University accelerators & incubators in SoCal
19 campus entrepreneurship centers across 15 schools — run by the university itself, not just a program that happens to partner with one.
University programs
Biola University Student Startup Incubator
La Mirada, CA · Biola University
A 14-week incubator run by Biola's Office of Innovation (established 2020), combining structured training, mentorship, and prototyping support, culminating in the Biola Startup Competition, which awards $20,000 in capital to the teams showing the most growth and promise. Biola graduates can continue on in a separate Alumni Incubator Program, which offers free co-working space and ongoing mentorship.
Cal State LA BioSpace
Los Angeles, CA · California State University, Los Angeles
Cal State LA BioSpace leads the university's effort to build a thriving bioscience ecosystem in Los Angeles, providing wet-lab space, training, and resources for emerging bioscience entrepreneurs and their startups.
Conrey Center for Entrepreneurship
Fullerton, CA · California State University, Fullerton
Established in 2001, the Conrey Center for Entrepreneurship is a Center of Excellence within Cal State Fullerton's College of Business and Economics, providing resources, education, and mentorship for aspiring entrepreneurs.
CSUDH Innovation Incubator
Carson, CA · California State University, Dominguez Hills
A campus and community incubator at Cal State Dominguez Hills offering programs for startups and existing small businesses, serving both the DH community and the greater Los Angeles region.
CSUN Innovation Incubator
Northridge, CA · California State University, Northridge
The CSUN Innovation Incubator (Cii) helps students and local startups turn business ideas into marketable products, launch ventures, and connect with a network of businesses and investors, based in CSUN's David Nazarian College of Business and Economics.
CSUSM Innovation Hub
San Marcos, CA · California State University, San Marcos
A campus space at California State University San Marcos that helps students, faculty, and local community members build businesses, design prototypes, and connect with industry leaders.
Hub101
Westlake Village, CA · California Lutheran University
A coworking space, incubator, and entrepreneurial community serving the Conejo Valley and Ventura County, connecting students, founders, and mentors through educational programs, coworking, and events.
Innovation Quest (USC Iovine and Young Academy)
Los Angeles, CA · University of Southern California
A yearlong set of experiences designed to accelerate, cultivate, and support student-led ventures, run by USC's Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy.
John and Helen Apostle Incubator
Long Beach, CA · California State University, Long Beach
A weekly drop-in incubator at Cal State Long Beach supporting entrepreneurs from both the CSULB campus and the wider Long Beach community, funded by the Apostle Foundation and run under CSULB's Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE).
Lavin Entrepreneurship Center
San Diego, CA · San Diego State University
The Lavin Entrepreneurship Center serves SDSU students, entrepreneurship researchers, and community mentors through its year-long Lavin Entrepreneur Program, connecting entrepreneurial-minded students with local, successful entrepreneurs as mentors.
Randall W. Lewis Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
San Bernardino, CA · California State University, San Bernardino
Formerly known as the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE), renamed in 2025 following a major gift from Randall W. Lewis. Founded in 1999, it runs Race to Scale: The Sprint to Seven Figures for established Inland Empire businesses, the Inland Empire Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Women's Business Centers, and the annual Spirit of the Entrepreneur Awards, plus an Entrepreneurial Resource Center in San Bernardino and a satellite Palm Desert iHub.
Startup UCLA
Los Angeles, CA · University of California, Los Angeles
UCLA's campus-wide entrepreneurship hub, distinct from the business-school-anchored Anderson Venture Accelerator. Offers workspace, mentorship, and consulting, and runs several distinct programs including a 10-week Summer Accelerator for early-stage companies, an Innovation Fellows program for faculty projects, and a Pre-College Institute for high school students. Based at Covel Commons 203 on the UCLA campus.
Student Innovation Idea Labs (SIIL)
Pomona, CA · California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Cal Poly Pomona's Student Innovation Idea Labs (SIIL) stewards three spaces for the CPP community: the Maker Studio and iLab on campus, and the Innovation Orchard, a short drive from campus at Ganesha High School in Pomona.
The Basement (UC San Diego)
La Jolla, CA · University of California, San Diego
An open-access, IP-free student incubator launched in 2015 with backing from UCSD alumni including Mark Suster of Upfront Ventures, originally in the basement of Mandeville Center and now housed in the Design & Innovation Building. Runs the year-long Basement LaunchPad Incubator plus the multi-quarter i4X program, open to any UC San Diego student, no cohort application required.
UCI Beall Applied Innovation
Irvine, CA · University of California, Irvine
UC Irvine's open-ended, campus-wide innovation platform, founded in 2014 under Chancellor Howard Gillman to connect campus research with Orange County's business and investor community. Renamed in 2019 after a gift from the Beall Family Foundation.
UCLA Anderson Venture Accelerator
Los Angeles, CA · University of California, Los Angeles
Run out of UCLA Anderson's Price Center for Entrepreneurship across three tracks (Activate, Accelerate, Showcase) for MVP-to-scale startups across any industry. As of August 2026 it has supported 592 companies, whose portfolio has raised $445M+, generated $250M+ in revenue, and seen 10 acquisitions.
USC and Techstars Accelerator
Los Angeles, CA · University of Southern California
A 13-week, in-person Techstars program open only to founders affiliated with USC (student, alum, faculty, staff, or Keck Medicine/CHLA), spanning bioscience, engineering, AI, healthcare, deep tech, and media technology. Techstars invests $220,000 in equity plus access to $2M+ in partner perks and resources.
USC Marshall Greif Incubator
Los Angeles, CA · University of Southern California
Accelerates USC student and alumni entrepreneurs through experiential education, mentorship, and community, taking founders from feasibility work through customers, a tested business model, distribution, team-building, and investment preparation.
ZIP Launchpad
San Diego, CA · San Diego State University
A free startup incubator at San Diego State University, open to students, faculty, staff, and researchers across all majors. Offers weekly advising, milestone tracking, mentorship, a prototyping lab, and seed funding/competitions.