The inaugural event of the USC and Techstars Digital Economy Program took place the first weekend in April, serving as the kick-off for the newly announced partnership. The USC and Techstars Digital Economy Program is focused on startups working on digital advancement across bioscience, biomedicine, physical science, engineering, information, and computer sciences. The first event, Startup Weekend, 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, starting on April 5thwith idea pitches and team formations. The participating teams in Startup Weekend featured participants from multiple USC schools, including: USC Iovine and Young Academy (IYA), USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, USC Marshall School of Business, USC Viterbi School of Engineering, USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Keck School of Medicine of USC, USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, and the USC School of Cinematic Arts. The event wrapped up on Sunday, April 7th with teams giving final pitches, and first, second, and third-place honors awarded. Overall, Startup Weekend included 48 active participants, 26 of whom were undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral students at USC.
The first-place team, Momentum, included doctoral, graduate, and undergraduate students; team members were Evans Pope III, from the USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Henry Groome, from USC Iovine and Young Academy, Isaiah Eruaga from the Keck School of Medicine of USC, and Julian Tedja, Rex Ordonez, and Jessie Tran, all of whom are from USC Marshall School of Business.
The second-place team, ProperlyAI, similarly boasted doctoral, graduate, and undergraduate students; team members were Adrianna Wilson, from USC Iovine and Young Academy, Stuti Chakrabordhy, from the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, and two UC San Diego students, Aarav Khanduja, and Vedant Rao.
The third-place team, Clean Dorm, included graduate and undergraduate students, as well as USC Alumni; team members were Valeria Gamez and Diya Shah, both from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, Monique Simpson, from the USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Cheikh Gueye, a USC alum, Ace Yeck, a current student at Loyola Marymount University, and Axel Amor.
The event provided an opportunity for participants to not only expand their networks but also to see the immense value of multidisciplinary collaborative efforts. “This was a fantastic way of bringing together our students, faculty, and alumni, and providing the opportunity and space for them to network and put their creativity to work,” said Dr. Steven Moldin, Associate Vice President of Research Strategy and Innovation, “we could not be happier with the outcome of the weekend event and look forward to seeing how the partnership with Techstars continues to grow and expand.”
The USC and Techstars Digital Economy Program has recently opened applications to the University Catalyst Program, which provides early-stage founders with startup education, mentorship, and access to the Techstars network. Theprimarily virtual program will take place from September through November, with some in-person components. Participants will have access to virtual masterclasses with a focus on pitch coaching and pitch deck development, 1:1 mentoring through the Techstars network, and peer opportunities. All entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply and there will be a concerted effort to support startups affiliated with the USC community, including students, alumni, and faculty/staff. For more information, click here.