UC Davis Venture Catalyst is recruiting for a New Ventures Program Coordinator that will coordinate programs associated with the launch and operation of a new tech-focused small business development center
Venture Catalyst Mentors Assist National NSF I-Corps Teams
Two mentors associated with the UC Davis Venture Catalyst MentorNet program went above and beyond to support university-associated entrepreneurial teams that were selected to participate in the winter 2021 cohort of the National Science Foundation Innovation-Corps Teams program, which provides training, mentoring, and funding to accelerate technology commercialization. 
Nick Ciccarelli, an experienced medical device design professional and president of the engineering services company Neuma LLC, served as the Industry Mentor for the AmCyt team. AmCyt, under the lead of Dr. Alejandro Mendoza, is developing a medical device focused on providing onsite evaluation of the adequacy of samples taken during fine needle aspiration. 
Jim Swick, an independent consultant with a background in medtech leadership and regulatory strategy, acted as the Industry Mentor for the NeoPose team. Dr. Healther Seifkes, an assistant professor in the pediatrics department, is leading the efforts of NeoPose to advance the development of a perfusion and oxygen saturation evaluation system aimed at improving critical congenital heart disease in newborns. 
These two mentors participated alongside the teams throughout the seven-week program, providing valuable guidance and advice on customer discovery and business model development.
Holcombe Law Group Joins Venture Catalyst LegalNet Program
UC Davis Venture Catalyst has partnered with Holcombe Law Group through its LegalNet program to provide legal consultation and startup incorporation services to participants in the Smart Toolkit for Accelerated Research Translation (STARTTM) suite of programs. Holcombe Law Group is a corporate law firm that advises emerging companies and established corporations on business entity formation, SaaS and IP licensing, financings, private placement securities exemptions, employment agreements, commercial contracts, trademarks, regulatory matters, privacy policies, import and export regulations, and ecommerce law. The firm was founded by UC Davis alumna Jessica Holcombe.
Repurposing Used Electric Vehicle Batteries for Solar Power Storage
UC Davis and RePurpose Energy, a clean energy startup, have executed a licensing agreement for an innovative system that repurposes batteries from electric cars to use as energy storage systems with various applications.... Read More
A New Natural Blue for Food Coloring
A new startup company, Peak B, has been launched to develop the commercial applications for technology to create natural blue coloring.... Read More
Can the Right Probiotic Work for Breast Milk-Fed Babies?
A new study from researchers at UC Davis, published in the journal of Pediatric Research, finds that in breast milk-fed babies given the probiotic B. infantis, a strain being developed by UC Davis-associated startup Evolve Biosystems, the probiotic will persist in the baby’s gut for up to one year and play a valuable role in a healthy digestive system.... Read More
Feeding Cattle Seaweed Reduces Their Greenhouse Gas Emissions 82 Percent
A new study conducted by Ermias Kebreab, professor and Sesnon Endowed Chair of the Department of Animal Science and director of the World Food Center, and his Ph.D. graduate student Breanna Roque, showed that adding about 80 grams of seaweed in cattle feed could reduce methane emissions from beef cattle as much as 82 percent.... Read More
Animal Model Opens Way to Test Alzheimer’s Disease Therapies
Researchers at the California National Primate Research Center (CNPRC) at UC Davis developed a model of the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease in rhesus macaques, which will allow for better testing of new treatments.... Read More
UC Davis Health Tests Anti-Inflammatory Antiviral Compound as COVID-19 Therapy
Dominik Haudenschild, a professor in the department of Orthopedic Surgery at UC Davis is leading a team of UC Davis researchers to test a new class of anti-inflammatory, antiviral compound as a COVID-19 treatment.... Read More
Aggie Square’s Community Benefits Laid Out
The City or Sacramento approved the community benefits Partnership Agreement for Aggie Square, which includes a commitment of more than $50 million to build affordable housing, along with job creation and job training programs, and mobility and connectivity improvements.... Read More
UC Davis Ranked Among Best in World, Nation for Veterinary Science, Ag and UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine Recognized for Highest-Ever Level of NIH Funding
UC Davis took top spots in veterinary science and agriculture and forestry in the 2021 QS World University Rankings by Subject. In addition, the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine topped the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research ranking of U.S. Schools of Veterinary Medicine, capturing the top spot for the twelfth year in a row.
