mission of the SoCal OASIS Initiative.
Supported By
SoCal OASIS® Pitch Challenge
Winners of the 2023 challenge shown with judges at SoCal OASIS® Pitch Challenge Finals Advancing Sustainability Startups Across Inland Southern California Office of Technology Partnerships 53
2023 finalist Rito Sur of Indrio Technologies
Since its inception,
Build to Scale has:
The Build to Scale program (B2S) focuses on
the next phase of growth, helping
companies that have validated their
technology transition into scaling
operations, manufacturing, and market
expansion. Funded in part by the U.S.
Economic Development Administration, B2S
serves as a soft-landing platform for both
international and domestic companies,
embedding them in Inland Southern
California’s innovation ecosystem. Through
partnerships with CARB, CE-CERT,
CalTestBed, and more, companies gain
access to world-class testbeds, technical
expertise, pilot demonstration sites, and
skilled workforce pipelines. This late-stage
support ensures that ventures don’t just
launch — they scale sustainably and anchor
jobs in the region.
$7M
In direct funding
acquired by
ventures
SoCal OASIS® Build to Scale:
Connecting Global Companies to
Inland Southern California’s
Innovation Ecosystem
Accelerated clean-tech commercialization by
linking startups with real-world testbeds
such as CARB, CE-CERT, CalTestbed, and
agricultural operations.
Mobilized funding and investment, securing
over $2 million in public-private support for
zero-emission transportation and advanced
manufacturing.
Created 28 new tech jobs, converting low-
income and fading employment sectors into
sustainable wage jobs.
Diversified the regional economy by
anchoring companies in sectors such as zero-
emission vehicles, precision agriculture,
clean energy, and housing innovation.
Attracted international companies to
establish manufacturing bases in Riverside,
creating local supply chains and jobs.
High-Tech Jobs
Created & Supported
100+
$9.2M 30%
Active Ventures
In Capital Raised Year-Over-Year Growth
of Scaleup Ventures
41 54 Office of Technology Partnerships
Seedorina
Automating the Future of Farming
Born out of UC Riverside’s Big Idea Challenge, Seedorina is tackling one of agriculture’s toughest challenges: precision planting at scale. The company’s flagship product, the Seedbot 3, is a robotics-based system that ensures accurate planting, reduces labor needs, and increases crop yields. Through ExCITE, Seedorina refined its prototype, engaged with local growers, and pre- sold units before going to full-scale production. In 2025, the company proudly delivered its first four Seedbot 3 units — all manufactured in Riverside. By combining robotics and agriculture, Seedorina is putting Inland Southern California on the map as a hub for ag-tech innovation.
The Build to Scale program has become a powerful engine for attracting, anchoring, and accelerating companies in Inland Southern California. By providing global innovators with a soft landing, technical expertise, and real-world testbeds, the program helps transform groundbreaking ideas into sustainable ventures that create jobs, investment, and long-term impact. 4th State Energies
Harnessing Plasma to Harness a Cleaner Future
4th State Energies has developed the world’s best silicon-anode material (a combination of the lowest-cost and highest-energy density) that fully replaces the critical mineral graphite in lithium-ion batteries using a unique plasma process. Validated by independent labs and the DOE’s $37.5M Silicon Consortium, the material is a groundbreaking technology for drone, robots, and defense market needs. Through the Build to Scale program, 4th State Energies has received tailored mentorship, market positioning support, and access to regional partners. These resources have enabled them to receive $2.5 million in non-dilutive funding, including a recent DOE SBIR II grant.
Indrio Technologies
Laser Precision for Cleaner Air
Relocating from Northern California to Riverside, Indrio Technologies has developed advanced laser-based sensors that provide real-time detection of air pollutants with far greater precision and speed than conventional chemical sensor systems. The company’s technology has wide applications in regulation of transportation emissions, industrial emissions tracking, and climate research, making it a vital tool for regions tackling air quality challenges. With support from the Build to Scale program, Indrio has won regional pitch competitions, secured early customer pilots, and laid the groundwork for a local manufacturing base in Riverside. These milestones have positioned the company to scale production and deliver cutting-edge emissions enforcement and emissions measurement solutions to a growing list of customers, while anchoring clean-tech jobs in Inland Southern California.
Turning Innovation into Jobs & Investment
VOLTU MOTOR INC.
