Entrepreneurship Program
The Entrepreneurship Program helps UCSF innovators/entrepreneurs explore the startup business world, essential for commercial success. We inform our scientific and medical community about business planning, testing ideas for commercial potential, and investor requirements. Our Silicon Valley location and business community connections bring an unparalleled network to the UCSF ecosystem.
We deliver pragmatic education about entrepreneurship, events featuring life sciences/healthcare business leaders, informal networking get-togethers, and opportunities for visibility among funders. Experienced industry mentors, ranging from serial entrepreneurs to investors, provide business insights.
We want to broaden our reach beyond UCSF and know that the more people who engage with different backgrounds, the better the likelihood of useful connections. Events and most trainings are open to UC Berkeley, Stanford, and the Silicon Valley business community.
Contact us for more information: [email protected]
Startup 101
Our Startup 101 course offers faculty, students, and trainees the chance to learn core business principles critical to building successful life science or healthcare startups. The 10-week fall program at the Mission Bay campus includes top Silicon Valley practitioners, group discussions led by experienced mentors, and the option for qualifying teams to receive individualized mentorship. No prerequisites are needed; simply bring an interest in entrepreneurship or an idea to explore, and admissions will open in June.
The Global Online Entrepreneurship course, Global Life Sciences/Healthcare Entrepreneurship Course: Virtual Master Class Direct from Silicon Valley, has brought best practices from Silicon Valley to 40 countries on six continents. This professional online course teaches startup essentials. Cohort 7 begins on October 1, 2025. See our course brochure.
The 2025 Cohort has been filled!
We are excited to announce the launch of a new entrepreneurship course specifically for the UCSF community—open to Faculty, PhD/PharmD students, Postdocs, Med students, Residents, and Fellows.
Explore what it takes to succeed in a life science/healthcare startup. Learn that business essentials drive success, not just the science or technology. You will hear from top Silicon Valley practitioners and discuss the material in a group led by experienced mentors.
There are no requirements to join the class besides interest. Some people will have an idea or a project they want to explore, and others will be just curious about Silicon Valley. If you have a team working on an idea, you may qualify for an assigned mentor.
The class will meet for 10 weeks in the fall, in person at the Mission Bay campus. There will be a limited number of spaces for Berkeley and Stanford students.
Not sure if you’re an entrepreneur? Join the class to explore. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
- Are you passionate about making a difference in healthcare?
- Do you want to have a large-scale impact?
- Do you feel you don’t fit neatly in a prescribed box?
- Do you crave excitement, variety, and challenge?
Fall 2025 Global Online Entrepreneurship Cohort
Registration Deadline: September 3
The 7th cohort of UCSF's acclaimed life science/healthcare entrepreneurship course starts in Fall 2025. This virtual course is live and online, takes place over a 10 week period and requires only 2-4 hours per week. All lectures are recorded for reference.
Learn business requirements for a startup from the world's leading entrepreneurial ecosystem.
How we are different from other online entrepreneurship courses:
- Life sciences/healthcare startup focus with its specialized topics
- High touch, live sessions: interactive lectures, small discussion groups and individualized mentoring is live, not canned videos
- Guest lectures by investors and entrepreneurs who are current practitioners
- Communicates the winning mindset and culture of Silicon Valley
- A community that extends in and beyond class; active global alumni network
- Delivered by UCSF, the scientific and medical leader in the US and creator of the biotechnology industry
Top practitioners in Silicon Valley- serial entrepreneurs, investors, pharmaceutical executives, attorneys, and domain experts -- will explain the requirements to build a successful company.
This course is meant for diverse professionals: scientists, clinicians, researchers, academics, startup CEOs, management teams, ecosystem managers, tech transfer, corporate executives, investors, and policymakers.
A Conversation About Startups
Stephanie Marrus, Managing Director of Entrepreneurship
"Success is defined by business considerations, not just cool science."
Testimonials
This course condensed a decade’s worth of lessons into just 10 weeks.
The class provided great opportunities to engage with speakers and ask them questions.
It was great to have the focus on Life Sciences, something I have not found in entrepreneurship courses anywhere else
It's been more than I could ever hope for. I was blown away by the quality of people gathered in one place