San Diego Supercomputer Center
Grant in 2024
The San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) enables international science and engineering discoveries through advances in computational science and data-intensive, high-performance computing. It provides access to a vast array of data and computational resources and services for all UC researchers who need cyberinfrastructure beyond their own laboratories, classrooms, departments, and academic units.
SDSC’s research cyberinfrastructure includes: data-intensive computing resources to the academic and industrial communities through the RCI program's Triton Shared Computing Cluster (TSCC), a high-impact data analysis and preservation system featuring a large-scale disk storage facility, a data analysis facility for petascale research, and a shared research cluster; Gordon, the first high-performance supercomputer to use massive amounts of flash-based memory to speed solutions for data-intensive problems; Trestles, which also features flash-based memory, with a design tailored to the majority of user jobs rather than a handful of researchers who run jobs at thousands of core counts; a green data center equipped to house co-location servers; and an environment for all things related to data, including management, mining, curation, analysis, visualization, access and preservation as well as data storage technologies.
Along with its broad spectrum of software, hardware, networking, and information resources, SDSC also offers users full-time support including 24-hour helpdesk services, code optimization, training, portal development, and a variety of other services.
San Diego Supercomputer Center was founded in 1985.
Rubi Laboratories
Grant in 2024
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.
University of California, Irvine Extension
Grant in 2024
The University of California, Irvine Extension is an academic institution offering diverse educational programs and cultural events to both students and the wider community.
University of California San Diego
Grant in 2024
The University of California San Diego (UC San Diego) is a public research university renowned for its diverse undergraduate and graduate programs across multiple disciplines. It emphasizes research, community engagement, and interdisciplinary collaboration, making it a hub for innovation and education. The university houses the School of Medicine, which prepares students for careers in healthcare by equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills to become dedicated medical professionals. Additionally, UC San Diego fosters a multidisciplinary approach to complex systems through its human-centered design thinking labs, collaborating with various industrial partners in fields such as automation and healthcare. It actively supports student involvement in leadership and offers resources for studying abroad, enhancing the overall educational experience.
Agrology is an agricultural technology company that provides real-time data and predictive insights to help growers measure and improve the ecological and agronomic effects of regenerative and sustainable farming practices. The company tracks soil health, microbial activity, carbon cycles, nitrous oxide emissions, net ecosystem exchange, and microclimatic conditions to help growers link regenerative practices to verified greenhouse gas reductions and ecological benefits, support soil carbon sequestration, and generate carbon credits. Its system is designed to help farmers resist and adapt to climate change while monitoring greenhouse gases and informing sustainable farming decisions.
EYSZ is a digital health software company based in Piedmont, California, founded in 2018. It specializes in detection algorithms that utilize oculometric and facial biometric data to reliably detect seizures and assist in the diagnosis and management of brain disorders, including epilepsy, ADHD, and depression. By employing machine learning techniques, EYSZ's software not only detects seizures but also predicts their occurrence. The platform is designed to interface and integrate with various eye-tracking systems, such as smart glasses, and therapeutic devices like neuromodulation tools, thereby enhancing the ability of clinicians to monitor and manage the neurological health of their patients effectively.
Founded in 2017, Nexilico is an early-stage biotechnology company based in Albany, California. It specializes in advancing microbiome and precision medicine research through the development of predictive computational platforms. These platforms aim to enhance drug design, development, and clinical outcomes for various therapeutics.
California State University, Los Angeles
Grant in 2022
Founded in 1947, California State University, Los Angeles is a comprehensive public university dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good. It offers nationally recognized programs across various fields, serving over 28,000 students and boasting more than 245,000 alumni.
Sylvatex, Inc. develops and scales a cathode manufacturing process for lithium-ion batteries to future-proof production, increasing flexibility in material composition, broadening the range of inputs, and aiming to lower costs, capital requirements, and the carbon footprint for electric vehicles and energy storage applications.
Xona Space Systems
Grant in 2022
Xona Space Systems develops and manufactures position, navigation, and timing satellite solutions for smart transportation and infrastructure. The company operates a constellation of low-cost, low-Earth-orbit satellites to deliver secure navigation and timing services with resilience and high location precision for autonomous vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, mobile robotics, and other location-critical applications. Founded in 2019 and based in San Mateo, California, Xona Space Systems aims to enable safe, scalable operation of intelligent systems at scale.
Protabit develops protein engineering technology, combining computational modeling with high-throughput screening and directed evolution. This enables the exploration of diverse protein sequences for novel proteins, serving industrial, agricultural, and healthcare sectors.
CoLabs Inc. is a medical device manufacturing company founded in 2012 and headquartered in Morgan Hill, California. The company specializes in developing Ventor, an innovative emergency airway and ventilation system aimed at improving airway management and ventilation during cardiac arrest. CoLabs' device offers medical professionals a new approach to effectively manage airway access and ventilation, enhancing the response to patients experiencing cardiac emergencies.
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 located in Mountain View, California, Skuchain offers a commerce cloud platform that integrates various functionalities, including procurement and contract management, financing arrangements, and inventory tracking. One of its notable products is BRACKETS, a smart lock equipped with digital keys that facilitates financial transactions upon the fulfillment of contractual agreements. By providing a currency-agnostic blockchain solution, Skuchain enables banks and manufacturers to achieve greater transparency, security, and efficiency within their supply chains.
