The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency established in 1950 and based in Alexandria, Virginia. It is dedicated to supporting research and education in science and engineering across a wide range of disciplines. The NSF provides significant non-dilutive funding, up to $1.5 million, to startups and small businesses through its America's Seed Fund initiative, which is part of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program mandated by Congress. With an operating budget of approximately $7.8 billion, the NSF is committed to advancing fundamental research and education, thus fostering innovation and technological development in the United States.
University of California, Irvine is a higher education institution providing diverse academic and cultural events. It also offers a variety of events such as art exhibitions, music performances, healthcare conferences, theatrical productions, and educational seminars to the general public and its student body.
University of California San Diego
Grant in 2024
The University of California San Diego (UC San Diego) is a public research university that offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs across various disciplines. It emphasizes research, community engagement, and interdisciplinary collaboration, providing students with opportunities to engage in leadership activities and study abroad. The university is known for its School of Medicine, which trains future healthcare professionals through a comprehensive curriculum that builds on students' backgrounds in biological, behavioral, and health sciences. Additionally, UC San Diego hosts multidisciplinary labs focused on human-centered design thinking to address complex systems in automation and healthcare, collaborating with numerous industrial partners. Overall, UC San Diego serves multiple industries, including education, healthcare, and technology, while equipping students with essential resources and guidance for their academic and professional development.
Agrology
Grant in 2023
Agrology is an agricultural technology company recognized for its contributions to sustainable farming practices and a recipient of a National Science Foundation award. Operating from offices in Alexandria, Virginia, and Salinas, California, Agrology provides real-time data that enables growers to assess the ecological and agronomic impacts of regenerative farming. The company focuses on monitoring soil health, microbial activity, carbon cycles, nitrous oxide emissions, net ecosystem exchange, and microclimatic conditions. This data helps farmers connect regenerative practices to measurable reductions in greenhouse gases and other ecological benefits. Additionally, Agrology's predictive agriculture system offers insights that assist farmers in adapting to climate change while improving soil sequestration and generating carbon credits. The company is trusted by prominent growers, researchers, and global consumer packaged goods brands.
EYSZ
Grant in 2023
Eysz is developing a digital health platform that measures disease progression, intervention efficacy and side effects to assist clinicians in developing a personalized care plan for neurological diseases. Doctors currently rely on patient self-reported data and subjective clinical exams to manage and treat chronic neurological disorders. The lack of a reliable biomarker in neurological disease leads to economic burdens of $1.7T in the US and Europe alone and stagnant patient outcomes with no significant improvement in outcomes in the last 30 years. Eysz is using analysis of eye-movements as a biomarker to assess brain health across neurological disorders starting with epilepsy – a disorder characterized by recurrent seizures. After completing a successful clinical study sponsored by the NIH and NSF Eysz will be releasing their first product to diagnose and monitor childhood absence epilepsy in Q3 2023.
California State University, Los Angeles Endowment
Grant in 2022
California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA) is a leading public university located in Los Angeles, recognized for its commitment to student upward mobility. Established in 1947, the university serves over 28,000 students and boasts a network of more than 245,000 alumni. Cal State LA offers a range of nationally recognized programs across various fields, including science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, and the humanities. The university is also notable for its facilities, which include the Luckman Fine Arts Complex, Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs, and the Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility. Furthermore, Cal State LA manages an endowment fund that supports scholarships, research, and academic programs, ensuring its mission of engagement and service to the community is upheld.
Sylvatex
Grant in 2022
Sylvatex, Inc. is a fuel technology company based in Los Angeles, California, founded in 2007. It specializes in the development of a unique process that combines vegetable-oil-based surfactants with microbubbles of water and ethanol to create a microemulsion. This innovative approach enables oil companies to lower their production costs while facilitating the generation of green diesel fuel. Sylvatex's technology aims to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of fuel production, contributing to a transition towards more environmentally friendly energy sources.
Xona Space Systems
Grant in 2022
Xona Space Systems, Inc. specializes in developing and manufacturing position, navigation, and timing (PNT) satellite solutions. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in San Mateo, California, the company is focused on creating a constellation of low-cost, low-Earth orbiting satellites designed to enhance navigation for various applications, including autonomous vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and mobile robotics. Their flagship product, the Xona Pulsar, delivers high-power signals from low Earth orbit, ensuring secure and accurate navigation and timing services. This innovative approach aims to meet the demands of smart transportation and smart infrastructure, providing the resilience and precision necessary for modern intelligent systems to operate safely and efficiently at scale.
CoLabs
Grant in 2022
CoLabs Inc. is a medical device manufacturing company based in Morgan Hill, California, established in 2012. The company specializes in developing Ventor, an emergency airway and ventilation system designed to enhance airway management and ventilation during cardiac arrest situations. This innovative device aims to provide medical professionals with a new approach to effectively manage patients experiencing cardiac arrest, facilitating better diagnosis and treatment during critical emergencies.
Skuchain
Grant in 2022
Skuchain, Inc. is a company that specializes in developing blockchain-based products aimed at enhancing B2B trade and supply chain finance. Founded in 2014 and based in Mountain View, California, Skuchain offers a platform that includes features for procurement, contract management, financing arrangements, and inventory tracking. One of its notable products is BRACKETS, a smart lock system that automates monetary transactions when contractual agreements are fulfilled. The company’s currency-agnostic approach ensures that businesses can achieve greater transparency, security, and efficiency throughout their supply chains, catering primarily to banks and manufacturers.
Evolution Devices
Grant in 2022
Evolution Devices, Inc. is a neuro rehabilitation technology company based in Berkeley, California, focused on enhancing mobility for individuals with neurological impairments. The company’s flagship product, EvoWalk, is a bio-electronic wearable device that utilizes functional electrical stimulation and artificial intelligence to track walking patterns and personalize rehabilitation therapy. EvoWalk is designed for patients recovering from conditions such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, ALS, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, and incomplete spinal cord injury. The device employs sensors that deliver electrical stimulation to leg muscles and the peroneal nerve, aiding in foot elevation during walking. This technology aims to eliminate foot drop, reduce fatigue, and minimize the risk of tripping accidents. Evolution Devices, formerly known as Foot++, Inc., was established in 2017 and rebranded in September 2019.
