UCR has received a $2.5 million grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to obtain equipment for the first wet lab incubator in the Inland Empire. The wet lab incubator is 3,000 square feet and is centrally located on the first floor of the Multidisciplinary Research Building (MRB).
The wet lab incubator will be equipped to accommodate regional companies in the life science, agriculture biotechnology and medical technologies. In an interview with the Highlander, David Pearson, the managing director of Entrepreneurial Programs at UCR’s Office of Technology Partnerships stated that approximately $1 million from the grant is allotted for equipment for the wet lab incubator.
The incubator, according to Pearson, will house about 15 job-creating startup companies from UCR and the Inland Empire. Pearson stated that this grant will have an impact on students at UCR because it will allow startup companies to provide more opportunities for students.
The wet lab incubator, stated Pearson, will help student entrepreneurs through the use of Creat’R Lab, a space at UCR where students can learn experiment, design and create.
According to the Office of Technology Partnerships at UCR, residents will have access to core laboratory and equipment facilities in the building and campus specialized facilities. Residents will also have the chance to interact and collaborate with UCR researchers, faculty and students to increase the number of entrepreneurial opportunities.
They will also have access to specialized UCR campus resources such as the vivaria, imaging, sequencing and other core facilities. Residents of the wet lab incubator will also have access to the UCR SBIR Resource Center to, “facilitate the submission of research commercialization proposals for non dilutive funding,” according to the Office of Technology Partnerships.
Pearson stated that he believes that this grant is overall a great opportunity for students and a solid project for UCR. 