Evolution Devices
Grant in 2022
Evolution Devices is a neuro rehabilitation technology company that creates functional electrical stimulation devices. Its flagship product, EvoWalk, uses artificial intelligence to track walking patterns and personalize therapy for individuals recovering from neurological impairments such as stroke or multiple sclerosis.
Oculogenex is a biopharmaceutical company founded in 2020 and based in La Habra, California. It specializes in the development of gene therapies aimed at treating retinal disorders. The company’s innovative approach involves ocular regenerative gene therapy that protects retinal pigment epithelial cells from oxidative stress-induced cell death, a condition linked to macular degeneration. By focusing on these therapies, Oculogenex seeks to enable researchers to enhance the detection and treatment of retinal-related disorders, contributing significantly to advancements in this critical area of medical research.
Obsidian Sensors
Grant in 2022
Founded in La Jolla, California in 2017, Obsidian Sensors specializes in developing high-resolution thermal imaging sensors and cameras. Utilizing a proprietary glass microelectromechanical system (MEMS) manufacturing process, the company produces uncooled microbolometers at lower costs and on a larger scale than conventional silicon-based devices. Their products cater to automotive (ADAS and autonomy), security/surveillance, drones, and industrial applications.
California Lutheran University Endowment
Grant in 2022
California Lutheran University, located in Thousand Oaks, California, is dedicated to providing a transformative educational experience through its accomplished faculty and small class sizes. The university focuses on developing open-minded students who seek personal growth and aim to make a positive impact on their communities and the world. In support of its mission, California Lutheran University manages an endowment fund that finances a variety of academic initiatives, including scholarships, professorships, and research programs. The endowment's assets are overseen by an executive management team, ensuring that the earnings from investments effectively bolster the university's commitment to education and service. Additionally, the university fosters innovation with the establishment of a multi-purpose entrepreneurship center, which serves as a hub for education, co-working, and startup incubation.
Acrigen Biosciences
Grant in 2022
Acrigen Biosciences is focused on advancing gene editing technologies to enhance the safety and efficiency of CRISPR-Cas based systems. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Berkeley, California, the company develops precision gene editing solutions aimed at producing effective and safe in vivo drug therapies for various diseases. Acrigen's innovations include Acro proteins that regulate the CRISPR-Cas gene editing process, along with a bioinformatics discovery software platform designed to identify suitable CRISPR systems for human therapeutic applications. By improving anti-CRISPR proteins and optimizing genetic therapies, Acrigen aims to contribute significantly to the field of medicine and the treatment of debilitating conditions.
PHYTunes is a technology company based in Palo Alto, California, focused on addressing mobility challenges and handover interruptions in various applications, including robotics, automated mobile robots (AMR), automated guided vehicles (AGV), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and mobile real-time video. The company has developed a patented solution that creates a Single Frequency Wi-Fi Network capable of covering areas up to 100,000 square feet, offering deployment at a significantly lower cost compared to traditional wireless local area network (WLAN) providers. Additionally, PHYTunes is advancing a converged Wi-Fi and mid-band 5G solution for private networks, allowing the integration of both network types over a unified infrastructure. This approach leverages existing wire-line technologies, such as telephone lines and fiber-optic cables, to enhance high-frequency mobile signal coverage, thereby facilitating better connectivity for cellular network providers and businesses.
InvVax develops innovative vaccines using its proprietary platform. Its flagship product is a universal influenza vaccine designed to provide broad, long-lasting protection against all flu strains.
Ambi Robotics
Grant in 2022
Ambi Robotics develops AI-powered robotics solutions to scale e-commerce operations and assist human workers. The company provides adaptable automation tools for supply chain tasks, including a put wall, configurable and modular kitting line, and a simulation-to-reality operating system designed to improve accuracy and efficiency while reducing operating costs. Based in Berkeley, California, Ambi Robotics focuses on applying intelligent automation to warehouse processes to help businesses meet demand.
DNALite Therapeutics
Grant in 2021
DNALite Therapeutics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative gene therapy treatments for the gastrointestinal tract. Founded in 2016 and based in San Francisco, California, the company utilizes advanced oral lipid nanoparticle technology to deliver mRNA and plasmid DNA directly to intestinal stem cells. This approach aims to address the root causes of gastrointestinal diseases, including Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP), a hereditary condition that can lead to colorectal cancer and often necessitates invasive surgical interventions. DNALite's therapies seek to transform protein biologics into oral drugs, allowing for more effective and less invasive treatment options.
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.
EYSZ is a digital health software company based in Piedmont, California, founded in 2018. It specializes in detection algorithms that utilize oculometric and facial biometric data to reliably detect seizures and assist in the diagnosis and management of brain disorders, including epilepsy, ADHD, and depression. By employing machine learning techniques, EYSZ's software not only detects seizures but also predicts their occurrence. The platform is designed to interface and integrate with various eye-tracking systems, such as smart glasses, and therapeutic devices like neuromodulation tools, thereby enhancing the ability of clinicians to monitor and manage the neurological health of their patients effectively.