Oculogenex
Grant in 2022
Oculogenex is a biopharmaceutical company that specializes in gene therapy for the treatment of retinal disorders. The company was founded in 2020 and is headquartered in La Habra, California.
Obsidian Sensors
Grant in 2022
Obsidian Sensors is a company based in La Jolla, California, founded in 2017, that specializes in developing glass microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) aimed at enhancing the thermal sensor industry. Their technology utilizes infrared imaging for various applications, including security cameras and autonomous vehicles. By focusing on manufacturing processes that lower costs while maintaining or exceeding industry standards, Obsidian Sensors provides businesses with an efficient alternative to traditional silicon MEMS-based sensors.
California Lutheran University Endowment
Grant in 2022
California Lutheran University, located in Thousand Oaks, California, emphasizes a personalized educational experience through small class sizes and dedicated faculty who foster open-mindedness among undergraduate and graduate students. The university is committed to helping students pursue their passions and discover their purpose, ultimately preparing them to make meaningful contributions to their communities and the world. In 2014, California Lutheran University established a multi-purpose entrepreneurship center to support education, co-working, and start-up incubation. Additionally, the university manages an endowment fund that finances scholarships, professorships, and academic programs, with its assets overseen by the executive management team.
Acrigen Biosciences
Grant in 2022
Acrigen Biosciences is dedicated to making gene editing safe. It develops technologies to improve efficiency and enhance the safety of CRISPR-Cas based gene editing. CRISPR-Cas system which enables the precise enzymatic editing of genes is one of the most exciting and promising techniques to be developed in the last few years with the capability to prevent or cure many devastating diseases. It was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in Berkeley, California.
PHYTunes
Grant in 2022
PHYTunes, based in Palo Alto, California, addresses mobility challenges and handover interruptions for various applications, including robotics, automated mobile robots, automated guided vehicles, VoIP, and mobile real-time video. The company has developed a patented technology that creates a Single Frequency Wi-Fi Network capable of covering spaces up to 100,000 square feet, offering deployment at a significantly lower cost compared to traditional WLAN providers. Additionally, PHYTunes is working on a converged Wi-Fi and mid-band 5G solution for private networks, allowing for the simultaneous distribution of both network types across multiple carriers. This innovative approach utilizes existing wire-line infrastructure, such as telephone lines and fiber-optic cables, to enhance the coverage of high-frequency mobile systems, thus enabling cellular network providers and businesses to improve connectivity for their customers.
InvVax
Grant in 2022
InvVax, Inc. is a vaccine development company based in Los Angeles, California, founded in 2012. The company focuses on creating innovative vaccines, with its primary product being a universal influenza vaccine aimed at preventing pandemics. Utilizing a proprietary platform, InvVax's technology analyzes influenza proteins to address virus mutations, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of vaccines. In addition to its work on influenza, InvVax is exploring vaccine candidates for other viral infections, including HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C.
Ambi Robotics
Grant in 2022
Ambi Robotics is an artificial intelligence and robotics company founded in 2018 and based in Berkeley, California. The company focuses on developing advanced AI-powered robotic systems aimed at enhancing e-commerce operations and simplifying supply chain processes. Ambi Robotics offers a range of innovative solutions, including a robotic put wall, a configurable modular kitting line, and a sophisticated robot operating system that utilizes simulation-to-reality technology. These systems are designed to improve operational accuracy and efficiency while helping clients reduce costs, ultimately allowing human workers to focus on more complex tasks.
DNALite Therapeutics
Grant in 2021
DNALite Therapeutics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing gene therapy treatments specifically for the gastrointestinal tract. Founded in 2016 and based in San Francisco, California, DNALite utilizes innovative oral lipid nanoparticle technology to deliver mRNA and pDNA directly to intestinal stem cells. This approach targets the underlying causes of diseases such as Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, a hereditary form of colorectal cancer that often necessitates invasive surgeries in adolescents. By enabling the intestinal tract to secrete therapeutic proteins into the bloodstream, DNALite aims to transform conventional protein biologics into oral medications, potentially improving patient outcomes and accessibility to treatment.
Rubi Laboratories
Grant in 2021
Rubi Laboratories is a California-based company that specializes in the development of technology to manufacture carbon-negative textiles. The firm utilizes innovative sustainable solutions to convert carbon emissions into natural fibers, resulting in biodegradable textiles. Its technology directly synthesizes threads, providing a natural resource for the production of viscose that is carbon-negative, as well as being water-chemical, land-neutral, traceable, and environmentally friendly. Rubi Laboratories aims to address the environmental impact of textile manufacturing by offering a more sustainable alternative in the industry.
Vulcan Biologics
Grant in 2021
Vulcan Biologics is a biotechnology company based in Irvine, California, established in 2019. It specializes in the modulation of the microbiome through the use of bacteriophages, which are viruses that specifically infect bacteria without harming human cells. This innovative platform aims to achieve stable and persistent changes in the gut microbiome, facilitating the treatment of gluten-related disorders such as gluten sensitivity and celiac disease. By altering the composition of gut bacteria, Vulcan Biologics enables healthcare providers to offer targeted therapeutic solutions for individuals affected by these conditions.
EYSZ
Grant in 2021
Eysz is developing a digital health platform that measures disease progression, intervention efficacy and side effects to assist clinicians in developing a personalized care plan for neurological diseases. Doctors currently rely on patient self-reported data and subjective clinical exams to manage and treat chronic neurological disorders. The lack of a reliable biomarker in neurological disease leads to economic burdens of $1.7T in the US and Europe alone and stagnant patient outcomes with no significant improvement in outcomes in the last 30 years. Eysz is using analysis of eye-movements as a biomarker to assess brain health across neurological disorders starting with epilepsy – a disorder characterized by recurrent seizures. After completing a successful clinical study sponsored by the NIH and NSF Eysz will be releasing their first product to diagnose and monitor childhood absence epilepsy in Q3 2023.
Foli Research
Grant in 2021
Foli Research offers advanced manufacturing services to help engineers solve problems. The company was founded in 2019 and is based in Berkeley, California.
