Distributed by:
BD

Issued to

Benjamin Delgado

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Credential Verification

Issue date: July 13, 2026

ID: ccdfee1d-3934-4fd4-81c3-cf97704e3300

Issued by

UCLA CNSI (California NanoSystems Institute)

The CNSI leverages public and private investment to drive collaborative nanoscience research across disciplines, translates discoveries into knowledge-driven commercial enterprises, and educates the next generation of scientists and engineers.

Type

Program

Level

Introductory

Format

Hybrid

Duration

10 weeks

Description

UCLA undergraduates of a broad range of majors participate by working in teams to explore the process of taking an idea from the nascent research stage to the company expansion phase. Structured as a “design and grow” challenge, students work in transdisciplinary teams to take research ideas and develop them into proposed product solutions using their academic knowledge alongside design thinking, production, and business skills they will develop throughout the program. Participants learn how to develop their ideas into a pitch for a startup, seeing how startups grow and are evaluated from the perspective of a venture capital (VC) investor.

Skills

Decision Making

Problem Solving

Problem Management

Project Collaboration

Teamwork

Communication Strategies

Presentation Design

Project Assessments

Project Coordination

Project Design

Project Evaluation

Project Management

Project Stakeholders

Market Research

Risk Analysis

Business Strategies

Adaptability

Intellectual Property

Venture Capital

Commercialization

Earning Criteria

Assignment

After each weekly meeting on Mondays reviewing a particular subject matter and industry partner presentation, teams have asynchronous work for the remainder of week and are given assignments to complete and return with to discuss and analyze with the entire cohort.

Assignment

As the final project, participants participate in a practice presentation, incorporating feedback from instructors, mentors, and peers to refine the final. They deliver a professional presentation of each team's solution to the cohort and industry partners, demonstrating the knowledge, skills, and outcomes developed throughout the program. Lastly, they participate in a guided reflection of their learning experience, others team's project, and the potential impact of their proposed solution.