Technologies developed at UC Davis enabled the foundation of 14 startup companies during the fiscal year 2018-19. Several of the startups are focused on technology solutions addressing important societal needs, including data management for the agriculture industry, software for fraud prevention, and distributed and immutable ledger technology for vital records such as birth certificates. Many are developing potential solutions to address serious health challenges.

The following 13 startup companies acquired rights to foundational intellectual property from UC Davis. One company has elected to remain in “stealth mode” for competitive reasons and is not listed.

Since the fiscal year 2013-14, following the launch of Venture Catalyst, 85 startups have been formed, made possible by UC Davis technologies.

Also read the Sacramento Business Journal coverage here

The VentureWell E-Teams Grant Program awarded Phase 1 grants to UC Davis undergraduate teams VertX Advertising and Sorbit. VertX is developing an antimicrobial public transportation advertising platform, providing transit agencies with improvements to public health and new revenue streams. Sorbit is creating biodegradable aerogel diapers by harnessing agricultural waste and microbes to create a product that is more light, absorbent, and biodegradable. These grants provide the teams with $5,000 and structured training, networking, and mentorship... Read More

A robotic gripping arm that uses engineered bacteria to “taste” for a specific chemical has been developed by engineers at UC Davis and Carnegie Mellon University. The gripper is a proof-of-concept for biologically-based soft robotics. Soft robotics uses lightweight, flexible and soft materials to create machines that match the versatility of living things, and soft robot designs often draw inspiration form nature. Adding actual living cells to soft robots brings scientists another step closer to creating biological-mechanical hybrid machines.... Read More

The Public Strawberry Breeding Program at UC Davis has released five new varieties that will help farmers manage diseases, control costs and produce plenty of large, robust berries using less water, fertilizer and pesticides. Two of the new varieties could increase yields by almost 30 percent. Since its inception in the 1930s, the UC Davis Public Strawberry Breeding Program has developed more than 60 patented varieties, turned strawberries into a year-round crop and increased strawberry yield from about 6 tons per acre in the 1950s to more than 30 tons per acre today. The United States is the world’s largest producer of strawberries, and almost 90 percent of them are grown in California’s cool, coastal climates. About 60 percent of the state’s strawberry fields are planted with varieties developed at UC Davis.... Read More

EXPLORER, the world’s first total-body positron emission tomography (PET) scanner that can capture a 3D picture of the whole human body at once, is up and running at UC Davis Health. Developed by UC Davis scientists, EXPLORER has already captured the attention of radiology experts and media around the world. EXPLORER will scan its first research subjects and first patients this summer. The scanner has broad applications for cancer diagnosis, as well as for studies of blood flow, inflammation, immunological and metabolic disorders and infections. EXPLORER’s exceptional image quality gives it nearly limitless potential applications for both clinical use and research.... Read More

UC Davis continues to shine as one of the world’s leading universities. In results released in the QS World University Rankings, UC Davis placed 104th among the 1,001 universities ranked. Among U.S. universities, UC Davis kept its spots as 31st overall and 13th among public universities. The campus stood out most for its academic reputation and — as an indication of the impact of its research — the number of citations per faculty member. Quacquarelli Symonds, or QS, widely considered to be one of the most influential international rankings providers, uses a number of factors, including academic and employer reputation, student-to-faculty ratio, and academic citations to arrive at each university’s ranking.... Read More

About Venture Catalyst 

 

UC Davis Venture Catalyst facilitates the translation of University research and technology by enabling the development of new ventures. Venture Catalyst engages with the Davis and Sacramento business, governmental and economic development community to highlight the development of technologies and ventures coming out of UC Davis that will drive tomorrow’s regional job creation. Working closely with these partners, Venture Catalyst is invigorating the technology-based entrepreneurial ecosystem of the entire region. 

The Venture Catalyst START™ Suite of programs and services provides the ABCs to equip UC Davis entrepreneurs with the tools they need to form and grow robust startups. The program gives founders the START they need to create a well-structured company and ensure the company is prepared for success. 

 

Contact Venture Catalyst 

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