Vulcan Biologics
Grant in 2021
Vulcan Biologics, established in 2019 and based in Irvine, California, specializes in biotechnology solutions for modulating microbiomes. Its core platform employs bacteriophages, which selectively target and alter specific gut bacteria without affecting the human host, aiming to achieve stable and persistent changes in the microbiome. This approach is primarily focused on treating gluten-related disorders, including gluten sensitivity and celiac disease.
Foli Research
Grant in 2021
Foli Research, established in 2019 and headquartered in Berkeley, California, specializes in providing advanced manufacturing services aimed at addressing complex engineering problems. The company employs first principles analysis and computational design to deliver innovative solutions. These services are tailored to support manufacturers and the energy industry in achieving their growth objectives through elegant and effective results.
Synvivia, Inc. is a biotechnology company founded in 2016 and based in Berkeley, California. The company specializes in developing synthetic biology products, particularly ON-OFF switches for genetically engineered organisms. These protein switches are regulated by small molecules, allowing for precise control of biological functions within the organisms. Synvivia's innovations enable the creation of engineered organisms that can be utilized in healthcare, specifically for diagnosing diseases and enhancing treatment options. Additionally, the company is focused on generating biosensors to identify and improve enzymatic activities, thereby facilitating more effective disease management.
Epirus, Inc. is a technology company based in Hawthorne, California, specializing in the design and development of advanced defense systems that utilize artificial intelligence and directed energy. Founded in 2018, the company focuses on creating solid-state, software-defined high-power microwave solutions aimed at countering unmanned aircraft systems and other asymmetric threats. Its flagship product, ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE, serves as a counter-infrastructure solution that can simultaneously target multiple threats, effectively neutralizing drones and swarms. By integrating AI and machine learning with advanced electronics, Epirus enhances the detection and tracking of objects of interest, offering innovative capabilities in electronic warfare and power management for both defense and commercial sectors.
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.
Swift Solar Inc. is a California-based company founded in 2017 that specializes in the design and manufacture of lightweight solar panels and systems. The company focuses on developing advanced solar technology, particularly through its innovation in perovskite solar cells, which are engineered to be more efficient and affordable than traditional solar panels. These ultra-thin films are capable of absorbing various parts of the solar spectrum, resulting in high-efficiency tandem solar cells that offer significant weight advantages. Swift Solar emphasizes domestic manufacturing and the use of abundant raw materials, ensuring the scalability of its products for applications in aerospace, automotive, and building sectors.
STL Scientific
Grant in 2021
STL Scientific develops a non-invasive screening tool for detecting overweight trucks on the road in real-time. The company's headquarters are in Temple City, California.
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.
Serinus Labs
Grant in 2021
Serinus Labs, Inc. is a manufacturer of nano-scale silicon gas sensors, established in 2017 and based 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 that address both existing and emerging market needs. In particular, the company focuses on providing ultra-low-power trace gas sensors for Li-ion battery state-of-health monitoring, which enhances battery intelligence in electric vehicles. Through its innovative technology, Serinus Labs aims to meet critical demands across strategic markets.
TRGel is a biotechnology company founded in 2010 and based in Irvine, California, specializing in the development of glucose-based biopolymers that serve as alternatives to calcium alginate for encapsulation purposes. The company's biopolymers are crafted from biocompatible materials and include thermoresponsive hydrogels with adjustable gelation temperatures. This innovative approach allows researchers to effectively use TRGel's biopolymers as vehicles for drug delivery, enhancing the potential for various therapeutic applications.
Frontier Bio
Grant in 2021
Frontier Bio Corporation is a biotechnology company based in Oakland, California, focused on developing and manufacturing advanced bioprinting technologies. Founded in 2018, the company specializes in creating lab-grown human tissues as an ethical alternative to animal studies. Its flagship product, the FLUX-1, is a 3D bioprinter that integrates conventional bioprinting methods with electro-hydrodynamic printing capabilities. This device enables the bioprinting of complex tissues such as skin, cartilage, and bone, and allows for applications in drug toxicity testing, tissue implants, drug screening, disease modeling, and prosthetics. By providing a means to produce human tissues with complete cell survivability, Frontier Bio aims to enhance the healthcare industry's ability to replace animal testing and address the organ transplant waitlist.
Ecate is a Los Angeles-based company established in 2020, focused on developing innovative medical devices that create organo-robotic interfaces. The company aims to enhance human capabilities by integrating machine intelligence with biological systems. Specifically, Ecate is working on advanced neural interfaces that utilize nanoparticles and nanotechnology to facilitate communication between injured sites and the central nervous system. By employing customized nanopatterned electrodes, Ecate's technology seeks to restore sensory and motor functions for paralyzed patients, thereby helping them regain control over their lost abilities.
Quintessent Inc., incorporated in 2019 and headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, is a technology company focused on the commercialization of quantum dot-based lasers and photonic integrated circuits. The company develops advanced optical connectivity solutions that utilize the unique properties of quantum dot gain media, combined with co-designed architectures. This innovation enables high-bandwidth communication channels essential for optical networking, large-scale computing systems, and deep learning applications. By leveraging advanced semiconductor materials and laser architectures, Quintessent aims to facilitate the growth of next-generation optical networks and enhance capabilities in sensing and deep learning systems.
