UCSD - University of California - San Diego

12/05/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 12/05/2025 12:11

UC San Diego’s Accelerating Innovation to Market Program Announces 2026 Cohort

Published Date

December 05, 2025

Article Content

The University of California San Diego's Accelerating Innovation to Market (AIM) program today announced its 2026 cohort of seven faculty-led ventures, marking a strategic evolution in the program's tenth year of translating breakthrough research into real-world impact. All seven teams are developing dual-use technologies with applications spanning civilian healthcare, national defense, and critical infrastructure resilience.

Since its inception, AIM has demonstrated that targeted, milestone-driven capital deployed at the critical inflection point between research and commercialization can transform university innovation outcomes. The program's 88-90% company formation rate-as much as 45 times higher than industry averages-has generated nearly $90 million in follow-on funding across its portfolio, representing a 285-to-1 capital leverage ratio. These results position AIM as a national model for proof-of-concept funding that bridges the gap between academic discovery and market deployment.

The 2026 cohort reflects an intentional focus on technologies that address pressing challenges in both civilian and military contexts. From novel gene editing platforms that could accelerate battlefield medicine to cybersecurity resilience systems designed for great power conflict scenarios, this year's teams demonstrate how university research can simultaneously advance public health, economic competitiveness, and national security.

"In an era where technological leadership and national security are closely linked, our university has a key role in helping drive innovations that benefit both the economy and our nation's defense," said Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. "This new cohort reflects UC San Diego's ongoing commitment to turn world-class research into practical solutions that serve the public good - whether that means improving health outcomes or empowering our military with the tools it needs for operational readiness."

The seven teams span breakthrough applications in biomedicine, advanced materials, energy systems, and infrastructure resilience:

Zeinab Jahed

Lotus Biosciences (Zeinab Jahed) is developing a nanopillar-mediated nucleoporation platform that enables direct, carrier-free gene delivery to the cell nucleus, bypassing limitations of viral vectors. The technology could accelerate cell therapy manufacturing and has applications in biosecurity and field-deployable medical settings, with potential partnerships at the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. Learn more about Zeinab Jahed's recent work on nanopillar-enabled access to the cell nucleus.

David Berry

Arthroscopic 3D Bioprinting (David Berry) addresses the 94% failure rate in rotator cuff repairs through an innovative surgical bioprinting system that can be deployed in standard operating rooms or military treatment facilities. The platform has direct applications for warfighter injuries and expeditionary medicine, where musculoskeletal injuries are a leading cause of limited duty. Learn more about David Berry's work.

Tatum Simonson

Probiotic Oxygenation Enhancement (Tatum Simonson) is developing a multi-strain probiotic formulation to improve oxygen utilization and endurance performance. The technology has applications for athletes and clinical patients, as well as military personnel operating in hypoxic environments including high-altitude, diving, submarine, and aerospace operations, with potential partnerships spanning DARPA's Biological Technologies Office to the Air Force Research Laboratory. Learn more about Tatum's recent win being selected for UC San Diego's Fall 2025 Convene and Influence Awardees.

Kent Griffith

Rapid-Charging Battery Materials (Kent Griffith) has discovered novel lithium-ion battery anode materials that can reach 80% charge in three minutes while maintaining safety and longevity. The technology addresses critical needs in portable medical devices for both civilian hospitals and field medicine, where charging downtime can compromise life-saving equipment availability. Learn more about Griffith Lab.

Renkun Chen

PiCool Technologies (Renkun Chen) has developed evaporative fiber membrane cold plates that manage extreme heat flux in high-performance computing systems. The technology addresses thermal limitations in AI data centers while supporting Department of Defense priorities in directed energy systems, radar electronics, and compact defense computing platforms. Learn more about Renkun Chen's work using glass fiber membranes for high-flux evaporative cooling to manage the intense heat from AI data centers.

