Entrepreneurship
Why Caltech for Entrepreneurship?
Caltech's exceptional resources and research environment make it a powerful launchpad for undergraduate entrepreneurs in STEM, where technical excellence meets the tools to create ventures that matter. The same problem-solving skills you'll develop in our labs and classrooms are precisely what you'll need to launch a successful startup, patent your idea, or bring it to market.
Our entrepreneurial resources and support for students are available from your first year on campus through your career as an alum. It's a continuous pipeline that turns our breakthrough scientific and engineering research into real-world companies and products. And the best part? You don't need a business background—just your technical brilliance and curiosity.
Learn more about Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Caltech.
Connect with Mentors and Corporate Partners
Our Entrepreneurs-in-Residence are specialists who elevate Caltech scientists by helping develop innovative scientific companies and products. We've also got major industry players with presences right on campus, including a partnership with Amazon. Amazon Web Services (AWS) maintains on-campus facilities focused on quantum computing research, and Meta has established a presence dedicated to AR/VR and haptics technology and smart wearables.
This isn't just about partnerships—these companies are literally your neighbors at Caltech, creating unparalleled opportunities to collaborate with industry professionals who are commercializing advanced technologies in real time.
Access Funding and Startup Resources
The Caltech Seed Fund and additional internal venture funds support promising startups from current students and alums, maintaining relationships with Caltech-founded companies long after graduation. This isn't just seed funding—it's a long-term relationship that can sustain your company through various growth stages.
Get Help With Patents and Market-Ready Products
The Office of Technology Transfer and Corporate Partnerships has decades of experience assisting STEM entrepreneurs and researchers in securing their innovations as they transition from the lab to the marketplace or in identifying the best opportunities for market engagement. During the 2023-2024 school year, they facilitated the creation of 151 patents and incubated eight companies, connecting Caltech scientists and students with 44 companies sponsoring research.
Here's a real example: Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) research at Caltech led directly to the image sensors now used in cell phone cameras. With the proper commercialization support, your Caltech innovation could achieve the same global impact.
Caltech's Strong Academic Foundations
Each of our major options and innovative first-year core curriculum provides a comprehensive scientific foundation and technical and critical thinking skills essential for addressing complex challenges as an entrepreneur. Many of our entrepreneurs pair scientific training with courses in our Business, Economics, and Management (BEM) program. Others leverage advanced projects in Computer Science to launch their startups.
Caltech entrepreneurial journeys start with robust opportunities to collaborate with our faculty scientists and researchers, leading to long-term projects that attempt to address problems ranging from chip manufacturing inefficiencies to sick farm animals.
The mentor in residence...provides very, very practical advice to the teams, on practical business issues like how to form a company, how to pitch to investors, how to build a team... And this is tremendously valuable because they bring their networks... So when you work with an entrepreneur like this, you not only get their advice, but you get access to their network.
From Idea to Impact: The Caltech Entrepreneur's Path
Year 1: Exploration & Foundation
- Dive into Caltech's core curriculum and begin building technical expertise
- Attend entrepreneurship events and speaker series to spark ideas
- Join the entrepreneurship club or innovation-focused student groups
- Participate in ideation workshops and hackathons
Year 2: Skill Building & Ideation
- Consider taking BEM courses to complement your technical studies
- Apply for SURF projects with entrepreneurial potential
- Begin forming relationships with faculty working in your interest areas
- Participate in your first pitch competition with early-stage ideas
Year 3: Concept Development
- Apply to the Bill Gross Internship Program for business experience
- Or, apply for a summer student startup internship to develop your own idea
- Connect with mentors-in-residence for guidance
- Refine your concept through structured feedback
- Develop preliminary prototypes or proof-of-concepts
Year 4: Launch & Growth
- Compete in the Bill Gross Business Plan Competition
- Establish your startup formally with legal and operational support
- Pitch to the Caltech Venture Fund and external investors
- Graduate with both a Caltech degree and a launched venture
Post-Graduation: Scale & Impact
- Maintain connection to Caltech's entrepreneurial resources
- Access alum networks and continued mentorship
- Secure additional rounds of funding through Caltech connections
- Benefit from long-term venture fund relationships that often last 5-10 years
- Potentially exit through acquisition or continue scaling independently
Join Our Entrepreneurial Community
Whether you arrive at Caltech with a startup idea or simply a curiosity about entrepreneurship, we have the resources to help you explore and develop your potential as a STEM entrepreneur.
From competitions to internships, mentorship to funding—you'll find the support you need to transform your technical brilliance into a world-changing venture. Additionally, you'll be part of a community that understands the technical and business challenges you will encounter, regardless of your field.
For more details on technology transfer, intellectual property, and entrepreneurship resources, check out our New Ventures page or contact the entrepreneurship staff at the Office of Technology Transfer and Corporate Partnerships.