Synvivia
Grant in 2021
Synvivia, Inc. is a biotechnology company founded in 2016 and based in Berkeley, California. It specializes in developing synthetic biology products, particularly ON-OFF switches for genetically engineered organisms. These protein switches can be controlled by small molecules, allowing for precise manipulation of biological functions. By integrating these switches into organisms, Synvivia aims to create engineered life forms that can be effectively used in healthcare. The company also focuses on generating biosensors that enhance enzymatic activities, facilitating easier disease diagnosis and enabling healthcare providers to deliver appropriate treatments.
Epirus
Grant in 2021
Epirus, Inc. is a company focused on developing advanced defense technologies that utilize artificial intelligence and directed energy systems. Based in Hawthorne, California, it specializes in solid-state, software-defined high-power microwave systems designed to counter unmanned aircraft and other asymmetric threats. The company's flagship product, ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE, functions as a drone countermeasure by delivering multiple beams simultaneously, effectively disrupting and neutralizing aerial threats. Additionally, Epirus employs AI and computer vision to enhance its capabilities in detecting and tracking various targets of interest. Founded in 2018, Epirus aims to provide innovative solutions for both national security and commercial applications, optimizing power management and efficiency in electronic warfare scenarios.
Envivo Bio
Grant in 2021
Envivo Bio develops a non-invasive device that collects microbiome samples from all regions of the human gastrointestinal tract. The company is based in San Carlos, California.
Fortiphyte
Grant in 2021
Fortiphyte offers agricultural protection products that help to protect crops from disease and reduce fungicide use. The company was founded in 2017 and is based in Berkeley, California.
Quintessent
Grant in 2021
Quintessent is a Santa Barbara start-up that commercializes quantum dot-based lasers and photonic integrated circuits. Its solutions leverage the unique properties of quantum dot gain media with co-designed architectures to enable future applications in optical networking, deep learning systems, and sensing. It is based in Santa Barbara, California.
Serinus Labs
Grant in 2021
Serinus Labs, Inc. is a manufacturer of nano-scale silicon gas sensors, established in 2017 and located in Berkeley, California. The company specializes in developing integrated chip-scale gas sensors tailored for various industries, including health and safety, automotive, consumer electronics, and healthcare. Serinus Labs offers custom solutions for both established and emerging gas sensor markets, focusing on applications such as Li-ion battery state-of-health monitoring. Their ultra-low-power trace gas sensors contribute to enhancing battery intelligence, particularly in electric vehicles, addressing critical needs in strategic markets.
TRGel
Grant in 2021
TRGel, founded in 2010 and located in Irvine, California, specializes in the development of glucose-based biopolymers designed to serve as an alternative to calcium alginate for encapsulation purposes. The company’s biopolymers are crafted from biocompatible materials, which encompass thermoresponsive hydrogels with adjustable gelation temperatures. These innovative biopolymers enable researchers to utilize them effectively as vehicles for drug delivery, expanding the possibilities for applications in various fields.
Andluca
Grant in 2021
Andluca is a company that specializes in the development of innovative smart glass and smart window products, utilizing UV light and solar energy to enhance energy efficiency in buildings and homes. Founded in 2017 as a spin-out from Princeton University, Andluca has established its operations in New York and California. The company focuses on advanced solar materials, coatings, and embedded systems that enable glass and window products to respond intelligently to environmental changes. Its products can be installed like conventional windows or facades, offering a cost-effective solution that reduces installation time and the carbon footprint typically associated with traditional smart window technologies. Through partnerships with window and facade manufacturers, Andluca provides a diverse range of smart glass options to its clients.
Novel Farms
Pre Seed Round in 2021
Novel Farms, Inc. is a company based in Berkeley, California, founded in 2020, that specializes in the production of cell-based meat products aimed at ethical consumers. Utilizing microbial fermentation and proprietary tissue engineering technology, Novel Farms develops cruelty-free and affordable 3D bioscaffolds, which enable the creation of structured meat products that replicate the taste and texture of traditional gourmet meats. The company focuses on making cell-based meat a desirable culinary option for a new generation of consumers, promoting a more sustainable and ethical approach to meat consumption. Through its innovative methods, Novel Farms seeks to achieve price parity with conventional meat, making its offerings accessible to a broader audience while transforming the future of food.
Lumina Instruments
Grant in 2021
Lumina Instruments develops laser optical scanning equipment for the rapidly expanding market of glass used in high-tech products. The company was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.
Intellerce
Grant in 2021
Intellerce develops a video streaming platform that will significantly reduce the cost of streaming video-on-demand content. The company was founded in 2020 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.
Lucata
Grant in 2021
Lucata Corporation specializes in developing advanced hardware and software technology to enhance memory utilization for various industries. Founded in 2008 and headquartered in New York, with additional offices in South Bend, Indiana, and Palo Alto, Lucata produces motherboards, node cards, and memory servers designed for high-performance analytics. The company employs patented migrating thread technology to enable organizations to perform extensive multi-hop analytics and graph analysis on massive databases, facilitating insights from complex data structures with up to one trillion vertices. Lucata's solutions cater to sectors such as financial services, cybersecurity, healthcare, and telecommunications, allowing users to leverage existing graph database software for deeper analysis without the need for extensive software layers. The company's architecture is energy-efficient, supports linear performance scaling, and significantly reduces latency, making it a powerful option for organizations tackling big data challenges.
Revelata
Grant in 2021
Revelata develops an artificial intelligence platform for extracting data from complex financial documents. It's first product, deepKPI, automatically surfaces hard-to-get KPI time series that are buried within billions of pages of SEC filings. The company was founded in 2020 and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California.
Prisms VR
Grant in 2021
Prisms VR is a STEM education platform that utilizes virtual reality. Prisms VR uses immersive tactile environments to connect 3D, 2D, and 1D representations of core Algebra and Geometry concepts for deep understanding, retention, and long-term standards-aligned proficiency. Prisms VR engages students by immersing them in real-world situations that are interesting and captivating, which naturally brings out arithmetic intuition, sense-making, and goal-driven problem-solving. The company was founded by Anurupa Ganguly and is headquartered in San Francisco, California, United States.
