OORI showcases the resources, partnerships, and commercialization support helping USC researchers advance the next generation of space technologies. Author – Ethan Bochicchio The University of Southern California’s Office of Research and Innovation (OORI) participated in the inaugural USC Space Engineering Research Center (SERC) Industry Open House at the USC Information Sciences Institute on July 15,…
Author: Jordan Locy
The Office of Research and Innovation helps select, support, and connect the eight companies participating in the 2026 USC Techstars Accelerator. Author – Ethan Bochicchio Eight startup founders took the stage at the 2026 USC Techstars Demo Day, presenting the companies they had spent months building and refining before an audience of investors, industry leaders,…
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER – JUNE 2026 Dear USC Research & Innovation Partners, I want to recognize your extraordinary work during this fiscal year and share updates on three developments affecting USC’s research enterprise. Research Funding Momentum Continues: Despite an increasingly competitive and uncertain federal funding environment, USC’s research enterprise continues to demonstrate exceptional strength and…
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER – MAY 2026 Dear Colleagues, As we move into the summer, I thank you — our extraordinary research and innovation community. Your creativity, dedication, and drive continue to move USC’s mission forward in meaningful ways, and I am deeply grateful for all that you do. While the rhythm of campus may shift during…
Author – Ethan Bochicchio Over the course of 54 hours, Trojan entrepreneurs moved from early ideas to final pitches during the 2026 USC and Techstars Startup Weekend, a three-day innovation experience coordinated by the Office of Research and Innovation (OORI) in partnership with Techstars. Throughout the weekend, USC students, faculty, staff, and alumni came together to pitch…
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER – APRIL 2026 Dear Colleagues, This is a consequential time for research universities. As federal priorities evolve, compliance obligations grow more exacting, and competition for support remains intense, our responsibility is not only to sustain excellence in discovery, but to do so with clarity of purpose, disciplined stewardship, and an unwavering focus on…
Author – Ethan Bochicchio The USC Venture & Innovation Summit, held on February 12, underscored the growing strength of Southern California’s innovation economy and the University of Southern California’s central role in it. Hosted by USC’s Office of Research and Innovation (OORI) and sponsored by Amgen and J.P. Morgan, the daylong event brought together faculty, founders, investors, corporate leaders,…
Author – Ethan Bochicchio AO Tech, a startup born out of the University of Southern California’s (USC) research ecosystem, has achieved a major milestone by securing both a National Institutes of Health (NIH) STTR Phase I award of approximately $300,000 and an ARPA-H STTR Fast-Track Phase I/II award totaling roughly $3.7 million, about $1.5 million of…
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER – MARCH 2026 Dear Colleagues, This month’s newsletter highlights developments across USC’s research and innovation enterprise. Inside, you will find updates on the federal funding landscape, news from OORI’s core research and innovation programs, and progress across key institutional partnerships that continue to strengthen USC’s innovation ecosystem. We also share important operational updates,…
Author – Ethan Bochicchio Through its expanding network of external collaborators, the Office of Research and Innovation (OORI) has enabled USC founders to access Microsoft for Startups resources by joining the Microsoft for Startups Investor Network. This engagement offers benefits to Trojan entrepreneurs, including cloud credits, go-to-market support, and AI tools. By building these partnerships,…