Entrepreneurial Ambitions + Passion = Success

Conference ignites student entrepreneurs

The 9th annual Ignite Conference (March 6–9, 2019) brought entrepreneurial students from multiple disciplines and universities together with business professionals and startup founders in an intensive four-day conference at UC Davis.

Translating Passion and Mission into Purpose and Accomplishments

Blog Post by Diane Dou, Ph.D. Candidate and 2018/17 Business Development Fellow

Ignite is an exciting annual program that is brought to life through a partnership between UC Davis and Rice University. The Mike and Renee Child Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship collaborated to bring me and 74 other graduate students of diverse backgrounds to the frontlines in Silicon Valley.

Congratulations, 2020 Big Bang! Finalists

113 teams—representing 315 aspiring entrepreneurs—entered the 20th annual UC Davis business  competition, the greatest number in Big Bang! history. The competition drew teams from across UC Davis, as well as from the Sacramento region and throughout California, the U.S. and the world.

 

Entrepreneurial Success Focus of Academy Program

A new offering from UC Davis is focused on helping participants identify commercial application for their research. The National Veterinary Entrepreneurship Academy is designed to help researchers, faculty, postdocs, and students in veterinary medicine and science learn to identify, develop, and validate the commercial potential of their research. Read the article >

Launch your Entrepreneurship Journey with a Big Bang!

UC Davis MBA student Samantha Contreras came to campus with one mission in mind: to transform industries. The Big Bang! Business Competition gave her the opportunity to help prepare PairAnything Inc. for success in the billion dollar wine industry. “As an aspiring entrepreneur, I put together a plan to strategically position myself for a key role in a growing startup”. Read the article >

Two UC Davis Startups Win Sacramento Region Innovation Awards

Japa, founded by UC Davis undergraduates Mathew Magno and Charles Chen, won a 2019 Sacramento Region Innovation Award for their smartphone app, which shows drivers the real-time availability of parking lots and structures. Vite Kitchens, founded by UC Davis alumni Tim and Tom Zheng, also received an award for their nutrient-rich instant ramen meals. Read the article >

Women of Influence 2019: Venita Sivamani MBA 15

Venita Sivamani earned both her undergraduate degree and MBA at UC Davis. Her passions for education and improving healthcare led her to co-found Dermveda, a startup she describes as “WebMD meets Consumer Reports.” She is also the founder and CEO of LearnSkin, a portal that provides high-quality integrative medical and dermatology education for healthcare and skincare professionals. Read the article >