News Release

Women who mean business

By Michelle Franklin

San Diego, Calif., July 2, 2020 -- Women are on the rise. According to the latest U.S. census data, they make up more than 50% of the population. They also earn more degrees at every level (associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral) than men. And Kauffman Fellows Research Center states that between 2000-2018, the number of startups with at least one female founder rose from 4% to 20%.

The University of California San Diego is proud to have been named a top 25 undergraduate university for female-founded startups by Pitchbook, a financial data and software company.

Pitchbook tracked companies that raised their first round of funding between January 1, 2006 and August 31, 2019. UC San Diego landed in the No. 22 spot with 45 female founders whose companies raised over $580 million in first-round funding.

UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep Khosla isn’t surprised by those statistics. “This ranking from Pitchbook affirms UC San Diego women excel in entrepreneurship. They learn the Triton way, under excellent instructors. Over the years, we have developed really strong programs on campus, including our student start-up incubator, The Basement, and Entrepreneurs-in-Residence mentor program. Triton women are solving real-world problems, impacting communities, and driving economic development,” he said.

Paul Roben, associate vice chancellor for Innovation and Commercialization is encouraged to see the number of female alumni who have found success as entrepreneurs, saying, “As we continue to expand our innovation ecosystem on campus, we are also looking for ways to ensure that underrepresented minorities have equal access to programs and opportunities for success. This is one indication that we are moving in the right direction and providing everyone the support they need to succeed in the startup world.”

Here is a peek into the busineses of some of the 45 outstanding founders.

Ronald Graham -- Click Here to visit JSOE Flickr

Rachel Dreilinger, ’99, Bioengineering
Co-founder and CEO, NeuraMedica Inc.

NeuraMedica is developing a bioabsorbable surgical clip that can help neurosurgeons and orthopedic spine surgeons more quickly and easily repair the dura mater during spinal surgery. The dura is the membrane that covers and protects the brain, spinal cord and cerebrospinal fluid. It is a small device that can have a big impact, with product launch slated for early 2021. Dreilingeris proud of her resiliency and determination despite the obstacles she has faced as a Native female entrepreneur: “I didn’t quit, and now I can use my influence to create more inclusive companies and environments that value and respect diversity.”

Full story: https://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/feature/women-who-mean-business

Media Contacts

Katherine Connor
Jacobs School of Engineering
858-534-8374
khconnor@ucsd.edu