Venture Catalyst Fuels Record Year for UC Davis Innovation Startups

At Venture Catalyst, part of the UC Davis Innovation and Economic Development Office, we're proud to support the translation of UC Davis research and technology into real-world applications by fostering the development of new ventures. Through strategic collaborations, training and mentorship programs, funding translational research, and proactive outreach, we foster the university’s entrepreneurial culture and ensure that the benefits of the UC Davis innovation ecosystem extend beyond the lab.

Fiscal year (FY) 2024–25 demonstrated remarkable growth in innovation at UC Davis, driven by the dedication of our campus innovators. This past year was marked by significant achievements in startup funding, the launch of numerous new companies, and a strong increase in engagement from students, faculty, alumni and staff across the university.

The year’s standout achievement was an unprecedented $1.2 billion raised by university-associated startups (including investments and exits) - the most ever in a single year. This incredible milestone brings the total capital raised by UC Davis startups to more than $4.6 billion over the last 11 years.

Venture Catalyst also contributed to the launch of 30 new Startups Accelerated with Assistance* (SAAs), a figure that surpasses both the previous fiscal year's total of 27 and the five-year average of 23. The new wave of SAAs reflects the diverse talent at UC Davis. New founders were evenly split between students and alumni, each representing approximately 31 percent of the total. Faculty contributed 24 percent of the new ventures, and staff comprised the remaining 13 percent. These companies are tackling challenges across a variety of fields, with a strong focus on bio, life science and human health (57 percent), followed by engineering and tech (27 percent) and agriculture and animal health (17 percent).

Participation in Venture Catalyst programs also saw significant growth. The Smart Toolkit for Accelerated Research Translation (START) Program, the gateway to our programs, welcomed 46 new members in FY24-25, an increase from 39 the prior year and the second-highest annual number of participants in the program's history. The bulk of this year’s new START members are student-led ventures (42 percent), followed by alumni (25 percent).

Venture Catalyst’s impact in programming and outreach was felt widely across the university community. Throughout the fiscal year, innovators from eight colleges and schools, 31 departments, and 17 centers and institutes engaged with our programs and services. This expanded reach was fueled by the networking efforts of our team, including:

• Over 100 Investor Connections – new all-time record.
• Over 100 MentorNet Connections – new all-time record.

As the innovation ecosystem at UC Davis continues to thrive, campus and community engagement is stronger than ever. Building on this momentum, Venture Catalyst continues to engage and empower the next generation of UC Davis entrepreneurs with the launch of the Aggie Venture Accelerator (AVA), a new I-Corps Customer Discovery Program in November, and the Biotech Innovation Gallery Showcase and Reception in January. Stay tuned for more details on these exciting upcoming developments!

_{* SAAs are companies enabled by Venture Catalyst programs and resources where at least one founder, senior officer or formal board member is associated with the university at the time of intake.}