Andluca, established in 2017 as a spinout from Princeton University, specializes in developing innovative smart glass and window products powered by UV light and solar energy. Headquartered in New York with operations in California, the company's advanced materials and embedded systems enable windows to respond intelligently to their environment, reducing energy consumption in buildings and homes. By partnering with window manufacturers, Andluca offers a range of smart glass solutions that can be installed like standard windows, lowering costs, time, and embodied carbon compared to traditional smart window installation methods.
Lucata Corporation is a technology company that specializes in enhancing memory utilization through its innovative hardware and software solutions. Founded in 2008 and headquartered in New York City, with additional offices in South Bend, Indiana, Lucata develops motherboards, node cards, and memory servers tailored for various applications such as graph analysis, cyber security, data warehousing, machine learning, and risk analysis. Utilizing patented migrating thread technology, Lucata enables organizations to conduct high-performance analytics on extensive databases exceeding one trillion vertices, facilitating deeper insights into complex data relationships. Its solutions are designed for sectors including financial services, healthcare, telecommunications, and government, allowing for real-time analysis and scalable memory architecture without the need for additional software layers. Lucata's architecture supports energy-efficient processing and significant performance enhancements as hardware scales, positioning the company as a key player in the evolving landscape of big data and analytics.
Lumina Instruments
Grant in 2021
Lumina Instruments specializes in the development and manufacturing of laser optical scanning equipment tailored for the growing glass market in high-tech applications. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in San Jose, California, the company provides innovative solutions that enhance yield and process management through its advanced thin-film defect detection capabilities. This technology enables businesses to effectively map and classify transparent, translucent, and opaque substrates of various shapes, thereby contributing to improved production efficiency and product quality.
Novel Farms
Pre Seed Round in 2021
Novel Farms, Inc. is a Berkeley, California-based company founded in 2020 that specializes in the production of cell-based meat delicacies. It focuses on developing cruelty-free, low-cost, and tunable bioscaffolds through microbial fermentation and proprietary tissue engineering technology. The company's mission is to create gourmet meat alternatives that replicate the taste and texture of conventional meats, appealing to a new generation of conscious consumers. By producing whole-muscle cuts of cultivated meat, Novel Farms aims to make synthetic meat-based delicacies accessible and desirable, transforming the consumption of cell-based meat into a sought-after culinary experience.
Intellerce is a San Diego-based company founded in 2020 that specializes in developing a video streaming platform aimed at significantly lowering the costs associated with streaming video-on-demand content. The platform leverages artificial intelligence to minimize the reliance on data centers and Content Distribution Networks, resulting in reduced streaming expenses and decreased energy consumption. This innovative approach not only enhances the efficiency of video delivery but also contributes to lowering the carbon footprint of cloud computing infrastructures. By focusing on cost-effective and sustainable solutions, Intellerce enables video companies to provide an exceptional streaming experience to their users.
Revelata develops an artificial intelligence platform for extracting data from complex financial documents. Its product deepKPI automatically surfaces KPI time series buried within billions of pages of SEC filings. The platform automates discovery and extraction of structured information from unstructured long-form filings, enabling investors and investment professionals to streamline research and decision-making. Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Palo Alto, California.
Prisms VR is a STEM education platform based in San Francisco, California, founded by Anurupa Ganguly. The company specializes in creating immersive educational experiences using virtual reality technology. Its software features modules designed to provide realistic 3D environments that facilitate problem-solving and enhance understanding of complex concepts. These modules support content remediation and reinforce lessons learned in class, making them valuable for both in-person and remote learning settings. The platform aims to assist teachers and parents in teaching and fostering spatial thinking skills in students, ultimately enriching the educational experience.
Paramita Therapeutics
Grant in 2021
Founded in 2018, Paramita Therapeutics is a biotechnology company based in San Diego, California. It specializes in developing new therapeutics for cancer and infectious diseases.
Kapalya Inc. is a technology company that specializes in mobile application development, focusing on secure access to corporate and cloud servers. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii, with an additional office in Berkeley, California, Kapalya offers a mobile application that allows users to navigate and transfer files between various platforms, including corporate SharePoint farms, Windows file shares, and cloud-based storage applications, all utilizing fingerprint recognition for security. The company provides robust encryption solutions for a range of applications such as Box, Oracle, Amazon Web Services, and Salesforce, ensuring that sensitive files are securely stored both at-rest and in-transit. Kapalya caters to chief information officers, chief information security officers, executives, and enterprise users, enabling them to share encrypted files seamlessly across multiple cloud platforms while maintaining data integrity and security.
Novel Farms, Inc. is a Berkeley, California-based company founded in 2020 that specializes in the production of cell-based meat delicacies. It focuses on developing cruelty-free, low-cost, and tunable bioscaffolds through microbial fermentation and proprietary tissue engineering technology. The company's mission is to create gourmet meat alternatives that replicate the taste and texture of conventional meats, appealing to a new generation of conscious consumers. By producing whole-muscle cuts of cultivated meat, Novel Farms aims to make synthetic meat-based delicacies accessible and desirable, transforming the consumption of cell-based meat into a sought-after culinary experience.
Rivieh is a technology company founded in 2018 and based in Los Angeles, California. It specializes in developing hardware solutions that convert traditional properties into smart buildings. Rivieh's platform integrates essential components for controlling lighting, HVAC systems, music, and smart assistants, aiming to enhance the guest experience in the hospitality sector. By offering a seamless smart home environment, the company helps hoteliers improve energy efficiency and reduce maintenance costs, making it easier for properties to adopt advanced technological solutions.
