UCLA Anderson Venture Accelerator

The UCLA Anderson Venture Accelerator is a six-month, immersive program designed to leverage UCLA’s resources to enable the success of promising startups within the Anderson community. It provides a launchpad for student and alumni startup companies as well as for Business Creation Option students, who also get the full suite of UCLA Anderson Venture Accelerator services to make their innovations market-ready. The Venture Accelerator's startups and teams are driving change in critical fields including enterprise technology, life sciences & digital health, consumer packaged goods, consumer digital goods, AI & machine learning, real estate, and experiential development. UCLA Anderson Venture Accelerator startups receive access to curated programs, tailored career resources, an invaluable network of Anderson alumni, a creative workspace, industry speakers, and unique one-on-one support and mentoring. As part of the Price Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the Anderson Venture Accelerator is located on the first floor of the Rosenfeld Library at the UCLA Anderson School of Management. To date, the Venture Accelerator boasts 101 accelerate companies and 165 activate companies, $83M in sales revenue, $228M in funding raised, $7.2M received in awards, and 9 acquisitions. It also has 185 program mentors and proudly has assisted 61% underrepresented founders, including 150 female founders. 

The Accelerator provides founders with four program options: the two month activate program in the summer, the six month accelerate program from winter to spring, the two month showcase program in the fall, and the year-round advisory program. The two month summer program supports founders at the earliest stage of their journey, working with both idea-stage and prototype-stage companies to build a defensible foundation toward a viable venture. The main goal of the summer incubator is to help first-time founders validate problem-solution fit, determine customer segment, and product-market fit. The six month program offers a curated and immersive experience customized by vertical for early-stage startups. 10 to 12 companies are accepted per cohort. The program runs once a year and offers one-on-one mentoring by UCLA Anderson alumni, weekly workshops that focus on the “how to,” and connections to capital and regular networking events to engage with the Los Angeles startup ecosystem. Companies that participate in the cohort will have the opportunity to pitch and fundraise at the Venture Accelerator’s fall showcase. The two month showcase program connects founders to investors and mentors, culminating in a large demo day to a curated audience. The year-round advisory program offers the support of the broader LA entrepreneurial ecosystem through request-based access to a network of advisors and mentors from diverse industries. This includes coaching sessions tailored to specific business needs. There is no application process for this service.  

For more information, please visit the Venture Accelerator website.

Last updated
November 17, 2023