Paramita Therapeutics
Grant in 2021
Paramita Therapeutics is a biotech company established in 2018 and based in San Diego, California. The company is dedicated to developing innovative therapeutics for cancer and infectious diseases. It specializes in efficiently transitioning new therapeutics into clinical settings using a patented, multifunctional chemical platform. This approach allows Paramita Therapeutics to create multivalent drug conjugates derived from recognized and approved molecules with established safety and toxicology profiles. By leveraging its expertise, the company aims to provide patients with access to effective cancer treatments and dual-function therapeutic and vaccine products.
Kapalya
Grant in 2021
Kapalya Inc. specializes in developing a mobile application that facilitates secure access to corporate and cloud servers for both Apple iOS and Android devices. The Kapalya app enables users to navigate and transfer files between various platforms, including corporate SharePoint farms, Windows file shares, and cloud storage applications, utilizing fingerprint recognition for enhanced security. The company also provides real-time encryption key management, ensuring the protection of sensitive files both at-rest and in-transit across multiple endpoints and cloud platforms. Kapalya's services cater to chief information officers, chief information security officers, executives, and enterprise users, allowing them to securely manage and share encrypted files. Founded in 2015, Kapalya is headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii, with an additional office in Berkeley, California.
Novel Farms
Grant in 2021
Novel Farms, Inc. is a company based in Berkeley, California, founded in 2020, that specializes in the production of cell-based meat products aimed at ethical consumers. Utilizing microbial fermentation and proprietary tissue engineering technology, Novel Farms develops cruelty-free and affordable 3D bioscaffolds, which enable the creation of structured meat products that replicate the taste and texture of traditional gourmet meats. The company focuses on making cell-based meat a desirable culinary option for a new generation of consumers, promoting a more sustainable and ethical approach to meat consumption. Through its innovative methods, Novel Farms seeks to achieve price parity with conventional meat, making its offerings accessible to a broader audience while transforming the future of food.
rivieh
Grant in 2021
Rivieh is a technology company based in Los Angeles, California, that specializes in developing hardware solutions to convert properties into smart buildings. Founded in 2018, Rivieh's platform integrates essential components for controlling lighting, heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), music, and smart assistants. This integration allows hoteliers to provide guests with a seamless smart home experience while simultaneously reducing energy consumption and lowering maintenance costs.
Tacit Therapeutics
Grant in 2021
Tacit Therapeutics created RNA-targeting treatments for devastating diseases. By repurposing pre-existing components of human cells, we have created the first broadly applicable and inherently non-immunogenic means to repair mutated genes. The company was founded in 2021 and is based in South San Francisco, California.
Cruz Foam
Seed Round in 2021
Cruz Foam, Inc. is a manufacturer of structural foams that addresses the issue of plastic pollution by providing eco-friendly alternatives to conventional petroleum-based foams. Founded in 2017 and based in Santa Cruz, California, the company transforms chitin, a biopolymer derived from shrimp shells, into biodegradable packaging materials. Cruz Foam's products are used across various industries, including consumer packaging, electronics, automotive, and shipping, offering scalable and compostable solutions that can be integrated into existing supply chains at competitive costs. By focusing on sustainability, Cruz Foam aims to empower industry leaders to adopt environmentally friendly practices and reduce reliance on single-use plastics.
Cruz Foam
Grant in 2021
Cruz Foam, Inc. is a manufacturer of structural foams that addresses the issue of plastic pollution by providing eco-friendly alternatives to conventional petroleum-based foams. Founded in 2017 and based in Santa Cruz, California, the company transforms chitin, a biopolymer derived from shrimp shells, into biodegradable packaging materials. Cruz Foam's products are used across various industries, including consumer packaging, electronics, automotive, and shipping, offering scalable and compostable solutions that can be integrated into existing supply chains at competitive costs. By focusing on sustainability, Cruz Foam aims to empower industry leaders to adopt environmentally friendly practices and reduce reliance on single-use plastics.
Rebel Research
Grant in 2021
Rebel Research, founded in 2020 and based in Torrance, California, focuses on developing innovative technologies to tackle significant challenges in energy and environmental sustainability. The company operates an environmental technology laboratory that fosters creativity and idea generation, allowing scientists and engineers to explore and implement solutions for a sustainable and equitable future. Through its commitment to addressing pressing global issues, Rebel Research aims to contribute positively to both the environment and society.
Oculogenex
Grant in 2021
Oculogenex is a biopharmaceutical company that specializes in gene therapy for the treatment of retinal disorders. The company was founded in 2020 and is headquartered in La Habra, California.
Caribou Biofuels
Grant in 2021
Caribou Biofuels manufactures biofuels for the conversion of biomass into fuels. The company was established in 2017 and is based in Modesto, California.
Carrisan Technologies
Grant in 2021
Carrisan Technologies is a food technology company that develops novel antimicrobial solutions. The company was founded in 2019 and is based in Davis, California.
Pomodyne
Grant in 2021
Pomodyne develops crop cultivation technology with the goal of revolutionizing fruit crop cultivation. The company was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.
Benchmark Labs
Grant in 2021
Benchmark Labs provides asset-specific weather forecasting for the agricultural sector, and beyond. Benchmark Labs is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
Coreshell
Grant in 2021
Coreshell Technologies, Inc. is a company focused on developing advanced lithium-ion batteries, primarily targeting the electric vehicle and grid storage markets. Founded in 2017 and based in Berkeley, California, Coreshell has pioneered a nanolayer thin-film coating technology that addresses the degradation issues commonly faced by rechargeable batteries. This innovative coating protects battery electrodes from chemical reactions that can diminish capacity and safety, thereby enhancing the overall performance and durability of the batteries. By seamlessly integrating into existing manufacturing processes, Coreshell's technology aims to significantly improve battery capacity, safety, and cost-effectiveness, facilitating a smoother transition to electric transportation and renewable energy solutions.
Cartilage
Grant in 2021
Cartilage is a company based in Irvine, California, founded in 2019, that focuses on developing tissue-engineered products for the regeneration of cartilage. The company addresses both focal and large cartilage defects by utilizing a viscous injectable solution designed to enhance cartilage integration. This innovative approach aims to treat early signs of cartilage injury, allowing patients to heal effectively without the limitations associated with existing treatment options.
