UC Merced offers lab tour, Innovation Series this month

Anyone interested in taking a gander at UC Merced’s Venture Lab will get a chance during a dedication ceremony next week.

The ribbon cutting is 2:30 p.m. Oct. 15 at the lab, 1735 N. M St. Scheduled later in the day is a presentation that is part of the university’s Innovation Series. It will feature experts on business innovation.

Chancellor Dorothy Leland is scheduled to conduct a ceremony at the lab in the Ralph Shannon Parcade Building. Known as the Venture Lab, the business incubator, which opened this semester, is helping students turn their ideas into solid plans through entrepreneurial coaching and market research.

The City Council agreed last year to lease the 5,951-square-foot space to UC Merced for $1 per year for five years with an option for an additional five years. The city-owned building had been empty for at least five years, according to city staff.

The university put $1.4 million into the design and construction of the Venture Lab, as well as for equipment and furniture, according to UC Merced officials.

Many universities have an incubator of one form or another. According to Venture Lab staff, the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps and VentureLab at Georgia Tech are aspirations for what the Merced lab could become.

The Innovation Series kicks off with four presenters from 5 to 7 p.m. the same day at the Merced Theatre, 301 W. Main St.

Presenters have been enlisted to tell their stories to emphasize the importance of innovation, entrepreneurship and business development in the San Joaquin Valley and, in particular, greater Merced, according to a news release.

The speakers include three from the Venture Lab and one from the iHub Network, a program launched by Gov. Jerry Brown’s office of business development.

This story was originally published October 6, 2015 at 6:25 PM with the headline "UC Merced offers lab tour, Innovation Series this month."