Professor of Chemistry Louise Berben is advancing battery research for improved storage of renewable energy.

The University of California, Davis, is pleased to announce that Louise Berben, a professor in the Department of Chemistry, has been recently awarded the 2022 Breakthrough Energy Explorer grant to advance her research on redox flow batteries. Founded by Bill Gates, Breakthrough Energy is a climate organization supporting clean energy research and technologies that evolve from idea to commercial application. The 12-month Explorer Grant allows Berben to become part of a global network of innovators developing breakthrough technologies with the goal to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions around the world. In 2021, Berben received support to advance the research through the UC Davis Venture Catalyst Science Translation and Innovative Research (STAIR) grant program, which provides awards of up to $50,000 to campus innovators to enable demonstration of early proof-of-concept for technologies being developed at UC Davis.

Delix Therapeutics Named a Top Academic Spinout

and a Top 10 Startup to Watch

Delix Therapeutics, a neuroscience company developing novel disease-modifying therapeutics for psychiatric and neurological conditions, has been named to Nature Biotechnology's list of Leading Academic Spinouts of 2021 and to the American Chemical Society's Chemical & Engineering (C&EN) News list of 10 Start-Ups to Watch.  Each year, Nature Biotechnology identifies companies originating from academic institutions who have generated significant funding while progressing novel technology with the potential for great impact. C&EN selected Delix for it's Top 10 after considering more than 200 companies.

A Venture Catalyst START Program participant, Delix, is creating a neuroplasticity platform that preserves the therapeutic effects seen across first-generation psychedelics, such as psilocybin, LSD or ibogaine, while removing hallucinogenic and other unwanted side effects. It was co-founded by David E. Olson, a University of California, Davis professor and the company's Chief Innovation Officer. Dr. Olson was previously recognized for his pioneering work with Delix in 2021 as a UC Davis Chancellor's Innovation Awardee.

Botanical Solution Inc. (BSI) & Croda Pharma Partnership Agreement to Accelerate Production for GMP QS-21

UC Davis-associated startup, Botanical Solution Inc. (BSI), innovator of sustainable, consistent and cost-effective Advanced Botanical Materials (ABM) for agricultural and pharmaceutical applications, has entered into a Partnership Agreement with Croda Pharma to build a robust, scalable and truly sustainable supply chain and deliver kilogram-quantities of QS-21 to the pharmaceutical industry. QS-21 is a highly efficacious vaccine adjuvant. It is used in the blockbuster vaccine Shingrix for the prevention of shingles, which has been found to have 10 years of durability. QS-21 is also used in a malaria vaccine, a COVID vaccine and promising vaccine candidates for tuberculosis and RSV. Increasing demand for QS-21 will continue to put pressure on the traditional supply chain for this adjuvant.

UC Davis-Associated Startup, California Cultured,

Named Comstock’s Magazine Startup of the Month

It takes about five years for a cocoa tree to grow and start producing cocoa beans. But Alan Perlstein, who spent the last 20 years in cellular agriculture and pharmaceuticals, had an idea: Why not bypass the tree and just grow the bean? In 2020, he launched California Cultured, a UC Davis-associated startup and START Program participant based in Davis and Sacramento that makes real chocolate from plant cells. With a current team of about 19 people, California Cultured has raised about $5 million to date and looks to raise more than $10 million to develop technology and processes, Perlstein says. “This is what we think the future of food has to become,” he notes. “It has to be delicious and healthy far into the future and these are the beginning steps of making these things happen.”

Congratulations to UC Davis Faculty Named

National Academy of Inventors Fellows!

Congratulations are in order for two UC Davis faculty members, Nancy E. Lane and Justin Siegel, who have been named Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), the highest professional distinction awarded to academic inventors. The NAI announced the 2022 class of fellows on December 8, 2022. Recipients are selected based on their “demonstrated spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on the quality of life, economic development, and the welfare of society,” according to the academy. 

Nancy E. Lane is a distinguished professor of medicine, rheumatology, and aging research at the UC Davis School of Medicine. She is an internationally recognized scientist who has made major contributions to the fields of musculoskeletal diseases of aging, including osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. She has published over 430 peer-reviewed articles. Lane was elected a Fellow of the American Association for Advancement of Science and is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and Association of American Physicians.



Justin Siegel is an associate professor in the departments of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, and the Genome Center. He is the director of the UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health. He is also the Arthur and Carlyse Ciocca Visiting Professor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Graduate School of Management. Siegel is a leader in computational enzyme engineering and discovery, focusing on discovering catalysts that improve health and environmental outcomes. 

Farms to Fungi to Food: Growing the Next Generation of Alternative Protein

A solution to world hunger might start with more nutritious boba and cruelty-free caviar. Using an innovative process, engineers at UC Davis are growing “myco-foods” - small balls of edible fungi that can be processed into products like boba and lab-grown caviar with a wide range of textures, colors and flavors. These myco-foods, grown from the nutrients of agricultural byproducts like coffee grounds and almond hulls, provide a vital new source of protein to feed the world. Project lead and Professor Ruihong Zhang, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, thinks they will eventually be important for developing countries that need food production to catch up with growing populations. Since 2021, the team has worked with Davis-based startup Optimized Foods to bring myco-foods to shelves around the world, starting with cultured caviar. 