Driving Zero-Emission Futures
Voltu Motor Inc., an Argentina-based manufacturer of zero-emission electric powertrains for heavy-duty vehicles, selected Riverside as its U.S. base after connecting with the Build to Scale program. Its modular drivetrain systems enable rapid electrification of trucks and buses, helping fleets transition to clean energy without full vehicle replacement. Since relocating, Voltu has partnered with the City of Riverside and regional stakeholders to launch 14 vehicle demonstrations, backed by over $2 million in public-private funding.
The company is now expanding production capacity to meet demand across the U.S. and Latin America, creating skilled jobs and advancing Inland Southern California’s leadership in sustainable transportation.
Office of Technology Partnerships 55
With support from the State of California, UCR
secured more than $68M in state funding for
planning and development of the SoCal OASIS®
Clean Tech Park. This first-of-its-kind innovation
park will provide dedicated space for applied
research, incubation, and industry partnerships in
clean energy, sustainable transportation, and
climate resilience. The park broke ground in 2025
and is projected for completion in 2027, serving as
a catalyst for green jobs and global investment in
the Inland Empire.
Building a Clean Technology Hub
56 Office of Technology Partnerships
Over the last 10 years, UC Riverside's Office of Technology Partnerships (OTP) has transformed the university's innovations into a global force. By building strategic international alliances, nurturing entrepreneurs from around the world, and attracting foreign companies to Inland Southern California, OTP has created a powerful bridge between local ingenuity and the global market. This has not only amplified the reach of UCR's research but also cemented the Inland Empire's reputation as a vibrant hub for international business and technology.
A Decade of Global Impact
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS:
Global Reach,
Regional Growth
$12.5 Million+ in licensing revenue from our primary
international commercialization partner,
Eurosemillas, for UCR's citrus and avocado varieties.
The Green Motion Avocado Summit brought 35 stakeholders from 12 countries and Eurosemillas together to celebrate UCR’s global leadership in avocado research and commercialization.
Over 50 international startups provided with "soft
landing" support to establish a U.S. presence right
here in Riverside.
55 technology teams from Chile were trained in the
UCR’s INNOVAR I-Corps methodology in partnership
with Know Hub Chile.
Over 35 global stakeholders from 12 countries
convened at UCR for the Green Motion Avocado
Summit to accelerate innovation.
Ohmio's grand opening of their new headquarters in Riverside, CA.
Left to Right: Mohammed Hikmet, Executive Chairman of Ohmio; Dr. Rosibel Ochoa, Associate Vice Chancellor of Technology Partnerships; Brian Suh, Senior Executive Director of Technology Partnerships; and Dean Zabrieszach, CEO of Ohmio
57 Office of Technology Partnerships
Strategic Alliances: From Lab to Global Market
A cornerstone of our international strategy is the long-term, fruitful partnership with the Spanish company Eurosemillas. This collaboration has been pivotal in commercializing UCR's world-renowned agricultural research, most notably its avocado and citrus varieties. The partnership has generated more than $12.5 million in licensing revenue, directly funding further research and innovation at UCR.
In 2023, this partnership reached a major milestone with the Green Motion Avocado Summit, a three-day international gathering across Irvine, Riverside, and Ventura County that brought together more than 35 avocado stakeholders from 12 countries.
The event marked the global release of the Luna UCR™ avocado (‘BL516’)—developed through a multi-year sponsored research agreement between UCR and Eurosemillas— and showcased UCR’s leadership in marker-assisted breeding, agriculture technology, and precision agriculture through presentations and field tours led by UCR scientists and campus leadership.
Fostering International Dialogue
In a landmark event held in July 2025, UCR hosted members of the LA Consular Corps uniting international diplomats from around the world. In attendance were Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson, City Councilmember Steven Robillard (Ward 3), leadership from the County of Riverside’s Office of Economic Development, representatives from the consulates of 21 countries, and the CEOs of Ohmio and Voltu—two international companies that have recently established their U.S. operations in Riverside. This summit showcased the university's research and innovation prowess, fostering dialogue on leveraging global partnerships to solve pressing local and global challenges. By bringing the world's leaders to Riverside, UCR and OTP have solidified the university's role as a key convener and a critical player on the international innovation stage.
58 Office of Technology Partnerships
Empowering Global Innovators
OTP's impact extends to nurturing entrepreneurship worldwide. A prime example is our collaboration with Collaborated with Organization of American States.
Launched COMUNITT, a platform to provide access to best practices in technology transfer.
Provided monthly communications showcasing initiatives from other countries.
Reaching out to 82 Innovation and Technology Transfer professionals from 11 countries.
This program has not only helped fostering research and innovation, but also promoting the exchange of new ideas, global perspectives, and best practices.
