Mukesh Patel
Mukesh is a serial entrepreneur and an active startup investor. He has 35 plus years of experience in the semiconductor and hardware industries and has held a position as Chairman, CEO, and other executive roles. Mukesh is a co-founder of Smart Modular Technologies and also an investor, board member, and mentor to a number startups in Silicon Valley.
In Kunal Patel’s Memory
Kunal was a star athlete, passionate about soccer, completed the Escape from Alcatraz and New York Triathlons, and was a 4.5-rated USA National tennis champion. He loved classical music and was an extraordinary traveler, backpacking through countries all over the world and always looking for off-the-beaten-path experiences with great enthusiasm. He is missed.
Mukesh and Harsha Patel are Bay Area residents who raised an active family in California while co-founding Smart Modular Technologies. In addition, Mukesh is an investor, board member, and mentor to Silicon Valley startup companies and entrepreneurs. He also understands the importance of meticulous research in healthcare and chose to support the University’s diligent pursuit of science. The Fund was created in memory of their son, Kunal.
“Through effective scientific medical research, innovation, and its application, we along with our daughter Dr. Monique Patel, hope our contribution helps tackle the challenging issues of health in society,” said Patel. “Our gift to UCSF's Catalyst Program is in service of the shared values of humanity and, above all, the love for family. The Bay Area is our extended family. It has provided us with incredible opportunity and, more importantly, a place to raise a family and foster relationships. Our son Kunal shared his extraordinary spirit with heart, which continues to illuminate the way forward for us.”
Catalyst Program
The centerpiece of the Catalyst Program is the Catalyst Awards, our program that provides both industry advisor mentorship and project funding to UCSF Principal Investigators with promising translational-stage projects. The Catalyst Awards are focused on the development of therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices, digital health, and biotools. Since program inception in 2010, the Catalyst Program has helped bridge the translational gap in 249 projects by providing UCSF faculty with project funding totaling over $8.9 M, resulting in follow-on funding totaling over $297 M. Furthermore, 35 patents have been issued from Catalyst Program projects, and 23 start-up companies involving Catalyst Program projects have launched.