Funding Opportunities

Grants for Advancing Sustainable Development Goals

UC Davis Academic Senate and Academic Federation members from any UC Davis location are eligible to apply. Proposals are encouraged from diverse groups of PIs/co-leads of whom the primary PI must be UC Davis faculty. Expect to fund up to five awards of up to $7,500 this year! Deadline: Jan. 9, 2023

EnergyTech University Prize

The EnergyTech University Prize, sponsored by DOE’s Office of Technology Transitions, is awarding $370,000 to collegiate students who successfully identify a promising energy technology, assess its market potential, and create a business plan for commercialization. Deadline: Jan. 26, 2023

UC Davis Office of Research - Links to Funding Sources

Browse the listings of funding announcements provided by sponsoring agencies and other pertinent information about obtaining critical research funding. View the complete list here.



Pioneering Ideas: Exploring the Future to Build a Culture of Health

We are interested in ideas that address any of these four areas of focus: Future of Evidence; Future of Social Interaction; Future of Food; Future of Work. Additionally, we welcome ideas that might fall outside of these four focus areas, but which offer unique approaches to advancing health equity and our progress toward a Culture of Health. Currently accepting applications

Evidence for Action: Innovative Research to Advance Racial Equity

Evidence for Action prioritizes research to evaluate specific interventions (e.g., policies, programs, practices) that have the potential to counteract the harms of structural and systemic racism and improve health, well-being, and equity outcomes. Currently accepting applications

IndieBio Accelerator

Multi-stage investment to support big ideas. #1 in early stage biotech! Currently accepting applications

Open SBIR/STTR Grant Topics

Federal Research/Research & Development with the potential for commercialization. Learn More

Educational Opportunities

Sacramento Entrepreneurial Academy

Sacramento Entrepreneurship Academy (SEA) is a real-world business program designed to fast track you on the journey to entrepreneurship. Start your entrepreneurial journey today! Application Deadline: Dec. 20, 2022

PLASMA - UC Davis Student Startup Center Accelerator

Are you a UC Davis undergrad with the next big idea? Checkout PLASMA! The early-stage cohort with an extensive mentor network, educational lessons with industry leaders, seed capital, and a rich entrepreneurial work environment. Application Deadline: Jan. 11, 2023

EQUIP Winter 2023

Designed especially for undergraduates, EQUIP provides training in innovation, leadership and design thinking and prepares students for successful internships in startups and other leading-edge companies! Application Deadline: Jan. 11, 2023

23rd Annual Big Bang! Business Competition - Optional Early Feedback Round

This competition provides a forum for innovators across California to collaborate, develop and test business ideas. You'll find opportunities to connect with fellow innovators, learn and apply business concepts in interactive educational workshops, build your team, grow your network—and compete for cash prizes! Eligible teams must have at least one founder affiliated with a California institution of higher education. Early Registration Deadline: Jan. 11, 2023

Little Bang! Pitch + Poster Competition

The Little Bang! will help you define your business idea and communicate it concisely on a poster. This competition is open to all currently enrolled students at the high school, community college, undergraduate or graduate levels Deadline: Feb. 16, 2023

UC Davis UC Entrepreneurship Academy

The UC Entrepreneurship Academy is designed for UC Davis upper-division undergrads, graduate students, postdocs, faculty, researchers and staff in all academic fields. Come prepared to engage and grow through discussions, teamwork—and the energy and experience of meeting fellow Aggie Innovators from across campus. Application Deadline: Jan 30, 2023, 12:00 PM (PST). Dates: Feb. 7-10, 2023

Regional Events

CleanStart Perspectives: Tapping the Potential of California's Offshore Wind

Focus California wants 25,000 MW of offshore wind by 2045. T-Omega CEO Brita Osmundsvaag Formato shares how their floating platform can help. Date: Jan. 5, 2023, 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM (PST) (Zoom)

1 Million Cups

Present your early stage company to your peers. Or just grab a coffee and listen.

Date: Every Wednesday

AgStart Office Hours

Expert mentors to help your business. Sign-up now. Date: Ongoing

Sacramento State Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship Events and Workshops

Learn More. Date: Ongoing

Small Business Development Center Workshops

Learn More. Date: Ongoing 

Silicon Valley USPTO Workshops

Check out the US Patent and Trademark Office's West Coast region events. Date: Ongoing

California Life Sciences Institute FAST Advisory Program

Get the coaching you need to perfect your business model. Apply now. Date: Ongoing

Bay Area NSF Innovation Corps Immersive Short Course

Join the weeklong immersive course for university researchers and early stage startup founders. Apply now. Date: Ongoing

About Venture Catalyst 

UC Davis Venture Catalyst supports the development of new ventures fueled by university research and technology. Venture Catalyst offers several innovative programs that bridge the gap between early-stage research and commercialization and provide entrepreneurs the resources, support, and connections needed to successfully form and grow technology-based startups. With a focus on accelerating technology-led economic development in the Davis-Sacramento region, Venture Catalyst also works closely with partners in the regional innovation and economic development ecosystems. 

Contact Venture Catalyst 

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