NeyroblastGX
Grant in 2021
NeyroblastGX is a biotechnology company develops theranostic products to treat neurodegenerative and infectious diseases. The company was founded in 2020 and is headquartered in Murrieta, California.
VeriSIM Life
Grant in 2021
VeriSIM Life, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in San Francisco, California, that specializes in developing disease-specific biosimulation models to enhance drug development processes. Founded in 2017, the company utilizes its proprietary BIOiSIM platform to predict the clinical outcomes of new drugs prior to clinical trials, thereby replacing traditional animal testing methods. By employing artificial intelligence, VeriSIM Life aims to improve the accuracy and efficiency of drug development, ultimately contributing to personalized healthcare solutions. Their offerings are tailored to meet the needs of both pre-clinical and clinical programs, focusing on small molecules, large molecules, and viruses to facilitate better treatment options and increase human life expectancy.
Florica Therapeutics
Grant in 2021
Florica Therapeutics develops exosome-based therapeutics to extend the life and prevent aging diseases. The company was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in Livermore, California.
Labrador Systems
Grant in 2021
Labrador Systems, Inc. is a technology company based in Oak Park, California, focused on developing assistive robots to enhance daily living. Founded in 2017, the company aims to improve the quality of life for individuals by creating a new generation of personal robots that address everyday needs. By leveraging advanced robotics hardware and software, Labrador Systems designs practical applications to support home health and assist individuals in their daily activities.
GRI Bio
Grant in 2021
GRI Bio, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in La Jolla, California, focused on developing cell-based therapies for liver diseases and autoimmune disorders. The company's primary program, GRI-0621, is an oral therapeutic designed to inhibit type 1 Natural Killer T (NKT) cells, aiming to restore balance to dysregulated immune responses associated with inflammation and fibrosis. This small molecule acts as a dual agonist of RAR-beta and gamma, promoting immune homeostasis. GRI Bio also explores additional product candidates, including GRI-0803, which targets type 2 NKT cells. Established in 2009, the company is in the clinical stage of development, working to address significant unmet medical needs in the field of immune-mediated diseases.
Discrete Lattice Industries
Grant in 2021
Discrete Lattice Industries, founded in 2020 and based in Laguna Beach, California, specializes in the development of programmable and cellular materials designed to minimize dependence on fixed tooling. The company focuses on creating customizable products through the discrete assembly of modular and building-block components. This innovative approach not only enhances material efficiency but also improves structural performance. Discrete Lattice Industries aims to serve various sectors, including infrastructure, transportation, and renewable energy, by providing solutions that increase operational efficiency and adaptability in these markets.
Symbrosia
Grant in 2020
Symbrosia is a California-based cleantech startup founded in 2018 that focuses on reducing livestock methane emissions through innovative feed supplements. The company has developed a proprietary product called Seagraze, which is derived from fast-growing Asparagopsis seaweed strains. By incorporating this seaweed into cattle feed, Symbrosia enables ranchers and livestock producers to significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions associated with livestock farming. Through its efforts, Symbrosia aims to promote sustainable agricultural practices while addressing environmental challenges linked to livestock methane production.
Flotherm
Grant in 2020
Flotherm is a company based in Los Angeles, California, that specializes in the development of a thermal compression device aimed at maintaining normothermia during surgical procedures. This innovative device is designed to provide perioperative warming without obstructing access to the surgical site or increasing the risk of contamination. By integrating dynamic compression with lower-limb warming, Flotherm's technology allows surgeons to effectively manage the risks associated with accidental hypothermia and deep-vein thrombosis. The device enhances perioperative compliance while seamlessly fitting into existing surgical workflows.
Monterey Bay Aquariam Research Institute
Grant in 2020
MBARI was founded in 1987 by engineer David Packard. Among his many accomplishments, David Packard (along with William Hewlett) started the Hewlett-Packard Company, a maker of computers and electronic equipment. After helping his daughters, Julie Packard and Nancy Burnett, develop the Monterey Bay Aquarium in 1984, David Packard established MBARI as a private, not-for-profit oceanographic research center, with offices and laboratories in Pacific Grove, on the Monterey Peninsula.
ClimateAI
Grant in 2020
ClimateAI, Inc. is an enterprise climate platform established in 2017 and headquartered in San Francisco, California. The company specializes in providing cloud-based software solutions that help businesses assess and adapt to physical climate risks. Its platform utilizes a climate decision engine and open-source satellite imagery, applying statistical analysis and machine learning techniques to deliver insights for various sectors, including agriculture, energy, construction, and asset management. By enabling users to make informed decisions regarding risk management and investment valuations, ClimateAI aims to climate-proof the global economy, thereby minimizing losses to lives, livelihoods, and the environment.
Cactus Medical
Grant in 2020
Cactus Medical provides physicians with a standardized method for evaluating middle ear effusion. The company was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Irvine, California.
Sown To Grow
Grant in 2020
Sown To Grow, Inc. is a company based in Oakland, California, that specializes in a student goal-setting and reflection platform designed to enhance student well-being and academic performance. Founded in 2015, the platform empowers students to establish personal learning goals, track their progress, and engage in reflective practices to foster a growth mindset and student agency. Additionally, it offers various assignments from third-party programs that facilitate learning and enable teachers to monitor student growth effectively. Through this approach, Sown To Grow aims to support both students and educators in the learning process.
Acrigen Biosciences
Grant in 2020
Acrigen Biosciences is dedicated to making gene editing safe. It develops technologies to improve efficiency and enhance the safety of CRISPR-Cas based gene editing. CRISPR-Cas system which enables the precise enzymatic editing of genes is one of the most exciting and promising techniques to be developed in the last few years with the capability to prevent or cure many devastating diseases. It was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in Berkeley, California.
