A message from UCOP Vice President for Research and Innovation, Dr. Theresa Maldonado
Inclusive Innovation Equitable Entrepreneurship (I2E2) Initiative: A Systemwide Committee and Initiative to Broaden Participation in UC Innovation and Entrepreneurship
CHARGE STATEMENT
For decades, the U.S. enjoyed global leadership in innovation and entrepreneurship (I&E) without addressing the long-standing structural impediments to the participation of ethnic and racial minoritized groups, women, and persons with disabilities. However, the international playing field is leveling. The U.S. can no longer ignore the trillions of dollars of lost U.S. GDP due to the underrepresentation of these groups in I&E. There are holes in our national understanding of the innovation ecosystem because crucial data are not collected. For example, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has launched initiatives to engage diverse populations in entrepreneurship and uncover the demographics of U.S. inventors and entrepreneurs to heighten their visibility. In 2021, the National Science Board passed resolutions to attract the “missing millions” to science and engineering to strengthen U.S. innovation.
The University of California (UC) is committed to reversing this “missing millions, lost trillions” trend and leading the nation in developing best practices and cultivating a culture of innovation for all students, faculty, staff, and alumni. However, like USPTO, UC lacks the data to assess the current situation accurately and inform strategies for developing more inclusive I&E environments. The UC Vice President for Research & Innovation is launching the Inclusive Innovation Equitable Entrepreneurship (I²E²) initiative to close critical gaps in our knowledge and develop evidence-based strategies to broaden participation in I&E in support of state and national needs.
The I²E² initiative is charged with examining the current state of I&E across UC, reviewing prior studies of the UC I&E ecosystem, and making recommendations for future practices and culture shifts to support a more inclusive and equitable I&E ecosystem throughout the UC system.
Using a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens, the I²E² initiative will perform the following tasks:
• Review existing systemwide and campus policies and practices in formal and informal I&E education and training; research and intellectual property development; incubator and accelerator tenancy; funding mechanisms for founders; demographic data collection and analysis.
• Collect and analyze existing national data and collect new data to understand the opportunities and challenges in the UC I&E ecosystem focused on historically marginalized groups in I&E.
• Synthesize recommendations to systemwide leaders and campuses on policy, curriculum, structure, and programmatic improvements that enhance access and participation in I&E.
The I²E² initiative resides at the intersection of issues central to U.S. global competitiveness, including finance, economics, business, innovation, higher education, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and social justice. Accordingly, the I²E² is to form Subcommittees to gather insight and coordinate UC campus and national stakeholder input in these areas. I²E² Committee and Subcommittee members may include investors, innovators, program directors, economists, social science researchers, campus/system-level administrators, faculty, and students with expertise in innovation, entrepreneurship, and higher education. Members will serve a term effective through January 13, 2023, and deliver a report of their findings to the UC President and Vice President for Research and Innovation.