Semiotic AI is a company that specializes in encrypted computing services utilizing Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) to enhance data security and privacy in cloud environments. By allowing organizations to perform data analytics on sensitive information without compromising its integrity, Semiotic AI addresses critical concerns related to data protection. The company's technology also safeguards proprietary models by encrypting them prior to deployment. Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Los Altos, California, Semiotic AI aims to play a significant role in the evolving landscape of cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies. In addition, the company develops automated decision-making tools that leverage AI and cryptography to facilitate decentralized markets on the blockchain, enhancing price efficiency and usability for businesses and consumers alike. The founders bring extensive experience in cryptography and AI, positioning Semiotic AI as a key player in the future of secure data management.
Tacit Therapeutics
Grant in 2021
Founded in 2021 and based in South San Francisco, California, Tacit Therapeutics develops RNA-targeted treatments aimed at repairing mutated genes. The company innovates by repurposing existing human cell components to create broadly applicable, non-immunogenic gene modification methods.
Cruz Foam
Seed Round in 2021
Cruz Foam, Inc. is a Santa Cruz, California-based company founded in 2017 that specializes in manufacturing structural foams from chitin, a biopolymer derived from shrimp shells. The company addresses the global plastic pollution crisis by providing bio-benign foam solutions that serve as eco-friendly alternatives to traditional petroleum-based foams. Cruz Foam's products are designed for a variety of applications, including consumer packaging, consumer electronics, automotive, and business-to-business packaging. By utilizing naturally sourced biopolymers, the company creates scalable and compostable materials that can be integrated into existing supply chains at competitive costs. Cruz Foam collaborates with key industry leaders across various sectors, including consumer electronics, appliances, shipping, and consumer packaged goods, to promote sustainable practices and contribute to a cleaner environment.
Cruz Foam, Inc. is a Santa Cruz, California-based company founded in 2017 that specializes in manufacturing structural foams from chitin, a biopolymer derived from shrimp shells. The company addresses the global plastic pollution crisis by providing bio-benign foam solutions that serve as eco-friendly alternatives to traditional petroleum-based foams. Cruz Foam's products are designed for a variety of applications, including consumer packaging, consumer electronics, automotive, and business-to-business packaging. By utilizing naturally sourced biopolymers, the company creates scalable and compostable materials that can be integrated into existing supply chains at competitive costs. Cruz Foam collaborates with key industry leaders across various sectors, including consumer electronics, appliances, shipping, and consumer packaged goods, to promote sustainable practices and contribute to a cleaner environment.
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.
Oculogenex is a biopharmaceutical company founded in 2020 and based in La Habra, California. It specializes in the development of gene therapies aimed at treating retinal disorders. The company’s innovative approach involves ocular regenerative gene therapy that protects retinal pigment epithelial cells from oxidative stress-induced cell death, a condition linked to macular degeneration. By focusing on these therapies, Oculogenex seeks to enable researchers to enhance the detection and treatment of retinal-related disorders, contributing significantly to advancements in this critical area of medical research.
Rebel Research
Grant in 2021
Founded in 2020 and based in Torrance, California, Rebel Research specializes in developing innovative technologies to tackle challenges in energy and the environment. The company operates an environmental technology laboratory, providing service assistance to clients aiming to contribute to a sustainable society.
Carrisan Technologies
Grant in 2021
Carrisan Technologies is a food technology company founded in 2019 and headquartered in Davis, California. The company specializes in developing innovative antimicrobial solutions aimed at preventing the spread of foodborne illnesses and minimizing food losses. Its technology encompasses antimicrobial coatings for equipment surfaces, biofilm removal, and production sanitation. These solutions are designed to serve the agriculture, food processing, and foodservice industries, helping to prevent cross-contamination and enhance food safety.
Pomodyne is a technology company founded in 2019 and based in Mountain View, California, focused on revolutionizing fruit crop cultivation. By leveraging plant biotechnology and controlled environment agriculture, Pomodyne aims to tackle critical issues such as climate change, food safety, and food security. The company's innovative approach seeks to transform agricultural practices, enabling a more sustainable and efficient cultivation of fruit crops. Through its advancements, Pomodyne aspires to contribute significantly to the future of the agriculture industry.
Benchmark Labs
Grant in 2021
Benchmark Labs is a San Francisco-based company specializing in AI-driven weather forecasting systems tailored for the agricultural sector and other industries. The firm provides asset-specific weather information that enhances operational efficiency and infrastructure reliability amidst changing weather conditions. By utilizing IoT sensor technology, Benchmark Labs delivers accurate forecasts that are essential for optimizing renewable energy generation and managing water resources. Its innovative platform enables clients to navigate weather variability effectively, ensuring smoother operations across various applications.
Coreshell Technologies
Grant in 2021
Founded in 2017, Coreshell Technologies specializes in advanced materials engineering for lithium-ion batteries. The company focuses on enhancing battery performance and lifespan through its proprietary nanolayer thin-film coating technology, catering primarily to the electric vehicle and grid storage markets.