Startup News
Delix Therapeutics Names Mark Rus as Chief Executive Officer
Delix Therapeutics, Inc., a CNS-focused drug discovery company, announced the appointment of veteran biotech industry executive Mark Rus as Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Rus was previously an Advisor at Atlas Venture, where he led an early-stage neuropsychiatry focused effort.... Read More
Google Acquires 3D Audio Startup Dysonics (Protocol)
Dysonics, a UC Davis spinoff creating a three-dimensional, immersive 360° sound experiences over headphones, was acquired by Google.... Read More
New Botanical-Based Biofungicide Expanding Distribution Under Strong Partnership Between Botanical Solution Inc. (BSI) and Syngenta
Botanical Solution Inc., a Davis-based company developing a proprietary R&D platform for sustainable and improved production of Advanced Botanical Materials (ABM), and Syngenta announced an agreement to commercialize BSI’s first product in Peru and Mexico.... Read More
Cognivive Joins Plug-and-Play
Cognivive, a digital therapeutics company creating evidence-based, personalized, telemedicine neuro-rehab stroke recovery treatments, announced that they were selected in the Plug and Play Tech Center accellerator's cohort.... Learn More
From Improving Cancer Treatments to Saving the Bees, These are the Companies in IndieBio’s Latest Class (TechCrunch)
Panacea Longevity, a UC Davis-associated biotech company dedicated to the research and production of the world's first fasting mimetic designed from clinical research to replicate the cellular health benefits and lifespan promoting effects of fasting, is among the latest cohort accepted to the IndieBio accelerator.... Read More
Engage3 Ranked #124 in the Annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: California List
Engage3, a Sacramento-based company helping retailers and brands profitably grow revenue and drive store trips by tracking and optimizing their Price Image, announced that they have been ranked #124 on the second annual Inc. 5000 Regionals: California list, the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing California-based private companies.... Read More
DialSource Changes Name to Conquer as it Expands Product Capabilities (Sacramento Business Journal)
DialSource, a Sacramento-based company that develops and sells and services customer relationship management technology, changed its name to Conquer as it expands its core technology to a multichannel platform.... Read More
Startup Career Opportunities
Career Opportunities at AnimalBiome
AnimalBiome is currently hiring for an animal care specialist and a laboratory technician.... Learn more
Career Opportunities at Chirp Microsystems
Chirp Microsystems (part of TDK) is hiring for multiple engineering positions, Management Positions, and lab supervision.... Learn More
Career Opportunities at Evolve Biosystems
Evolve Biosystems is currently hiring for multiple management, associate director, and marketing positions.... Learn More
Career Opportunities at Novoheart
Novoheart is currently hiring for an engineer, scientist position, and research assistant position.... Learn more
Career Opportunities at Sage Therapeutics
Sage Therapeutics is hiring for a wide range of positions from director-level positions to int positions.... Learn more
News From the DRIVE Network
Check out the recent video from HM.CLAUSE highlighting the role of the UC.Davis-HM.CLAUSE Life Science Innovation Center in supporting innovation and startup development
Regional News
Startup of the Month: BoxPower (Comstock’s Magazine)
Boxpower, a Sacramento-based startup that provides clean, reliable and affordable energy to rural customers, was announced as the startup of the month by Comstock’s Magazine.... Read More
BASF Opens Seed, Ag Research Station in Davis (Buzz Oats)
BASF has opened a 16,200 square-foot research facility in Davis, consolidating its seed research activities.... Read More
Funding Opportunities
Cleantech Open Accelerator
Application Deadline: April 18, 2021.... Learn More
NIH SBIR/STTR Applicant Assistance Program
Application Deadline: May 20, 2021....
MIT 2021 Global Challenges 
Application Deadline: June 16, 2021.... Learn More
GROW Impact Accelerator
Currently accepting applications.... Learn More
IndieBio Accelerator
Currently accepting applications.... Learn More
Open SBIR/STTR Grant Topics.... Learn More
Educational Opportunities
Institute for Innovation & Entrepreneurship UC Entrepreneurship Academy
Date: April 17-18, 2021.... Learn More
UC Davis National Veterinary Entrepreneurship Academy
July 12-16, 2021.... Learn More
Institute for Innovation & Entrepreneurship Big Bang! Business Competition Events and Workshops
Dates: Ongoing.... Learn More
Regional Events
AgStart Office Hours
Date: Ongoing.... Learn More
Sacramento State Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Events and Workshops
Date: Ongoing.... Learn More
Small Business Development Center Workshops
Date: Ongoing.... Learn More
Silicon Valley USPTO Workshops
Date: Ongoing.... Learn More
Bay Area NSF Innovation Corps Immersive Short Courses
Date: Ongoing.... Learn More
California Life Sciences Institute FAST Advisory Program
Date: Ongoing.... Learn More
1 Million Cups
Date: Weekly (Wednesdays).... Learn More
Industry Events
Stanford Drug Discovery Symposium
Date: April 19-20, 2021.... Learn More
National AgTech Forum, Agricultural Biologicals: Going Mainstream
Date: April 20, 2021.... Learn More
FoodBytes! Forum: The Rise of Transparency in the Food Supply Chain
Date: April 27, 2021.... Learn More
Venture Summit Virtual Connect
Date: May 5-7, 2021.... Learn More
Digital Medtech Conference
Date: May 6, 2021.... Learn More
BIO Digital (Virtual)
Dates: June 10-18, 2021.... Learn More
Future Food-Tech Alternative Proteins Summit (Virtual)
Dates: June 22-23, 2021.... Learn More
Indoor AgTech Innovation Summit (Virtual)
Date: June 24-25, 2021.... Learn More
Women’s Health Innovation Forum
Date: Ongoing.... Learn More
JLABS Virtual Educational Events
Date: Ongoing.... Learn More
Innovation Insights
Kauffman Foundation National Report on Early-Stage Entrepreneurship in the United States: 2020 (Kaufman Foundation)
The Kauffman Foundation's 2020 report on early-stage entrepreneurship in the US showed that the rate of new entrepreneurship increased significantly over the previous year with notable gains for new entrepreneurs among both women and men. Some of this increase was the result of fewer economic options available with the measure of opportunity share dropping to the lowest level in 25 years.... Read More
SBA Launches ‘Ascent’ Online Digital Learning Platform for Women-Owned Small Business
The U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator announced the launch of Ascent, a first-of-its-kind, free digital e-learning platform geared to help women entrepreneurs grow and expand their businesses.... Read More
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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