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Entrepreneurs-in-Residence

Launched in 2015, this campus-wide resource is designed to support research-based entrepreneurship. Inventors and student entrepreneurs can get expert guidance on early-stage technologies, commercialization strategies, and startup creation. With years of industry experience, EIRs are available to help define the market case, build business models, advise on fundraising, and solve other common challenges.

We strive to curate cohorts that are representative of the diverse communities that they support and engage with. Improving outcomes with and enhancing access for entrepreneurs and innovators from historically marginalized communities is paramount to the success of the EIR program and ultimately to the mission of OIC at UC San Diego. For more information, visit Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Research Affairs.

 

Learn more about our latest EIR cohort (PDF).

Read all about this EIR cohort in our Blog. 

 

2022-2023 EIR Profiles

 

Ally Bucholz
Alyssa Bucholz Neely
abucholz@ucsd.edu


Benson-Lam.jpg
Benson Lam
bel009@ucsd.edu


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Stephanie Allen
s9allen@ucsd.edu
Todd-Clever.jpg
Todd Clever
tclever@ucsd.edu


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Tyrone Grandison
trgrandison@ucsd.edu

 

Have a special interest in National Security?

 National Security Entrepreneurs in Residence 2022

Learn more about our National Security Entrepreneurs-in-Residence.

 

Active EIR Emeriti

These EIRs are listed because they remain active and available for contact from UC San Diego Entrepreneurs and Innovation centers. Please reach out directly and contact eirprogram@ucsd.edu if you encounter any technical issues with email bounce back. Click on their photos to connect on Linkedin!

2020 EIR Emeriti Profiles: Download PDF Here

 

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Amber Brander, EIR 2021
abrandner@ucsd.edu

annie-brown.jpg
Annie Brown, EIR 2021
anb001@ucsd.edu

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Steve Cranford, EIR 2021
scranford@ucsd.edu

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Nick Gulino, EIR 2021
ngulino@ucsd.edu

daniel-oliver.jpg
Daniel Oliver, EIR 2021
doliver@ucsd.edu

Venki-Pegadaraju.jpg
Venki Pegadaraju, EIR 2021
vpegadaraju@ucsd.edu

Hus-Tigli.jpg
Hus Tigli, EIR 2021
htigli@ucsd.edu

Chris-Tolles.jpg
Chris Tolles, EIR 2021
ctolles@ucsd.edu

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Julio de Unamuno IV, EIR 2021
j2deunamuno@ucsd.edu

Anna Symonds
Anna Symonds, EIR 2020
asymonds@ucsd.edu

Mike Roberts
Mike Roberts, EIR 2020
m4roberts@ucsd.edu

Dylan Weening
Dylan Weening, EIR 2020
dweening@ucsd.edu

Sonia Steinway
Sonia Steinway, EIR 2020
ssteinway@ucsd.edu

Prasad Sunkara
Prasad Sunkara, EIR 2020
psunkara@ucsd.edu

SK Sharma
SK Sharma, EIR 2020
sksharma@ucsd.edu

Cari Enayati
Cari Enayati, EIR 2020
cenayati@ucsd.edu

Marco Curreli
Marco Curreli, EIR 2020
mcurreli@ucsd.edu

BrendanEckelman
Brendan Eckelman, EIR 2020
beckelman@ucsd.edu

Sanjay Mistry
Sanjay Mistry, EIR 2020
smistry@ucsd.edu

Brant Chlebowski
Brant Chlebowski, EIR 2020
bchlebow@ucsd.edu

Nishal Mohan
Nishal Mohan, EIR 2020
n1mohan@ucsd.edu

Jay Park
Jay Park, EIR 2020
jp006@ucsd.edu

Geraldine Ridaura
Geraldine Ridaura, EIR 2020
gridaura@ucsd.edu

Shahin Enayati
Shahin Enayati, EIR 2020
senayati@ucsd.edu

Paul Shockley
Paul Shockley, EIR 2020
pshockley@ucsd.edu

Paul Grint
Paul Grint, EIR 2020
pgrint@ucsd.edu

Julie Fishman
Julie Fishman, EIR 2020
jufishman@ucsd.edu

Debbie Chen
Debbie Chen, EIR 2020
d4chen@ucsd.edu

Rachel Costello
Rachel Costello, EIR 2020
rcostello@gmail.com

Raksha Shah
Raksha Shah, EIR 2019
raksha@ucsd.edu

Rick Cooper
Rick Cooper, EIR 2019
ricooper@ucsd.edu

Ashok Kamal
Ashok Kamal, EIR 2019
tcaashok@gmail.com

Open Call for 2023-24 EIR program

UC San Diego invites inquiries for the 2023-24 Entrepreneur-In-Residence program. We’re looking for enthusiastic, successful entrepreneurs to help our students and faculty develop their ideas, advise teams on the road ahead, and potentially find your next company. 

