The University of California Merced celebrated Thursday the opening of its on-campus startup incubator, called the Venture Lab.
The lab has been operating for several weeks and has been working on 16 startups utilizing medical devices, aquaponics, desalination membranes, 3-D printed robotics for the agricultural industry, and other emerging technologies.
“The UC Merced Venture Lab is a university program, but we run it like a business that manufactures startup companies,” said Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development Peter Schuerman. “The objective is to retain talent in the region, develop the economy and bring the resources of the campus and the community together to create success for everyone.”
The facility is backed by the university and is open to students, alumni and local entrepreneurs. The UC Merced Small Business Development Center is located in the Venture Lab; its mission is to help local small businesses even if they have no affiliation with the university.
Source: UC Merced News
