Entrepreneurs-in-Residence
Launched in 2015, this campus-wide resource is designed to supporting the creation and growth of UC San Diego-powered startups through practice-based operators. EIRs inherently posses a deep empathy for the entrepreneurial process to unlock potential of new and important ideas and the talent and teams behind those ideas to make it happen. Inventors and founders can get expert guidance on early-stage technologies, commercialization strategies, and startup creation. With years of entreprenurial experience, EIRs are available to help define the market case, build business models, advise on fundraising, and solve other common challenges.
Have a special interest in National Security?
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.
Benson Lee, 2022
bel009@ucsd.edu
Alyssa Bulchoz, 2022
abulchoz@ucsd.edu
Stephanie Allen, 2022
s9allen@ucsd.edu
Todd Clever, 2022
tclever@ucsd.edu
Tyrone Grandison, 2022
trgrandison@ucsd.edu
Amber Brander, 2021
abrandner@ucsd.edu
Nick Gulino, 2021
ngulino@ucsd.edu
Daniel Oliver, 2021
doliver@ucsd.edu
Venki Pegadaraju, 2021
vpegadaraju@ucsd.edu
Hus Tigli, 2021
htigli@ucsd.edu
Chris Tolles, 2021
ctolles@ucsd.edu
Julio de Unamuno IV, 2021
j2deunamuno@ucsd.edu
Anna Symonds, 2020
asymonds@ucsd.edu
Mike Roberts, 2020
m4roberts@ucsd.edu
Sonia Steinway, 2020
ssteinway@ucsd.edu
Prasad Sunkara, 2020
psunkara@ucsd.edu
SK Sharma, 2020
sksharma@ucsd.edu
Cari Enayati, 2020
cenayati@ucsd.edu
Brendan Eckelman, 2020
beckelman@ucsd.edu
Sanjay Mistry, 2020
smistry@ucsd.edu
Brant Chlebowski, 2020
bchlebow@ucsd.edu
Scope
Each year, we anticipate opportunities for 1-3 entrepreneurs. Successful EIRs must be able to commit time, energy, and insight to starting a new venture or scaling an existing one within our innovation ecosystem. This is an open-ended approach for EIRs with well defined outcomes - the formation and growth of start-ups at and out of 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:
- start a new venture or scale an existing company to help it grow
- actively 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.
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.