Program

Join the CITRIS Foundry

The CITRIS Foundry provides entrepreneurs with time, resources and space to develop into venture-ready startups. As part of the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society and the Banatao Institute (CITRIS), Foundry teams will gain access to the institute’s broader innovation hub and community of experts.

Uniquely situated across multiple UC campuses, the CITRIS Foundry is ideally positioned to help new generations of innovators and entrepreneurs bridge the gap from lab to market with advanced technology that solves global challenges.

Entrepreneurs can come from any area within the IT stack including applications, software, hardware and semiconductors. Innovations can be applied through products and services for a wide variety of markets including transportation, industrial, enterprise, health, biotech, genomics, energy, climate, environment, agriculture technology and more.

WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THE 12-MONTH PROGRAM

Legal support

Several leading law firms and university law programs offer support such as:

• Startup, incorporation, ongoing legal help
• Intellectual property strategy and guidance 

Banking and Funding Guidance

• Access to leading business banking firm
• Guidance for successful pitches and venture capital funding
• Recommendations for approaching angel groups, accelerators, pre-seed and seed stage investors and UC Berkeley shared carry funds

Business Support

• Custom engagement framework
• Limited access to co-working space as available for two team members at UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Davis Medical Center, UC Merced and UC Santa Cruz.
  • Access to co-working space at UC Berkeley is limited to members who have active Cal 1 Cards.
  • Team members who need access to co-working spaces at UC Davis, UC Merced and UC Santa Cruz must secure the appropriate building access and or badge access requirements.
• Semiconductor companies can receive a specialized lecture on lab-to-fab
• Access to CITRIS advisor network
• Opportunity to connect with the entrepreneurial ecosystem present on each campus

Technology and Research

• Research and prototyping facilities specific to each campus
• Foundry is a recognized AWS Activate provider. Apply for up to 5K in AWS Activate credits.
• GO Engineer SolidWorks licenses and software support

HOW THE PROGRAM OPERATES

This is a self-paced program to meet the unique needs of each team. Each entrepreneurial team will have the opportunity to develop a flexible engagement framework depending on their interests. Primary activities center around company formation, funding and banking guidance, product development, market exploration and customer discovery.

• At a minimum, each team must develop an engagement plan that highlights desired milestones for the year and complete the year with a developed business plan (idea, roadmap, customer, market, business model, etc.). Teams are required to further research and education by generating a research paper, white paper, article, or similar, and disseminating such material for public benefit and education. 
• Teams are free to engage in related areas such the following, but not limited to:
  • Developing an MVP (minimum viable product)
  • Performing customer discovery
  • Developing grants for NSF Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) funding
  • Applying to accelerators such as UC Berkeley Skydeck
  • Pursuing angel funding or pre-seed or seed funding
  • Pursuing incorporation
  • Developing and filing patents or other intellectual property

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

Team Size | Team should have a minimum of two founders.

Type of Innovation | Team project is based on an innovation in the discipline of engineering, information technology, biological/health or physical sciences, or semiconductors. The startup’s mission should be related to UC’s charitable and public purposes through products or services such as, but not limited to: health care or medical, transportation, environment, climate, teaching or education, agriculture, access to information for remote environments, resource management (water, energy, food, agriculture, fire, gas, housing), communications, government technology initiatives such as CHIPS and Science Act, semiconductors, security, distribution or supply chain, financial systems, or security or support for virtual environments.

Readiness Level | Team has developed a prototype or proof of concept of your innovation.

Intellectual property | All projects with IP developed outside of UC own that IP, regardless of affiliation with CITRIS Foundry. IP developed during the program utilizing specific UC lab facilities will

will be treated on a case-by-case basis depending on the lab facility agreement.

Affiliation | Requirements are campus-specific due to specific university facility access restrictions. Applications are currently being accepted from all CITRIS campuses: UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Davis Health, UC Merced and UC Santa Cruz. At a minimum, one founder must have one of the following affiliations: current undergraduate student, graduate student, post-doc, faculty, staff and visiting scholar with current local credentials. Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL) founders can apply and will be accommodated at the UC Berkeley campus. Recent alumni (within the past five years) from UC Berkeley and UC Merced may apply and will be accommodated by the alumni campus.

Prepared | Ready to form a company and understand the startup, company creation and venture funding processes.

Capable | Core innovation is cutting-edge and the team’s background and technical expertise are uniquely suited for deploying it.

Readiness Level | Team is self-directed and able to utilize and access resources available through the program, broader UC ecosystem and the startup market.

Application cycle and deadline | The program accepts applications twice per year, roughly in November and May.

Start of program | Teams start in alignment with the UC Berkeley academic calendar in January/February and August/September.

Application form | Please find the application form here.

Interviews | Finalists are interviewed in a 30-minute Zoom meeting.

Orientation | Teams that are accepted are invited to the online orientation for onboarding.

The program is free with no cost to join with no equity required. Funding is not offered.  

CITRIS Foundry supports teams located on each CITRIS campus including UC Berkeley, UC Davis (and UC Davis Medical Center), UC Merced and UC Santa Cruz. 

The CITRIS Foundry offers a one-year program that starts in alignment with the UC Berkeley academic calendar. The timeline for the two cohorts per year are listed below (dates are subject to change):

• Fall cohort
  • Applications accepted in May
  • Acceptance offers sent in June
  • Fall cohort start date is in August or early September
• Spring cohort
  • Applications accepted in November
  • Acceptance offers sent in December
  • Spring cohort start date is in January