Participants from the 2025 LA Consular Corps visit at UC Riverside. 33 Office of Technology Partnerships
Teams that visited Riverside as part of the immersion:
Connecting Chilean Innovators to Global Markets: know hub chile Since 2019, UCR and Know Hub have partnered to advance innovation, technology transfer, and economic development. Across five cohorts, 55 researcher-led teams from universities in the Know Hub Consortium completed a customer discovery program based on UCR’s INNOVAR I- Corps methodology, receiving weekly guidance from an OTP Entrepreneur-in-Residence and a Chilean mentor.
Participants from the 2023 Know Hub Ignition cohort during the program’s international session in Chile.
Paint additive technology that removes environmental pollutants Buccal film for insulin drug delivery
Technology to extend the shelf-life of premium seafood
Gas purification Hardware-as-a-Service platform reducing emissions and odors from pork processing
Ultra-concentrated cleaning products in tablet format for B2B customers seeking space, cost, and transport savings
Software platform for managing and reporting product packaging to increase circularity and reduce waste
Photio:
Prime Technologies:
Innovai:
Bioproc:
Dropit:
Beloop:
Expanding Global Innovation Through the Eurosemillas Incubation Challenge In 2022, OTP launched the Eurosemillas International Incubation Challenge to support Latin American deep-tech startups seeking access to the U.S. market—a need identified through a UCR-led survey of regional incubators and accelerators. Sponsored by Eurosemillas, UC Riverside’s Office of Research and Economic Development, and the University of California Alianza Mexico initiative, this $130,000 competition drew 63 applications from 13 countries, ultimately identifying a select group of high-potential teams developing solutions across health, renewable energy, food systems, sustainable transportation, agriculture, and natural resource management.
Chilean immersion participants from the 2023
cohort during their visit to UC Riverside.
Developer of a seed-planting robot; awarded $40,000, UCR incubation, and a trip to Riverside. Seedorina has since established U.S. operations, secured customers, and joined the ExCITE incubator.
Winners Included:
Office of Technology Partnerships 59
Clean-energy project planning software; awarded UCR incubation, a trip to Riverside, and funding for a research collaboration.
Five Award Winners (mentorship for U.S. market preparation) – Second-life battery system
Electric bicycle conversion device
Optimized food protein
Synthetic peptide diagnostics platform
AI-based wildfire detection
Tycho Solutions (Mexico) –
Grand Prize: Seedorina (Uruguay) –
BATx (Colombia):
Pascal Tech (Ecuador):
DProtein (Mexico):
Ubique Biotech (Argentina):
ACOT Systems (Chile):
Grand prize winners Seedorina unpacking
equipment at their new UCR incubation space.
Selected teams were then invited to participate in immersions in California, including a visit to Riverside where they met potential partners, engaged with local experts, and pitched to prospective investors as part of their soft-landing pathway into the United States.
Seedorina
Automating the Future of Farming
Born out of UC Riverside’s Big Idea Challenge, Seedorina is tackling one of agriculture’s toughest challenges: precision planting at scale. The company’s flagship product, the Seedbot 3, is a robotics-based system that ensures accurate planting, reduces labor needs, and increases crop yields. Through ExCITE, Seedorina refined its prototype, engaged with local growers, and pre- sold units before going to full-scale production. In 2025, the company proudly delivered its first four Seedbot 3 units — all manufactured in Riverside. By combining robotics and agriculture, Seedorina is putting Inland Southern California on the map as a hub for ag-tech innovation.
We have successfully positioned Riverside as a prime destination for international companies looking to enter the U.S. market. Our "soft landing" program has supported startups from countries like Argentina, New Zealand, and Uruguay, providing them with mentorship & resources needed to thrive.
By attracting these innovative companies, OTP is directly contributing to a growing cluster of "green" and "clean" technology firms in the Inland Empire, creating high-tech jobs and diversifying our regional economy.
Voltu Motor Inc.
Driving Zero-Emission Futures
Voltu Motor Inc., an Argentina-based manufacturer of zero-emission powertrains for heavy-duty trucks, chose Riverside as its U.S. manufacturing base after connecting with OTP through international partnerships. Since its relocation, Voltu has worked with the City of Riverside, launching 14 vehicle demonstrations that showcase its ability to retrofit existing fleets with electric drivetrains. Voltu has secured over $2 million in public-private funding and is partnering with regional stakeholders to establish a production facility. With demand for clean transportation growing, the company is scaling production to serve public and private fleets, highlighting how international ventures can use Riverside’s ecosystem to establish a strong U.S. footprint.