Cartilage is a biotechnology company focused on repairing cartilage damage, developing scaffold-free, tissue-engineered products to treat both small and large cartilage defects using patented technologies that create fully biological cartilage regeneration therapies, including a viscous injectable to enhance integration and address early signs of cartilage injury for long-term healing with reduced need for additional treatments and improved quality of life; founded in 2019 and headquartered in Irvine, California.
NeyroblastGX
Grant in 2021
NeyroblastGX is a biotechnology company based in Murrieta, California, founded in 2020. It specializes in developing theranostic products aimed at treating neurodegenerative and infectious diseases. The company's innovative product portfolio includes a blood-based biomarker diagnostic for Alzheimer's, genetically engineered dendritic cells designed to target custom-made human organoids for drug screening, and an oral supplement that enhances protective immunity. Through its comprehensive range of diagnostics, drugs, and therapies, NeyroblastGX is committed to providing effective solutions for patients facing life-threatening conditions.
VeriSIM Life
Grant in 2021
VeriSIM Life is a computational bioplatform that predicts the clinical outcomes of new drugs before clinical trials. It develops disease-specific biosimulation models to simulate how a drug interacts in biological systems, supporting preclinical and clinical programs. Its BIOiSIM platform covers small molecules, large molecules, and viruses, using AI-driven biosystem simulations to inform drug design, optimize development timelines, and reduce animal testing. The company aims to accelerate drug development and enable more personalized healthcare.
Florica Therapeutics
Grant in 2021
Florica Therapeutics is a biotechnology company founded in 2019 and based in Livermore, California. The company specializes in the development of exosome-based therapeutics aimed at extending lifespan and preventing diseases associated with aging. Florica's innovative therapeutics focus on delivering drugs to the brain and provide alternatives for treatment of life-altering conditions such as leukemia and Tay-Sachs disease. By leveraging exosome technology, the company aims to offer health institutions access to novel treatments that enhance patient longevity and quality of life.
Labrador Systems
Grant in 2021
Labrador Systems, Inc. is a technology company based in Oak Park, California, that specializes in developing assistive robots aimed at improving the quality of life for individuals. Founded in 2017, the company focuses on creating practical applications of advanced robotics technology to address daily needs, particularly in the home health sector. By combining innovative hardware and software systems, Labrador Systems aims to enhance everyday living for its users through the deployment of personal robots designed to provide support and assistance.
GRI Bio is a development-stage biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing therapies that modulate Natural Killer T (NKT) cell activity to treat inflammatory, autoimmune, and fibrotic diseases, including liver disease. Based in La Jolla, California, the company develops cell- and molecule-based approaches to regulate NKT cell function and restore immune homeostasis, with programs such as GRI-0621, an oral agent that inhibits type 1 NKT cell activity, and GRI-0803, a novel oral agonist targeting type 2 NKT cells.
Fathhome develops a dry-sanitizing device for household items. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Oakland, California, the company provides a sanitation solution that operates without water, detergents, or chemicals.
Biomilitus is a biotechnology company founded in 2019 and headquartered in Sacramento, California. The company focuses on utilizing insect larvae to produce animal feed, addressing the growing demand for sustainable and efficient food sources. By using low-cost agricultural by-products as feed for the larvae, Biomilitus offers an alternative ingredient that is high in protein and fat, as well as rich in essential amino acids. This innovative approach not only helps companies reduce transportation costs associated with waste products but also significantly lowers their carbon footprint, contributing to more sustainable agricultural practices.
Discrete Lattice Industries
Grant in 2021
Founded in 2020, Discrete Lattice Industries specializes in developing programmable and cellular materials. Its innovative approach aims to minimize the need for fixed tooling, offering customization through modular parts assembly. The company's focus is on enhancing material efficiency and structural performance, with applications across infrastructure, transportation, and renewable energy sectors.
Seven Biosciences
Grant in 2020
Seven Biosciences provides drug discovery platforms for G-protein coupled receptors. The company, based in Davis, California, was founded by Grace Mizuno and Lin Tian.
Founded in 2018, Symbrosia is a cleantech company based in California that produces cattle feed supplements. It specializes in developing contained symbiotic systems to cultivate methane-reducing macroalgae, specifically seaweed, for use as livestock feed additives.
Flotherm specializes in the development of a thermal compression device designed to maintain normothermia promptly during surgeries. Its innovative design combines dynamic compression with lower-limb warming, aiming to reduce the risk of accidental hypothermia and deep-vein thromboses without disrupting 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, established in 2017 and headquartered in San Francisco, specializes in enterprise software designed to predict and mitigate physical risks associated with climate change on assets. Their platform employs an intuitive climate decision engine, open-source satellite imagery, statistical analysis, and machine learning to help investors, insurers, governments, and other stakeholders develop climate-resilient strategies. The company aims to reduce, monitor, and adapt to climate risks across various industries, including agriculture, energy, construction, and asset management.
Sown To Grow
Grant in 2020
Sown To Grow, Inc. is a company that specializes in developing a student goal-setting and reflection platform designed to enhance student agency and promote a growth mindset. Founded in 2015 and based in Oakland, California, the platform empowers students to establish personal learning goals, track their progress, and reflect on their strategies for continuous improvement. It integrates various assignments from third-party programs, enabling students to engage in social-emotional learning while assisting teachers in monitoring academic development and student well-being. Through its innovative approach, Sown To Grow aims to foster an environment conducive to personal growth and academic success.
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.
