Welcome to Horizon
Launch and scale your startup with all the support you need.
Horizon Accelerator bridges discovery and deployment at UC San Diego, accelerating innovation toward measurable real-world impact.
This is more than an accelerator; it's infrastructure. We're building a movement for the San Diego region to platform innovation globally, transforming how universities turn discovery into deployment. Operating from UC San Diego's Design and Innovation Building, we connect founders with the investors, mentors, and partners who help amplify teams alongside their promising technologies.
The horizon is not a finish line; it's the starting point. Join the movement.
Designed for recent UC San Diego ventures as part of the Entrepreneurship Center, Horizon brings community resources to new companies to help them launch and scale. Our accelerator offers premium, low-cost co-working spaces in the Design and Innovation Building. This coupled with a bespoke program of introductions to community resources that will help you build your company- including management, investment, legal support and customer acquisition.
Put your entrepreneurial journey on the fast track with the power of a vibrant creative ecosystem, an entrepreneurial network, and experiential learning that can only come from UC San Diego, the global hub of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Explore Companies & Apply
UC San Diego has cultivated a strong global reputation as a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship. With a powerful network of over 264,000 alumni worldwide, we help startups thrive by facilitating introductions and building relationships with top-tier venture capital firms, investors, and industry leaders. Our team of strategic advisors and expert mentors actively supports founders, offering guidance on everything from product development and customer discovery to go-to-market strategies, fundraising, and long-term growth.
Want to learn more about UC San Diego startups? Check out our comprehensive database of over 450 UC San Diego-powered startups. We are over 1500 now.
Fill out OUR Startup ForM
Investment Opportunities Abound
Beyond Horizon is the UC San Diego innovation & investor network - a curated effort that connects forward-thinking investors with high-potential startups emerging from one of the nation’s top public research universities. Through programs like Horizon, Accelerating Innovation to Market, Galvanizing Engineering in Medicine, and the Institute for the Global Entrepreneur, UC San Diego supports ventures across life sciences, AI, sustainability, diagnostics, and more.
As a global hub for breakthrough research and commercialization, UC San Diego offers investors early-stage access to transformative technologies and visionary founders. Our investor community benefits from curated deal flow, due diligence insights, and exclusive opportunities to engage with startups shaping the future across key industries.
Whether you're an institutional investor, corporate partner, or angel fund, UC San Diego provides unparalleled access to Southern California’s dynamic innovation ecosystem and the entrepreneurial talent driving it. Fill out the form below for consideration to join Beyond Horizon.
Beyond Horizon Members:
- Sierra Ventures
- Lucas Venture Group
- NuFund Venture Group
- Rocky Mountain Venture Club
- Alma Life Sciences
- Bow Capital
- Madrona Venture Capital
- Red Tree Venture Capital
- Okapi VC
- Curie.Bio
Become a Strategic Advisor
Our Strategic Advisors are an intentionally curated group of 40-50 seasoned experts, founders, investors, operators, and technologists, who provide targeted, real-world guidance to help startups move faster and smarter.
Through our unique model, each startup is matched with a Venture Champion who tracks progress, shares insights, and helps troubleshoot as challenges arise. Teams also engage with the full Strategic Advisor network through scheduled office hours, small-group sessions, and direct outreach.
We’ve designed our approach for agility and access, offering personalized support, regional insight, and deep connections across Southern California’s innovation economy.
At UC San Diego, you don’t just get advice, you build relationships that move your venture forward.
Apply Now
Benefits & Key Features
Join today for a 12-month period and experience these incredible benefits:
- Access 24/7. Work whenever inspiration strikes.
- Dedicated Space. Your own space to innovate and create.
- Expert Guidance. Connect with experienced Entrepreneurs-in-Residence and subject-matter advisers.
- Investor and Customer Connections. Gain warm introductions to potential investors and customers.
- EC Event and Activity Special Invites. Engage in exclusive events and activities.
Eligibility
To be considered eligible at the program director’s discretion, your startup must meet one of the following criteria:
- Student Startups: Your company must be formally established.
- UC San Diego Startup Licensee: Only ventures awarded a license within the last 2 years.
- Alumni: Graduated from UC San Diego within the last two years.
- Local Startups: Only ventures that are deeply engaged with UC San Diego in multiple ways including, but not limited to sponsorship, program development, and/or co-designing of curriculum and internships. The space availability is subject to change at the discretion of the Director.
Program Requirements
Members are expected to fulfill the following responsibilities:
- Participants must attend the onboarding sessions.
- Submit all quarterly check-in reports.
- Participate and engage in Entrepreneurship Center events such as but not limited to: Open House, Demo Day, and investor meetings.
- Attend all mandatory meetings scheduled by the EC staff.
- The Member agrees to pay all membership invoices by the stated due date.
- Comply with all policies set forth by the UC San Diego Entrepreneurship Center community.
- Abide by the UC San Diego Principles of Community.
Cost
To take advantage of this incredible opportunity, costs are kept low to keep your startup progressing without incurring additional expenses:
- Co-working Desk Space: $200/month
- Private Office Space: $680/month*
*Subject to availability and staff approval.
Incentives- SAVE TODAY!
We also have some additional financial incentives depending on the nature of your startup:
- Student Ventures, Alumni, and UC San Diego Startup Licensees receive 6 months FREE membership!