Seedorina
Planting Seeds of Sustainable Agriculture
Expanding from South America to Riverside, Seedorina brings advanced ag- tech to one of the world’s top farming regions. Its digital precision seeders improve planting accuracy and efficiency through robotics-powered systems.
With OTP’s support, Seedorina set up a local supply chain and manufacturing facility, delivering its first Seedbot 3 units in 2025 and now fulfilling Southern California orders. By reducing labor costs and boosting yields, Seedorina strengthens sustainable farming and highlights Riverside as a U.S. gateway for ag-tech firms.
A Soft Landing for International Startups
OHMIO
Driving Riverside Into the Future of Mobility
In March 2025, Ohmio, a global leader in autonomous electric vehicles originally from New Zealand, celebrated the grand opening of its new U.S. headquarters and manufacturing facility in Riverside, California. The event marked a major milestone in both the company’s growth and the city’s commitment to sustainable transportation. By selecting Riverside, Ohmio is anchoring advanced manufacturing jobs in the Inland Empire while positioning the region as a hub for clean mobility innovation. The company’s facility will produce autonomous shuttles and buses, helping cities transition toward zero-emission, connected transportation systems.
Office of Technology Partnerships 60
Over the past decade, the Office of Technology Partnerships (OTP) has evolved from a regional hub serving innovators across Inland Southern California into a nationally and globally connected ecosystem. What began with support for a few dozen startups in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties has expanded to 629 companies across California, 655 across the United States, and 659 worldwide, spanning regions such as Mexico, Canada, Italy, and India. This trajectory reflects UCR’s transformation into a catalyst for innovation that not only drives local economic development but also attracts international collaborations and investment—positioning the university as a global leader in inclusive, sustainability-focused entrepreneurship.
A Decade of Expansion:
Southern California to Global Markets
Inland Southern California
Orange County
San Diego County
Los Angeles County
Northern California
376
101
39 88
23 Companies
Served Across
California
629
Glid Founder and CEO Kevin Damoa pictured with the Glidrail prototype. Originally from Auberry, CA, Glid moved their operations to Riverside, California in spring 2025 to work with organizations such as UCR OTP and the City of Riverside. 61 Office of Technology Partnerships 17
USA
Mexico
Canada
Italy
India
655
1 1
1 1
Companies
Served Across the
World
659
California
Colorado
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
HR
Illinois
Indiana
Kansas
Mexico
Montana
629
2 2
2 1
1 2
1 1
1 1
Companies
Served Across the
United States
655
Nevada
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
ON
Texas
US Virgin Islands
Utah
Washington
Wyoming
4 1
2 2
1 1
1 1
1 2Office of Technology Partnerships 62
THE OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIPS TEAM
Dr. Rosibel Ochoa
Associate Vice Chancellor of
Technology Partnerships
Judy Swineford
Executive Analyst &
Assistant to AVC OTP
Jessica Pacheco
Assistant Director of Program
Finance & Operations
Aimee Knudson
Principal Grant Finance
Administrator
Jennifer Yturralde
Director of Outreach and
Incubation Activities
Aileen Luib
Assistant Director of Special
Programs and Outreach
Maricela Argueta
Life Sciences Incubator
Laboratory Manager
Brian Suh
Senior Executive Director of
Technology Partnerships
Grace Yee
Assistant Director of
Technology Commercialization
Joyce Patrona
Licensing Officer
Rekha Chawla
Senior Licensing Officer
Venkata Krishnamurty
Senior Licensing Officer
63 Office of Technology Partnerships
our TEAM
Dr. Francisca Reyes
Director of Entrepreneurial
Education & Blackstone
LaunchPad
Dr. Jay Gilberg
Instructor and
Entrepreneur-in-Residence
Kalista Combs
Program Training
Coordinator
Jennifer Yturralde
Director of Outreach and
Incubation Activities
Nicole Cleary
SoCal OASIS®
Project Manager
Scott Brovsky
Associate Director of
Regional Engagement
Tammy Whetter
Principal Contracts &
Grants Officer
Dr. Martin Kleckner
Director of EPIC SBDC
Nelson Rivera
IP Analyst
Luke Kannike
Senior Corporate
Engagement Officer
Nilesh Gupta
Senior Corporate
Engagement Officer
Misty Madero
Director of Corporate
Research and Engagement
Office of Technology Partnerships 64
Technology Partnerships