USC has a rich startup and innovation culture that offers programs and resources across the university. The programs and organizations listed below can help support and connect USC entrepreneurs.
Programs Offered by USC Stevens Center for Innovation
USC Stevens Legal Office Hours
Our legal office hours program provides complimentary legal assistance, counseling and information materials to all USC innovators (faculty, staff, students and alumni) and USC-related start-up companies. Our services are on-campus and are provided by qualified outside corporate and intellectual property attorneys.
Webinar Series: From Discovery to Commercialization
During the 2020-21 and 2021-22 academic years we hosted webinars for USC researchers who are interested in exploring what it takes to have a successful startup. The series featured guest speakers from a variety of fields, including venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, startup founders, legal experts, and more. The series was co-sponsored by the Stevens Center and the USC Chapter of the National Academy of Inventors.
On-Campus Organizations
Southern California Clinical and Translational Science Institute (SC-CTSI)
SC-CTSI is a multifaceted resource for clinical and community-partnered translational research. It provides resources that help investigators move discoveries through the research pipeline and into sustainable public health solutions, including pilot funding, diverse training opportunities, robust clinical research support, digital recruitment methods, community connections, and many other tools to more than 800 investigators working at USC, CHLA, the LA County Department of Health Services and in the communities of Los Angeles. Use their website to find what you need to conduct your research, including investigators in specific research areas and other resources.
I-Corps Hub West
The National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps (I-Corps™) Hubs ecosystem works collaboratively to build and sustain a diverse and inclusive innovation network throughout the United States. Their mission is to help you take your revolutionary technology from the lab to the market, so you can become a leader in innovation, commercialize your tech, and make a direct impact.
Viterbi School of Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship
The mission of the Viterbi School Office of Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship is to launch ventures with significant social and economic impact based on USC faculty, students, and technologies through a variety of programs for all levels of customer discovery phases and business models.
Other Resources
Sign up for the USC Stevens email list to receive announcements about startup competitions outside USC (e.g., West Coast Consortium for Technology & Innovation in Pediatrics, SoCal Innovation Showcase, etc).
Contact USC Stevens at licensing@stevens.usc.edu regarding forming a startup around a USC-developed technology or intellectual property.
See also competitive grant opportunities for USC researchers, on the Office of Research and Innovation website, which may have opportunities relevant to USC research- and technology-based startups.