Submit Interest Form

Scope

Each year, we anticipate opportunities for 5-10 entrepreneurs from September through July for that particular academic year. Successful EIRs must be able to commit time, energy, and advising insight to teams within our innovation ecosystem. In practice, this can mean spending time at office hours to meet with entrepreneurs or inventors, speaking at events, serving as a judge for competitions, or lecturing for certificate or bootcamp courses. The fact is that this is an open-ended approach for EIRs with well defined outcomes - the formation of start-ups at UC San Diego.

Objectives

The EIR program is designed to accelerate new venture creation in San Diego. This is a hands-on program that partners alumni and other seasoned entrepreneurs with campus innovators to develop new startups.

EIRs have access to a portfolio of high-potential opportunities, resources, people and programs. You’ll have significant autonomy to develop commercialization strategies, consult with campus innovators, and contribute to the entrepreneurial culture. Depending on your interests, you might:

  • guide early-stage entrepreneurs and researchers
  • hold office hours
  • participate in demo days, programs and events
  • make professional connections
  • serve as a guest lecturer
  • act as an advocate for UC San Diego entrepreneurship

EIRs will be asked to report quarterly on the progress of opportunities, engagement with campus resources, and other community-building activities. You’ll also engage with fellow EIRs and campus innovation leaders as a domain expert.

Ideal Fit for EIR

We’re looking for experienced entrepreneurs who are excited about the energy on campus. Ideal candidates will be driven to identify and solve problems independently, with a demonstrated ability to work with students and/or researchers--particularly engineers, scientists and healthcare professionals. Typically, you’ve played a key role in starting one or more companies and been intimately involved in raising series A funds and beyond.

Success in this program is measured by the number of technologies evaluated, new companies formed, funds raised, teams advised, and introductions made, in addition to community engagement.

Those selected will be expected to:

  • comply with university IP and conflict-of-interest policies (you may not enter into direct fee-based arrangements with campus companies during your residency)
  • submit quarterly updates on activities
  • Agree to the expectations of the program and the innovator's agreement

EIRs are asked to sign an agreement and to acknowledge the program expectations with signature. Given the open approach and individualized structure of the program, these documents enable a freer flow of information among our EIRs, teams, faculty, and students.

As long as you are able to spend regular time on campus, San Diego residency is not required.

Tracks

  • Medical Device Technology
  • Drug or Therapeutic Development
  • Energy, Transporation & Smart Cities
  • Blue Technology (Marine, Oceans, Rivers, etc)
  • Defense: Dual-Use Technologies
  • Social Impact (Education, Political Science & the Arts)
  • Software Engineering and Applications
  • Life Sciences (Biome, Biologics, Food & Nutriceuticals)
  • Pitch, Media & Product Development
  • Agriculture & Environmental
  • Other - as needs and fit appropriate

Resources

You’ll also receive an initial campus orientation, access to licensing staff and invention portfolios, and introductions to university resources, entrepreneurs, and researchers. Other perks include free access to special events, invitations to private industry/university functions, and inclusion on university-wide committees for advancing the development of the innovation ecosystem.

We find that many entrepreneurs don’t want a lot of hand-holding, but we’ll be here to make your life easier however we can! This also includes a special permit addition for your purchased parking pass that allows greater access to campus on official university business.

Selection Criteria

We value all experience but prioritize substantial entrepreneurial experience, relevant industry knowledge, ability to communicate, leadership, and understanding of university systems and culture. If you have not already, please fill out the interest from or copy and paste this link: 
https://forms.gle/Z8kSkZswMdymdkzm6.

 

 

How to Inquire

Expressions of interest are invited by August. To help us understand your background, we welcome hearing about past company successes, fundraising, and any experience with mentoring or education.

We’ll follow up with select candidates in July. For questions, please contact eirprogram@ucsd.edu.

Schedule an Appointment

EIRs enjoy meeting UC San Diego inventors and learning about technologies at all stages of development. Faculty, researchers, postdocs, students, and staff are invited to schedule introductory conversations. For questions about the program, or to schedule a meeting, contact eirprogram@ucsd.edu.

National Security Entrepreneur in Residence

The National Security Entrepreneurs in Residence (NS-EIR) was launched in May 2022 to expand the current EIR Program to entrepreneurs with National Security experience. Each participant was selected based on their experience in the National Security sector, professional network, technical expertise, and current leadership role in the commercial sector. Learn more about the NS-EIR focus.