Dascena, Inc. is a healthcare technology company based in Oakland, California, that specializes in developing machine learning algorithms aimed at enhancing disease detection and improving patient care outcomes. Established in 2018, Dascena's flagship product, AlgoDiagnostics, autonomously processes electronic health record data to facilitate early intervention for conditions such as acute decompensation, sepsis, and acute kidney injury. The company focuses on addressing unmet healthcare needs through its innovative solutions in clinical decision support, point-of-care diagnostics, and biopharma companion diagnostics. By leveraging intensive clinical research, Dascena aims to enable clinical practitioners to make timely and accurate interventions, ultimately saving lives and enhancing the delivery of care.
Acrigen Biosciences
Grant in 2020
Acrigen Biosciences is focused on advancing gene editing technologies to enhance the safety and efficiency of CRISPR-Cas based systems. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Berkeley, California, the company develops precision gene editing solutions aimed at producing effective and safe in vivo drug therapies for various diseases. Acrigen's innovations include Acro proteins that regulate the CRISPR-Cas gene editing process, along with a bioinformatics discovery software platform designed to identify suitable CRISPR systems for human therapeutic applications. By improving anti-CRISPR proteins and optimizing genetic therapies, Acrigen aims to contribute significantly to the field of medicine and the treatment of debilitating conditions.
Raydiant Oximetry
Grant in 2020
Raydiant Oximetry, Inc. is a medical device company established in 2015 and headquartered in Mountain View, California. The company specializes in the development of a low-cost, non-invasive device that monitors fetal oxygen levels during labor, with the aim of improving health outcomes for mothers and their babies. By providing real-time data on fetal oxygenation, Raydiant Oximetry's technology seeks to enhance patient care, reduce the occurrence of unnecessary cesarean sections, and lower healthcare costs associated with childbirth. The company's innovations are designed to address potential birth injuries and minimize over-intervention in the delivery process, ultimately striving to improve the overall experience and safety of childbirth.
Intact Therapeutics
Grant in 2020
Intact Therapeutics designs and develops a thermosensitive, mucoadhesive drug-delivery platform for gastrointestinal disorders. The company focuses on smart gels that are liquid at room temperature and become mucoadhesive at body temperature, enabling localized drug concentrations with reduced systemic exposure. Its technology targets conditions such as ulcerative colitis and other GI diseases, aiming to provide effective, patient-friendly therapies with minimal discomfort. Founded in 2015 and based in Belmont, California, the company pursues formulations that improve retention and efficacy and offer a more comfortable healing experience.
Sinovia Technologies
Grant in 2020
Sinovia Technologies specializes in display technologies, including transparent electrodes for touch screens and flexible printed OLED displays. It uses roll-to-roll manufacturing akin to printing labels and packaging to produce lightweight, durable displays and indicator modules for IoT applications, designed for curved surfaces. The technology enables thinner, brighter, higher-contrast, and lower-power electronics that are cost-competitive with LED and LCD options. Founded in 2011 and based in San Francisco, California, Sinovia focuses on enabling hardware designers to integrate flexible displays into a range of electronic products and form factors.
Koya Medical
Grant in 2020
Koya Medical, Inc. is a healthcare company based in Oakland, California, founded in 2018. The company specializes in developing innovative wearable therapeutic devices aimed at treating cancer-related chronic lymphedema and various venous diseases. Koya Medical's technology offers active compression therapy that enhances mobility and personalized care, addressing limitations commonly associated with traditional compression methods. Its sensor-based closed-loop system provides patient-specific patterned compression, enabling healthcare providers to effectively manage conditions like chronic edema and chronic venous insufficiency. Through its breakthrough treatments, Koya Medical seeks to transform the standard of care for individuals affected by these debilitating conditions.
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.
WideSense accelerates clean mobility by providing software solutions for designing, deploying, and operating electric vehicle fleets profitably. Its AI-powered platform optimizes EV fleet operations, maximizing reliability and revenue while minimizing fuel costs.
Maui Imaging
Grant in 2020
Founded in 2006, Maui Imaging specializes in manufacturing advanced ultrasound imaging devices. Its proprietary technology enables clear visualization through bones, metals, plastics, gas, and soft tissue, enhancing diagnostic speed and accuracy for trauma, neurosurgery, and interventional radiology teams.
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.
Maverick Space Systems
Grant in 2020
Maverick Space Systems, founded in 2019 and based in San Luis Obispo, California, specializes in satellite deployment hardware and provides integration and launch brokering services across North America. The company develops customized and cost-effective hardware solutions that facilitate end-to-end launch services. Maverick Space Systems manages satellite development and launch campaigns for diverse clients, including university programs, government missions, and commercial constellations. By offering seamless, turn-key services, the company enables its customers to efficiently place their payloads into orbit.
Obsidio, Inc. is a medical device company based in Solana Beach, California, founded in 2018. The company specializes in developing shear-thinning hydrogel biomaterial technology, which is utilized to create therapeutic devices and universal gel embolization materials. This innovative technology allows for minimally invasive embolization procedures to effectively stop unwanted blood flow in vessels throughout the body. Obsidio's products are designed to address a variety of medical issues, including hemorrhage, aneurysms, and cancers, by providing targeted control of bleeding and occlusion of blood vessels. The company's biomaterial platform is applicable in interventional radiology and oncology, enabling precise and durable treatment solutions.