Raydiant Oximetry
Grant in 2020
Raydiant Oximetry is a medical device company focused on improving outcomes for mothers and babies during childbirth. The company develops a low-cost, non-invasive biomedical device to monitor the oxygen levels in fetal blood. It develops and distributes a non-invasive technology that directly monitors a babies' oxygenation during pregnancy. This technology will lead to better patient care and greatly reduce the number of unnecessary cesarean sections. Founded in 2015 by Neil Ray, Raydiant Oximetry is headquartered in Mountain View, California.
Intact Therapeutics
Grant in 2020
Intact Therapeutics is a biotechnology company based in Belmont, California, founded in 2015. The company focuses on developing a thermosensitive drug delivery platform, specifically smart gels designed for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, including ulcerative colitis. Their proprietary gel technology remains in a liquid state at room temperature, transforming into a mucoadhesive gel at body temperature. This innovative approach allows for targeted drug delivery, providing localized concentrations of medication while minimizing systemic exposure. The gel's design enhances drug retention, efficacy, and patient comfort, offering a painless healing option for individuals suffering from inflammatory bowel diseases.
Koya Medical
Grant in 2020
Koya Medical, Inc., founded in 2018 and based in Oakland, California, specializes in developing innovative therapeutic devices aimed at treating cancer-related chronic lymphedema and various venous diseases. The company focuses on creating wearable technology that delivers active compression therapy, which is designed to enhance movement and mobility for patients. Koya Medical's approach offers a personalized alternative to traditional compression methods, utilizing a sensor-based closed-loop system to provide tailored compression patterns. This technology addresses the needs of patients suffering from conditions such as lymphedema, chronic edema, and chronic venous insufficiency, thereby improving their quality of care and overall treatment outcomes.
ChameleonCloud
Grant in 2020
Cloud services have become ubiquitous to all major 21st century economic activities. However, cloud services and technologies can be significantly more powerful than they are now. A persistent barrier to further advancement has been the lack of a large-scale and open cloud research platforms. With funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Chameleon project will provide such a large-scale platform to the open research community allowing them explore transformative concepts in deeply programmable cloud services, design, and core technologies. Chameleon will allow users to explore problems ranging from the creation of Software as a Service to kernel support for virtualization. This broad range of supported research includes many other areas such as developing Platforms as a Service, creating new and optimizing existing Infrastructure as a Service components, investigating software-defined networking, and optimizing virtualization technologies. The Chameleon testbed, will be deployed at the University of Chicago and the Texas Advanced Computing Center and will consist of 650 multi-core cloud nodes, 5PB of total disk space, and leverage 100 Gbps connection between the sites. While a large part of the testbed will consist of homogenous hardware to support large-scale experiments, a portion of it will support heterogeneous units allowing experimentation with high-memory, large-disk, low-power, GPU, and co-processor units. The project will also leverage existing FutureGrid hardware at the University of Chicago and the Texas Advanced Computing Center in its first year to provide a transition period for the existing FutureGrid community of experimental users. To support the broad range of experiments experiments described above, the project will support a graduated configuration system allowing full user configurability of the software stack, from provisioning of bare metal and network interconnects to delivery of fully functioning cloud environments. A special feature of Chameleon is that it provides for an exceptionally close integration of clouds and networks, which substantially enhances the capabilities of both. In addition, to facilitate experiments, Chameleon will support a set of services designed to meet researchers needs, including support for experimental management, reproducibility, and repositories of trace and workload data of production cloud workloads. The project is led by the Computation Institute at the University of Chicago and partners from the Texas Advanced Computing Center at the University of Texas at Austin, the International Center for Advanced Internet Research at Northwestern University, the Ohio State University, and University of Texas at San Antonio, comprising a highly qualified and experienced team. The team includes members from the NSF supported FutureGrid project and from the GENI community, both forerunners of the NSFCloud solicitation under which this project is funded. Chameleon will also form a set of partnerships with commercial and academic clouds, such as Rackspace, CERN and Open Science Data Cloud (OSDC), and will partner with other testbeds, notably GENI and INRIA's Grid'5000 testbed.
Maui Imaging
Grant in 2020
Maui Imaging, Inc., established in 2006 and located in Sunnyvale, California, specializes in the manufacture of advanced ultrasound imaging devices. The company offers innovative technology that enables imaging through and around various materials, including bones, metals, plastics, gas, and soft tissue. Utilizing techniques such as Computed Echo Tomography and adaptive beam forming, Maui Imaging's systems capture 3D images that traditional ultrasound methods cannot achieve. This capability enhances diagnostic and treatment options within the healthcare industry, providing valuable insights for medical professionals.
EyePredict
Grant in 2020
EyePredict is a developer of commercializing predictive attention software which is intended to improve health commonly for neurological and psychiatric conditions to allow marketplaces to optimize commercial displays. The company intends to improve decision making for attention development which reflects upon patterns in mental dysfunction using neuroscience based software technology to predict visual attention. EyePredict was established by Ran Carmi in Los Angeles, California.
WideSense
Grant in 2020
WideSense is dedicated to promoting the adoption of clean and efficient mobility through its innovative solutions for electric vehicle fleet management. The company offers a physics-based, AI-powered software platform that assists planners and operators in designing, deploying, and managing electric vehicle fleets effectively. Its services focus on ensuring operational reliability while maximizing vehicle utilization and minimizing electricity costs. By providing tools for capital planning and continuous performance monitoring, WideSense enables fleet operators to enhance their operational efficiency and profitability. Headquartered in Berkeley, California, the company is rapidly expanding its global reach, serving major metropolitan and commercial fleet operators with expertise in software, machine learning, and fleet management.
Maverick Space Systems
Grant in 2020
Maverick Space Systems, founded in 2019 and headquartered in San Luis Obispo, California, specializes in satellite deployment hardware along with integration and launch brokering services. The company provides customized and cost-effective solutions for satellite deployment, managing development and launch campaigns for university programs, government missions, and commercial constellations. By offering seamless, turn-key services, Maverick Space Systems enables its customers to efficiently and effectively place their payloads into orbit across North America.
