Venture Lab Accelerator

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Venture Lab Accelerator

Have an innovative concept for a product that could transform the market? The UC Venture Lab pre-accelerator helps you evaluate the commercial potential of your idea and take first steps toward building a successful startup.

This eight-week program focuses on guiding you to answer essential questions about your venture:

  • What problem does your product solve?
  • Who is your true customer?
  • Is there demand in the market for your solution?

Program details:

  • Length: 8 weeks
  • Seasons: Fall, spring and summer cohorts
  • Location: UC’s 1819 Innovation Hub
  • Format: Weekly sessions with hands-on coaching and mentorship

If you're interested in joining, please fill out the application at the bottom of this page to take the next step toward launching your venture.

Current Cohort — Cohort II

Our Spring 2025 Venture Lab Cohort includes the following 6 teams:

  • Avari Aero (Amanda Cannell) is developing long-range autonomous drones to provide affordable and reliable delivery of essential goods, such as food and medicine, to underserved rural communities by utilizing underutilized spaces as drone delivery hubs.

  • Content Credits (Dan O’Keefe & Adam Koehler) is a micropayments platform that allows readers to purchase paywalled articles individually through a membership-based credit system while providing publishers with user insights.

  • CrowdConnect (Avery Colvin) is a blockchain-powered platform designed to enhance fan engagement at concerts and sports events by reducing ticket fraud, facilitating fan interactions, and optimizing ticket and merchandise sales.

  • OltreDetect (Gabrielle & Alberto Martini) is developing an at-home, AI-enabled portable ultrasound probe that connects to a smartphone app to detect early signs of breast and testicular cancer before abnormalities become detectable by touch.

  • PelPal (Jessica Baez) is an affordable, potentially 3D-printable mobile bed attachment designed to improve pelvic exams in emergency departments by replacing uncomfortable and impractical improvisations.

  • QURE XR (Shar Qureshi) is a mixed-reality platform that enables scientists and engineers to conduct virtual testing and training, reducing time, cost, and hazards while standardizing procedural workflows in life sciences.

Program Highlights

Margaret Weiner teaches a graphic design class in DAAP.
  • Entrepreneur-in-residence mentors: Receive personalized guidance from seasoned entrepreneurs.
  • Industry and market insights: Gain expert knowledge to better understand and navigate your market landscape.
  • Networks and resources: Build key connections to propel your idea forward.
  • Essential skills: Acquire the tools and expertise needed to launch your startup.
  • No cost to join: The program is free to participants.

The Venture Lab pre-accelerator culminates in graduation day, when cohorts pitch their concepts in a five-minute presentation to the business community. This event is a valuable opportunity to gain feedback, make critical connections and advance your venture.

Application