Focused on exposure and skills transfer, SoCal OASIS™ partners representing K-12 through K-16 institutions from the region are building a pipeline of educational opportunities specifically targeted for disadvantaged populations in technology-based business creation. Through a series of online and hands-on experiential workshops and laboratory sessions delivered by UCR faculty, community experts, and entrepreneurs from the UCR EPIC SBDC, participants will receive instruction training and specialized mentorship on the basic principles of technology commercialization, startup creation, and access to capital. Over the next two years, the program aims to engage over 120 high school graduates from underserved communities and over 200 participants from community colleges and four-year colleges.

The SoCal OASIS™ Educational Program is funded by the James Irvine Foundation with in kind support from UCR Research and Economic Development and Riverside Community College District.

Our Programs Under SoCal OASIS™ Have the Following Objectives:

• Train a cadre of racially and gender diverse tech entrepreneurs, familiar with cutting-edge technology, by deploying sector-specific entrepreneurship education programs.

• Expose high school graduates, community college, and university students to promising career pathways at the intersection of technology and entrepreneurship. 

• Povide seed funding, technical assistance, and business mentoring to improve the success rate for early-stage technology startups and thus increase the demand for a skilled workforce. 

• Build a framework for a sector-focused, skill-based regional innovation strategy that can be leveraged across SoCal OASIS™ and other similar regional and state initiatives

Workshops At No Cost For Juniors & Seniors

Zero-to-Entrepreneur Certificate Program

We are excited to announce the 2024 Zero-to-Entrepreneur Certificate Program in modern agriculture and sustainable transportation. Please view the video series below to learn more about the certificate program. Register Here

Modern Agriculture: 12-Week Program (April 1st 2024 - August 26th, 2024):

Part 1 (Online):

• Basics of Plant Biology (BPSCX461) begins April 1st, 2024 and ends May 6th, 2024
• Advanced Lab Biology (BPSCX463) begins May 13, 2024 and ends June 17th, 2024
• Controlled Environmental Agriculture (BPSCX462) begins May 13, 2024 and ends June 17th, 2024

Part 2 (In-Person and Online):

• Advanced Controlled Environmental Agriculture (BPSCX463.A) begins June 24th, 2024 and ends August 26th, 2024
• Advanced Lab Biology (BPSCX463) begins June 24th, 2024 and ends August 26th, 2024. In-person commitments are every Saturday 12-4PM at the Plant Transformation Research Center Lab at UCR. 
• Entrepreneurship Course (MGTX464) begins June 24th, 2024 and ends August 26th, 2024. Routine meetings with mentors are required attendance.

Sustainable Transportation: 10-Week Program (April 1st, 2024 - August 26th, 2024):

Part 1 (Online):

• Basics Transportation (ENGRX481) begins April 1st, 2024 and ends June 3rd, 2024

Part 2 (In-Person and Online):

• Advanced Transportation (ENGRX482) begins June 24th, 2024 and ends August 26th, 2024. In-person commitments are every Saturday 12-4PM at the CE-CERT Lab in Riverside, along with several field trips to happen during the week.
• Entrepreneurship Course (MGTX464) begins June 24th, 2024 and ends August 26th, 2024. Routine meetings with mentors are required attendance.

Workshop Series A. Sustainable Transportation and Community Impacts

Workshop Series B. Entrepreneurial Modern Agriculture

Contact us

The OASIS Accelerator is one of the programmatic elements of the OASIS Innovation Hub. OASIS, short for Opportunity to Advance Sustainability Innovation and Social Inclusion , is a public-private partnership led by UCR to drive regional economic development through research translation, innovation and entrepreneurship, and workforce development in the Inland Empire.

We look forward to exploring a wide variety of investment, educational, and research collaboration opportunities with you. For general inquiries or to learn more about OASIS Partnership opportunities, contact the UCR Office of Technology Partnerships. 

For information on startup investment and support services, the OASIS Accelerator for small businesses, and for workforce training, contact the UCR Office of Technology Partnerships.

For information on academic research partnerships, contact UCR Research and Economic Development.