Obsidio
Grant in 2020
Obsidio, Inc. is a medical device company founded in 2018 and based in Solana Beach, California. The company specializes in developing shear-thinning hydrogel biomaterial technology, which is used to manufacture therapeutic devices and universal gel embolization materials. This technology allows for minimally invasive procedures to inject embolic materials through catheters, effectively stopping undesirable blood flow in vessels throughout the body. Obsidio's products are applicable in various medical scenarios, including the treatment of hemorrhages, aneurysms, and tumors, as well as managing conditions related to coagulopathy. By focusing on interventional radiology and oncology, Obsidio aims to provide precise and durable solutions for vascular occlusion.
ACatechol
Grant in 2020
ACatechol develops biological-protein-based adhesives for the production of primers and glues. The company was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Pasadena, California.
Oncodisc
Grant in 2020
Oncodisc is a Bay Area startup developing a system to improve cancer care through integrating an implantable medical device, remote monitoring, and data analytics.
Evolution Devices
Grant in 2020
Evolution Devices, Inc. is a neuro rehabilitation technology company based in Berkeley, California, focused on enhancing mobility for individuals with neurological impairments. The company’s flagship product, EvoWalk, is a bio-electronic wearable device that utilizes functional electrical stimulation and artificial intelligence to track walking patterns and personalize rehabilitation therapy. EvoWalk is designed for patients recovering from conditions such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, ALS, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, and incomplete spinal cord injury. The device employs sensors that deliver electrical stimulation to leg muscles and the peroneal nerve, aiding in foot elevation during walking. This technology aims to eliminate foot drop, reduce fatigue, and minimize the risk of tripping accidents. Evolution Devices, formerly known as Foot++, Inc., was established in 2017 and rebranded in September 2019.
Hubly Surgical
Non Equity Assistance in 2020
Hubly Surgical Inc. is a medical technology company focused on enhancing patient outcomes and improving the quality of care in neurosurgery. Founded in 2018 and based in San Francisco, California, with an additional office in Chicago, the company has developed an integrated electric drill system that replaces traditional free-hand techniques. This innovative device aims to reduce the rate of lethal complications associated with surgical drilling and is designed to facilitate bedside intracranial access, decreasing the reliance on operating rooms. Hubly's mission is to make its safety technology the standard of care for medical drilling, ensuring that both standard and underserved settings can benefit from improved surgical procedures.
Prisms VR
Grant in 2020
Prisms VR is a STEM education platform that utilizes virtual reality. Prisms VR uses immersive tactile environments to connect 3D, 2D, and 1D representations of core Algebra and Geometry concepts for deep understanding, retention, and long-term standards-aligned proficiency. Prisms VR engages students by immersing them in real-world situations that are interesting and captivating, which naturally brings out arithmetic intuition, sense-making, and goal-driven problem-solving. The company was founded by Anurupa Ganguly and is headquartered in San Francisco, California, United States.
Xona Space Systems
Grant in 2020
Xona Space Systems, Inc. specializes in developing and manufacturing position, navigation, and timing (PNT) satellite solutions. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in San Mateo, California, the company is focused on creating a constellation of low-cost, low-Earth orbiting satellites designed to enhance navigation for various applications, including autonomous vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and mobile robotics. Their flagship product, the Xona Pulsar, delivers high-power signals from low Earth orbit, ensuring secure and accurate navigation and timing services. This innovative approach aims to meet the demands of smart transportation and smart infrastructure, providing the resilience and precision necessary for modern intelligent systems to operate safely and efficiently at scale.
Protabit
Grant in 2020
Protabit specializes in protein engineering for various sectors, including industrial, agricultural, and healthcare applications. The company employs a unique platform technology that integrates computational modeling with high-throughput screening and directed evolution to enhance the diversity of protein sequences. This innovative approach allows Protabit to produce novel proteins tailored to specific needs. The development of their technology is supported by strategic partnerships with notable organizations, including Monsanto Company and the California Institute of Technology. Through its advanced methodologies, Protabit aims to advance the field of protein design and provide customized solutions for its clients.
Wield
Grant in 2020
Wield is a company that develops advanced prosthetic systems aimed at restoring mobility and independence for individuals with limb loss. Founded in 2020 and based in San Francisco, California, Wield's platform utilizes innovative materials and biomimetic design to create functional and aesthetically appealing prosthetics. By integrating technology that allows users to control these devices through computers, Wield empowers individuals to engage fully in their daily lives and pursue their personal goals.
Obsidian Sensors
Grant in 2020
Obsidian Sensors is a company based in La Jolla, California, founded in 2017, that specializes in developing glass microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) aimed at enhancing the thermal sensor industry. Their technology utilizes infrared imaging for various applications, including security cameras and autonomous vehicles. By focusing on manufacturing processes that lower costs while maintaining or exceeding industry standards, Obsidian Sensors provides businesses with an efficient alternative to traditional silicon MEMS-based sensors.
Foli Research
Grant in 2020
Foli Research offers advanced manufacturing services to help engineers solve problems. The company was founded in 2019 and is based in Berkeley, California.
ZestBio
Grant in 2020
ZestBio, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in Berkeley, California, founded in 2017. The company focuses on converting agricultural waste streams into valuable specialty chemicals. By utilizing innovative technologies, ZestBio extracts value from byproducts such as orange juice peel waste, sugar beet pulp, and grape pomace. Its product offerings include household cleaning ingredients, bio-based plastics, and vitamins, all derived from low-value, abundant fruit and vegetable byproducts. This approach not only promotes sustainability but also provides customers with renewable and eco-friendly products at competitive prices.
Quintessent
Grant in 2020
Quintessent is a Santa Barbara start-up that commercializes quantum dot-based lasers and photonic integrated circuits. Its solutions leverage the unique properties of quantum dot gain media with co-designed architectures to enable future applications in optical networking, deep learning systems, and sensing. It is based in Santa Barbara, California.
Atom Computing
Grant in 2020
Atom Computing builds truly scalable quantum computers out of individual atoms. The company's quantum computers use quantum mechanical properties of atoms to process information and solve problems beyond the reach of traditional computers, including drug design, computational chemistry, and more. Atom Computing was founded in 2018 and based in Berkeley, California.
