Impact

The National Academy of Inventors is a member organization comprising U.S. and international universities and governmental and nonprofit research institutes, with more than 4,000 individual inventor members and fellows spanning more than 300 institutions worldwide.

Of the 2,068 NAI fellows, USC represents 46 of them, and has one of the largest chapters in the United States.

The USC and Techstars Digital Economy Program is an incredible opportunity for innovative early-stage companies to accelerate their growth rate, make a quantum leap in their business, and tap into the vibrant USC ecosystem. The program will welcome its inaugural cohort in March 2025 and founders will be paired with mentors both in and out of the university and be able to tap into the full resources of a major research institution. The accelerator is open to startups in all industries, but with a particular focus on bioscience, engineering, AI, healthcare, deep tech, and media technology.

The USC and Techstars University Catalyst is a ten-week pre-accelerator program that provides early-stage entrepreneurs (pre-funding or idea-stage) with the training, tools, mentorship, and network to prepare them for the next level. This part-time, primarily virtual experience runs in the fall and is perfectly suited for USC faculty, staff, students and alumni founders looking to hone their entrepreneurial skills, better understand their target customers, and dig deeply into refining the solutions they are offering the world.

In April 2024, the Stevens Center was proud to host the USC community for the Techstars Startup Weekend, the inaugural event of the USC and Techstars Digital Economy Program. It served as the kick-off for the partnership and invited participants to meet and network with mentors, investors, co-founders, and sponsors to help launch their entrepreneurial journey over the course of the 3-day event. The event provided an opportunity for participants to not only expand their networks but also to see the immense value of multidisciplinary collaborative efforts at USC.

The Office of Research and Innovation video series spotlight the innovative, impactful work being led across the university by USC faculty. The videos highlight topics ranging from sustainability to artificial intelligence, with a precedent placed on key disciplines relevant to the university’s strategic priority areas.

This flagship event offered thousands of dollars in USC-sponsored prizes to winning teams and ideas. Prior to the pandemic, the in-person student teams pitched an extraordinary range of inventions, startups, and prototypes to faculty and leaders from the local venture, entrepreneur, and business community. The event has evolved to the Techstars partnership. Our student innovators had amazing stories, and we want to spotlight past showcase winners.