Jeff Tully

CRASHCART (Jeff Tully) provides a rapidly deployable mobile emergency technology platform that restores functionality to critical workflows during cyberattacks. Initially designed for healthcare systems, the platform addresses the growing threat of nation-state cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, including scenarios where military casualty repatriation could coincide with coordinated attacks on civilian healthcare systems during great power conflicts. Learn more about Jeff Tully's recent work on CRASHCART.

Kelly Kusche and Anthony Molina

Proteomic Resilience Panel (Kelly Kusche and Anthony Molina) is developing biomarker systems to quantify biological resilience following chemical exposures. With approximately 2.1 million veterans reporting toxic exposure under the PACT Act, the technology addresses a $14.7 billion federal healthcare obligation while supporting force readiness through early detection of deployment-related health risks. Learn more about Molina Lab.

"This cohort reflects how university technology transfer is evolving. We are moving beyond passive licensing toward a proactive, supportive model designed to stimulate innovation," said Corinne Peek-Asa, Vice Chancellor for Research at UC San Diego. "By combining AIM's proof-of-concept funding with the Horizon Accelerator's milestone-driven support, we're building a clear, systematic pathway from breakthrough research to real-world solutions. These innovations, with both civilian and defense applications, tackle critical societal challenges by strengthening our regional and national innovation ecosystems."

The 2026 AIM cohort will receive up to $50,000 per team to advance their technologies from laboratory demonstration to commercial readiness. Teams will also gain access to the Horizon Accelerator's comprehensive support infrastructure, including strategic advisors, industry partnerships, and connections to both commercial and government funding sources.

AIM's track record demonstrates the program's effectiveness as a high-leverage intervention in the university innovation pipeline. Despite representing just 1.5% of UC San Diego's annual invention disclosures, AIM-funded teams account for nearly 40% of all startups formed from university research. The program's 29 companies currently in residence have collectively raised nearly $30 million, with notable portfolio companies including Limber, South8 Technologies, Unigrid Batteries, Algenesis Materials, and Hybrid Reef Solutions spanning therapeutics, advanced batteries, sustainable materials, and climate technology.

The integration of AIM with the Horizon Accelerator represents UC San Diego's commitment to building sustainable infrastructure around research commercialization. Rather than operating as a traditional accelerator with fixed curriculum and cohort schedules, Horizon provides milestone-driven support over 16-24 months, matching the actual timelines of deep technology development. This approach has attracted an Advisory Board spanning enterprise technology and research commercialization expertise, including Joel Oubre (Salesforce), Devon Tolliver (UC San Diego), Patrick Giblin, David Pelling, and Alex Ferre.

UC San Diego's $1.7 billion in annual research funding positions the university as a strategic asset for translating scientific breakthroughs into deployable technologies. The 2026 AIM cohort demonstrates how this research infrastructure can generate innovations that simultaneously address civilian market needs and national security priorities, creating sustainable pathways for dual-use technology development.

About AIM

The Accelerating Innovation to Market (AIM) program provides proof-of-concept funding to UC San Diego faculty ventures at the critical inflection point between research discovery and commercial deployment. Now entering its tenth year, AIM has funded over 50 teams, achieving an 88-90% company formation rate and generating nearly $90 million in follow-on capital. The program demonstrates that strategic, milestone-driven investments can dramatically accelerate the translation of university research into market-ready innovations. Learn more about the AIM program.

See last year's AIM award recipients.

About Horizon Accelerator

Horizon Accelerator serves as UC San Diego's hub for translating breakthrough research into measurable impact across health, climate, and deep technology sectors. Operating on a milestone-driven model over 16-24 months rather than a fixed curriculum, Horizon provides comprehensive infrastructure including strategic advisors, industry partnerships, and connections to capital. Currently supporting 29 companies in residence from 54 total portfolio companies, Horizon positions research commercialization as a movement focused on discovery to deployment rather than a traditional accelerator program. Learn more about Horizon.

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