Trash
Grant in 2020
Trash Inc. is a video editing software company that utilizes artificial intelligence and machine learning to simplify the creation and editing of short-form videos. Founded in 2017 and based in Los Angeles, the company provides a platform that features predictive editing capabilities, allowing users to quickly generate high-quality videos directly from their phones. Trash Inc.'s innovative toolkit includes a stock video repository, enhanced by computer vision technology, to assist users in real-time video editing. The company has received backing from the National Science Foundation and operates under the umbrella of Visual Supply Company since late 2020.
Cruz Foam
Grant in 2020
Cruz Foam, Inc. is a manufacturer of structural foams that addresses the issue of plastic pollution by providing eco-friendly alternatives to conventional petroleum-based foams. Founded in 2017 and based in Santa Cruz, California, the company transforms chitin, a biopolymer derived from shrimp shells, into biodegradable packaging materials. Cruz Foam's products are used across various industries, including consumer packaging, electronics, automotive, and shipping, offering scalable and compostable solutions that can be integrated into existing supply chains at competitive costs. By focusing on sustainability, Cruz Foam aims to empower industry leaders to adopt environmentally friendly practices and reduce reliance on single-use plastics.
Automat Solutions
Grant in 2020
Automat Solutions, founded by Xiao-Liang (Leon) Wang in 2019 and based in Fremont, California, specializes in advancing materials innovation in the lithium battery sector. The company develops a battery materials system that utilizes artificial intelligence and robotics to streamline research and development processes. This technology allows clients to rapidly customize and mass-produce high-performance electrolyte materials, significantly reducing the time to market for products in the global lithium battery industry. Through its focus on enhancing battery material development, Automat Solutions aims to disrupt the traditional landscape of battery production.
7 Generation Games
Grant in 2020
7 Generation Games, Inc. is an educational game developer based in Santa Monica, California, focused on creating interactive learning tools for schools and districts. The company specializes in games that teach essential math concepts such as multiplication, division, geometry, probability, and fractions, while also integrating resources on Native American culture. In addition to its educational games, 7 Generation Games offers supplemental materials for educators, including films, presentations, and curated historical content. The company has also developed the 7 Gen Blocks platform, which allows curriculum publishers to create customized, white-label educational games efficiently, significantly reducing development time and costs. This platform streamlines the game creation process, making it more accessible for educators and curriculum developers.
May & Meadow
Grant in 2020
May & Meadow, Inc. is a company based in Redwood City, California, that focuses on developing medical devices aimed at assessing feeding abilities in infants at risk for feeding problems. Founded in 2015, the company specializes in digital health technologies that support mothers and newborns facing challenges related to feeding and breastfeeding. Its innovative sensor technology delivers timely and quantitative information to both mothers and healthcare providers, facilitating objective assessments and offering reassurance to families dealing with feeding difficulties.
Envivo Bio
Grant in 2020
Envivo Bio develops a non-invasive device that collects microbiome samples from all regions of the human gastrointestinal tract. The company is based in San Carlos, California.
Preventa Medical
Grant in 2019
Preventa Medical develops a healthcare technology platform for patient monitoring. The company was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Stanford, California.
Advanced Paving Technologies
Grant in 2019
Advanced Paving Technologies develops asphalt paving machines to repair damaged roads. The company was founded in 2002 and is based in Monterey, California.
Noon Energy
Grant in 2019
Noon Energy is a company based in Palo Alto, California, focused on developing innovative flow battery technology for long-duration energy storage. Founded in 2018, the company aims to make intermittent renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, more reliable by providing on-demand power. Its rechargeable battery utilizes low-cost energy storage media that separates energy and power capacity, enabling efficient long-duration storage without the need for mining precious metals. This approach supports the scaling of renewable electricity supplies, thereby reducing reliance on fossil fuels, minimizing pollution, and lowering emissions.
PhotonLab
Grant in 2019
PhotonLab develops photosensor technology for light detection and radiation monitoring. The company was founded in 2015 by Daniel Ferenc and has its headquarters in Davis, California.
InkSpace Imaging
Grant in 2019
InkSpace Imaging, Inc., founded in 2016 and based in Pleasanton, California, specializes in the development of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) receive coils. The company focuses on creating ultra-lightweight, customizable MRI coils designed to enhance patient comfort and optimize imaging performance, particularly for pediatric patients. By contouring to the body, these coils not only improve image quality but also facilitate faster setup times, thereby reducing the need for anesthesia during examinations. InkSpace Imaging aims to increase the accessibility and efficiency of MRI procedures while prioritizing the comfort and safety of its youngest patients.
Culture Biosciences
Grant in 2019
Culture Biosciences, Inc. is a biomanufacturing company based in South San Francisco, California, that offers a cloud-based platform for scientists to conduct, monitor, and analyze bioreactor experiments. Founded in 2016, the company focuses on automating bioprocesses to help biotech firms optimize their manufacturing processes and expedite product development. By utilizing robotic sample handling and cloud data monitoring, Culture Biosciences enhances the efficiency of fermentation and bioreactor operations, allowing researchers to achieve results more rapidly than with traditional methods.
unspun
Grant in 2019
Unspun, Inc., founded in 2015 and based in San Francisco, California, specializes in the development of a platform that creates customized jeans using advanced body scanning technology, fit algorithms, and additive manufacturing. The company aims to address environmental concerns by reducing global carbon emissions through automated and localized manufacturing processes. Unspun’s innovative approach not only eliminates pattern-cutting waste and unsold inventory but also allows for the production of jeans in under ten minutes in a zero-waste manner. Their technology is showcased through the unspun.io platform, which provides digital customization solutions for various apparel brands. With a mission to make fashion more sustainable, Unspun is positioned at the intersection of robotics and digital apparel, striving to transform the industry with its unique approach to on-demand manufacturing.
Sylvatex
Grant in 2019
Sylvatex, Inc. is a fuel technology company based in Los Angeles, California, founded in 2007. It specializes in the development of a unique process that combines vegetable-oil-based surfactants with microbubbles of water and ethanol to create a microemulsion. This innovative approach enables oil companies to lower their production costs while facilitating the generation of green diesel fuel. Sylvatex's technology aims to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of fuel production, contributing to a transition towards more environmentally friendly energy sources.
Spot something off? Help us improve by flagging any incorrect or outdated information. Just email us at support@teaserclub.com. Your feedback is most welcome.