Startup UCLA – Innovation Fellows
Application for 2022 Cohort
Open office hours are being held to answer your questions about the program. Stop by using this Zoom link at the following times:
November 5, Friday, 12 – 1 pm
November 12, Friday, 3 – 4 pm
November 19, Friday, 3 – 4 pm
You may also schedule a 1:1 meeting with Deanna Evans or Glentrez Olugeo to discuss your project prior to applying. Schedule venture consulting meeting here.
Application Deadline: Sunday, November 28, 2021, 11:59 pm
Pitches/Interviews: scheduled between December 6 – 10, 2021 (on Zoom)
Notification of Acceptance: December 15-17, 2021
Program begins: January 12, 2022
Pitch Showcase: May 2022 (date TBD)
UCLA’s Innovation Fellows is a campus-wide program aimed at advancing entrepreneurial excellence and startup culture among faculty and postdocs. The 2022 program is intended to be hybrid with in-person and Zoom events.
Open to all UCLA faculty and postdocs, 8-10 teams will be invited to participate during winter and spring quarters 2022. The program is designed to advance innovative projects into new startups or non-profits through a series of workshops and 1:1 venture consulting meetings. Postdocs and project scientists may apply for program with a letter of support from their faculty supervisor.
The program culminates in a public Pitch Showcase to the UCLA community and a network of local entrepreneurs and investors.
Responsibilities
1. Attend all program events:
- January 12: Orientation & Customer Development Workshop (in-person TBD)
- February 2: Legal Formation Workshop (in-person TBD)
- March 2: Fundraising Workshop (in-person TBD)
- March 30: Pitching Workshop (in-person TBD)
- April 13: Pitch Coaching Workshop (in-person TBD)
- One-to-one Venture Consulting Meetings with Startup UCLA staff (four 30-minute sessions on Zoom)
- Meeting with assigned Mentor (in-person or Zoom)
- Meeting with TDG, as needed (in-person or Zoom)
- May 4: Pitch Showcase practice session (in-person)
- May 9-20 (date TBD): Present at Pitch Showcase (in-person)
2. Commit roughly three hours minimum per week to developing your project/startup
3. Stay involved with UCLA’s Innovation Fellows and its alumni network after the program
Qualifications
1. All UCLA Faculty (both senate and non-senate faculty, academic administrators, and lecturers) may apply for the program. Visiting faculty are not, however, eligible. A list of senate and non-senate titles can be found here: https://www.senate.ucla.edu/about/academic-senate-membership
2. Postdocs and project scientists may apply for program with a letter of support from their faculty supervisor
3. Faculty/postdocs/project scientists must have a project/startup to work on during the program
4. Project/startup must have demonstrated proof-of-concept at time of application
5. Be coachable — open to receiving feedback and willingness to iterate on project/startup
Perks & Benefits
1. $2,000 per team for research support funds (may be used for design work for web/print media, brand development, consultations/travel, etc.)
2. We are piloting an opportunity for teams to hire a student intern (paid by IF) to support their efforts during the program during 2022 winter and spring quarters. (Student interns could be hired for developing websites, product research, data analysis, design of pitch decks and marketing assets, etc.)
3. Collaborate with program leaders, Startup UCLA staff, and colleagues across the University
4. Meet with a mentor with relevant experience to your area of interest
5. Raise your project’s visibility in the UCLA community and beyond
6. $5,000 in Amazon Web Services credits (if needed for your startup)
7. Complimentary legal guidance from a premiere law firm
UCLA’s Innovation Fellows is a collaboration between Startup UCLA, the UCLA Technology Development Group, and, the Office of the Vice Chancellor of Research & Creative Activities.
If you have any questions about the application or any of the above, please email InnovationFund@tdg.ucla.edu.
Here is the application link — https://form.jotform.com/212244735468964