Oncodisc, Inc., based in Walnut Creek, California, is a medical technology company that specializes in manufacturing connected vascular access devices. These devices are embedded with advanced sensors and communication technology, designed to facilitate oncology drug delivery while monitoring the health of patients undergoing high-risk outpatient therapy. The company's product line includes an implantable vascular access port and data analytics solutions that provide status alerts for early signs of complications, enabling timely interventions and reducing hospitalizations. Additionally, Oncodisc offers a Remote Care Platform with mobile tools for patient-reported outcomes, telehealth services, and patient engagement. Incorporated in 2018, the company aims to enhance cancer care through integrated medical devices, remote monitoring, and data analytics.
ACatechol, founded in 2016 and based in Pasadena, California, specializes in the development of biological-protein-based adhesives and biomimetic surface technologies. The company's innovative products are designed to prevent the spread of diseases by utilizing nanocomposite coatings and surface modifications applicable to various materials such as medical devices, implants, and textiles. These advanced coatings are effective in eliminating a wide range of bacteria and viruses, even in moist conditions. This capability enables the production of underwater glues, adhesives, coatings, and primers, offering a safer and more efficient alternative to traditional silane-based grafting methods, which can be slow, toxic, and inconsistent.
Evolution Devices
Grant in 2020
Evolution Devices is a neuro rehabilitation technology company that creates functional electrical stimulation devices. Its flagship product, EvoWalk, uses artificial intelligence to track walking patterns and personalize therapy for individuals recovering from neurological impairments such as stroke or multiple sclerosis.
Resource Chemical
Grant in 2020
ReSource Chemical is a company based in Berkeley, California, focused on developing high-performance plastics derived from carbon dioxide. The company utilizes a proprietary bio-based platform to create chemicals that enable the production of environmentally friendly plastics with superior physical properties compared to traditional fossil fuel-based plastics. By converting CO2 into these innovative materials, ReSource Chemical aims to provide sustainable alternatives that do not contribute to environmental pollution.
Hubly Surgical
Non Equity Assistance in 2020
Hubly Surgical Inc., established in 2018 with headquarters in San Francisco and a satellite office in Chicago, specializes in developing innovative neurosurgical devices aimed at enhancing patient outcomes and safety. The company's flagship product is an integrated electric drill system designed to replace traditional free-hand cranks, thereby reducing the risk of lethal complications during surgical procedures. Hubly Surgical's mission is to make its safety technology the standard for all medical drilling across various settings, including underserved areas, with a focus on improving patient care and quality of life.
Prisms VR is a STEM education platform based in San Francisco, California, founded by Anurupa Ganguly. The company specializes in creating immersive educational experiences using virtual reality technology. Its software features modules designed to provide realistic 3D environments that facilitate problem-solving and enhance understanding of complex concepts. These modules support content remediation and reinforce lessons learned in class, making them valuable for both in-person and remote learning settings. The platform aims to assist teachers and parents in teaching and fostering spatial thinking skills in students, ultimately enriching the educational experience.
Xona Space Systems
Grant in 2020
Xona Space Systems develops and manufactures position, navigation, and timing satellite solutions for smart transportation and infrastructure. The company operates a constellation of low-cost, low-Earth-orbit satellites to deliver secure navigation and timing services with resilience and high location precision for autonomous vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, mobile robotics, and other location-critical applications. Founded in 2019 and based in San Mateo, California, Xona Space Systems aims to enable safe, scalable operation of intelligent systems at scale.
Protabit develops protein engineering technology, combining computational modeling with high-throughput screening and directed evolution. This enables the exploration of diverse protein sequences for novel proteins, serving industrial, agricultural, and healthcare sectors.
Wield is a San Francisco-based company founded in 2020 that develops advanced prosthetic systems aimed at restoring mobility and independence for individuals with limb loss. The company focuses on creating a platform that utilizes innovative materials and biomimetic design to produce prosthetics that are both highly functional and aesthetically pleasing. Wield's wearables can be controlled through computer interfaces, empowering users to engage more fully in daily life and pursue their personal goals.
Curated Networks
Grant in 2020
Founded in 2019, Curated Networks develops innovative routing and forwarding technologies for the link-layer and network layer. Headquartered in Santa Cruz, California, the company offers a dynamic L2/L3 underlay routing solution that enhances network performance, security, and efficiency.
Obsidian Sensors
Grant in 2020
Founded in La Jolla, California in 2017, Obsidian Sensors specializes in developing high-resolution thermal imaging sensors and cameras. Utilizing a proprietary glass microelectromechanical system (MEMS) manufacturing process, the company produces uncooled microbolometers at lower costs and on a larger scale than conventional silicon-based devices. Their products cater to automotive (ADAS and autonomy), security/surveillance, drones, and industrial applications.
Foli Research
Grant in 2020
Foli Research, established in 2019 and headquartered in Berkeley, California, specializes in providing advanced manufacturing services aimed at addressing complex engineering problems. The company employs first principles analysis and computational design to deliver innovative solutions. These services are tailored to support manufacturers and the energy industry in achieving their growth objectives through elegant and effective results.
Logisic Devices
Grant in 2020
Logisic Devices manufactures power semiconductor devices. The company was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.