IGE Accelerator Programs

The Institute for the Global Entrepreneur (IGE) works with campus and industry partners, investors, and community sponsors to build an acceleration roadmap to advance technology from the research lab to the marketplace. The institute partners with the Office of Innovation and Commercialization (OIC) and offers mentoring, resources, and access to funding for teams and startups from early feasibility, through technical and business validation, to market entry and business scaling.

IGE's acceleration roadmap

IGE offers the IGE Technology Accelerator. The program and benefits depend on the recipient's stage in the ideation process. Some benefits include in-kind services of mentorship, workshops, proposal assistance, and in some circumstances, grant funding. The program accepts student, faculty, and alumni teams with or without University IP. Examples of technology sought include sustainability, nextgen communications, transportation, and energy.

• Healthcare and biotechnologies: devices, materials, and treatments to advance health and science

• Energy and environment: green and bluetech, renewables, and smart energy alternatives

• Smart transportation: multi-modal networks for next generation transport

This accelerator program offers UC San Diego startups access to partners and investors that can assist in fueling market traction. It kicks off with a boot camp and can last from three to six months depending on the needs of the business. Participants get access to venture partners, consult with experienced business mentors and advisors, and obtain new market entry assistance. The program is open to fairly established and incorporated businesses of UC San Diego Alums Founders, student, faculty and affiliated startups. The IGE does not directly fund business accelerators, but provides access to an investor network and helps supplement business preparedness via mentoring and educational programs. There are three levels of funding:

• Pre-seed: $250K- $1M
• Seed: $1M-$2M

• Post-Seed: $2M-$4M

Healthcare and biotechnologies:

• Devices, materials, and treatments to advance health and science

• Wearables, diagnostics, microbiome, and nanotechnologies

Energy and environment:

• Green and bluetech, renewables, and smart energy alternatives

• Materials, energy storage
• Food and resource sustainability
• Smart manufacturing

Smart transportation:

• Multi-modal networks for next generation transport

• AI, robotics, and autonomous systems
• Machine learning, AR, and VR
• Computing and communications

This IGE accelerator is open to teams consisting of University of California students, researchers, and faculty

affiliation with UC San Diego, UC San Diego Alumni, and Viable Medical Technology startup teams. Participants are guided by experienced industry members, and they get access to grant funding and external funding sources, as well as in-kind resources like personnel support, materials and supplies, and the use of facilities.

The accelerator is for those with an idea, concept, or design for any of the following areas:

• Medical devices and diagnostics: FDA 510K devices, surgical solutions, and materials science
• Digital healthcare: consumer products, wearables, and software solutions
• AI, machine learning, and healthcare analytics