Meet UC Santa Cruz entrepreneurs creating jobs and sparking innovation – UC Santa Cruz – News

Report on UC Santa Cruz’s Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals through Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Research and academic initiatives at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) are generating significant impacts that extend beyond the campus, contributing to economic development and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through technological innovation and entrepreneurial ventures led by faculty and alumni, UCSC is fostering job creation and addressing global challenges.

Advancing Global Health and Well-being (SDG 3) and Fostering Innovation (SDG 9)

Two companies originating from the UCSC community are making substantial contributions to health and scientific infrastructure.

• Oxford Nanopore Technologies: This company commercialized nanopore sequencing, a technique for long-read DNA analysis invented by UCSC Professors Emeriti David Deamer and Mark Akeson.
  1. SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): The technology enables critical health discoveries worldwide by making genetic sequencing more accessible and affordable with devices like the hand-held MinION.
  2. SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): The company now employs over 1,000 people, stimulating economic growth.
  3. SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure): The invention provides a foundational technology for global scientific research, biopharmaceuticals, and public health.
• Unnatural Products (UNP): Founded by UCSC alumni, this biotech company is developing treatments for diseases previously considered “undruggable.”
  1. SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): UNP’s work directly targets challenging protein targets in oncology, cardiometabolic disorders, and autoimmune conditions, opening new pathways for medical treatment.
  2. SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure): Through strategic partnerships with global immunology and pharmaceutical companies, UNP is driving innovation within the biotechnology sector.

Promoting Inclusive Education and Economic Growth (SDG 4, SDG 8, SDG 10)

Digital NEST, founded by UCSC alumnus Jacob Martinez, focuses on creating equitable opportunities for youth on California’s Central Coast.

• SDG 4 (Quality Education): The organization provides youth with training in high-demand digital skills, including digital marketing, IT, and web development.
• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): Digital NEST equips young people with the skills and experience needed to secure meaningful employment or start their own businesses, strengthening local economies.
• SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): By serving communities that are impacted by but not invested in by Silicon Valley, the initiative promotes economic inclusion and ensures that opportunities are accessible to all.

Fostering Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions (SDG 16)

Astrea Forensics, co-founded by Professor Richard “Ed” Green, applies genomic expertise to the field of criminal justice.

• SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions): The company’s technology recovers genetic profiles from highly degraded forensic samples, enabling law enforcement to solve cold cases and identify unknown individuals. This work strengthens the justice system and provides resolution for families affected by crime.
• SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure): The development and legal validation of its methods represent a major advancement in forensic science, creating more robust tools for legal and investigative institutions.

Institutional Support for Sustainable Innovation

UCSC provides a robust ecosystem of resources that supports the translation of academic research into ventures that advance the SDGs.

1. Innovation and Commercialization Programs: Centers such as QB3, the Innovation & Business Engagement Hub, CITRIS at UC Santa Cruz, and the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurial Development (CIED) offer mentorship, networking, and support for aspiring entrepreneurs.
2. Makerspaces and Labs: Facilities like Slugworks and the Digital Scholarship Innovation Studio provide students and researchers with access to tools and technology to develop their ideas into tangible products and solutions.

Analysis of the Article in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article highlights innovations and entrepreneurial ventures originating from UC Santa Cruz, which connect to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary SDGs addressed are:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The article discusses the development of DNA sequencing technology for health discoveries and new drugs to treat “undruggable” diseases, directly contributing to advancing medical science and healthcare solutions.
• SDG 4: Quality Education: The role of the university in training students who become entrepreneurs and innovators is a central theme. Furthermore, the Digital NEST initiative explicitly focuses on providing youth with technical and vocational skills for employment.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The article celebrates entrepreneurship that is “fueling job creation and creating opportunity.” It provides examples of new companies employing hundreds of people and initiatives designed to build local economies.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: The core of the article is about scientific research and technological innovation. It showcases how university-led research is commercialized, leading to new technologies in biotech, healthcare, and forensics, thereby upgrading industrial capabilities.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The Digital NEST program is specifically designed to create opportunities for youth in communities that are often overlooked by major tech hubs like Silicon Valley, aiming to reduce economic and opportunity gaps.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: The work of Astrea Forensics in developing technology to solve cold cases contributes directly to the justice system, helping to provide closure for victims and strengthen forensic investigation capabilities.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, the following specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 3.b (under SDG 3): “Support the research and development of vaccines and medicines for the communicable and non-communicable diseases…”
   • Explanation: The work of Unnatural Products (UNP) in “designing drugs for the ‘undruggable’” for conditions like oncology and autoimmune disorders, and the development of nanopore sequencing for health discoveries, directly align with supporting R&D for new medicines and medical technologies.
2. Target 4.4 (under SDG 4): “By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.”
   • Explanation: Digital NEST’s mission is to support “youth ages 14 to 24 with digital skills, mentorship, and real-world experience to help them build successful careers.” It offers training in high-demand fields like “digital marketing, IT, and web development.”
3. Target 8.3 (under SDG 8): “Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation…”
   • Explanation: The entire article is a showcase of this target, celebrating “professors and alumni who are fueling job creation.” The university’s ecosystem, with resources like the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurial Development, actively promotes entrepreneurship and innovation.
4. Target 9.5 (under SDG 9): “Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries…encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers…”
   • Explanation: The invention of nanopore sequencing at UC Santa Cruz and the development of advanced forensic DNA methods by Astrea Forensics are prime examples of enhancing scientific research and upgrading technological capabilities. The article emphasizes that “Santa Cruz is really one of the centers internationally for implementing nanopore sequencing.”
5. Target 10.2 (under SDG 10): “By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all…”
   • Explanation: Digital NEST aims to serve “communities that Silicon Valley impacts but doesn’t necessarily invest in.” By providing skills and career pathways, it works to promote the economic inclusion of youth in these underserved communities.
6. Target 16.3 (under SDG 16): “Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.”
   • Explanation: Astrea Forensics’ technology enables investigators to “close cold cases and identify unknown individuals,” bringing justice to families. The validation of its methods in a ‘Frye hearing’ marks a “major step forward for the use of more robust DNA evidence in court,” strengthening the justice system.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article mentions or implies several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can measure progress:

• Indicator for Target 8.3: The number of jobs created. The article explicitly states that Oxford Nanopore Technologies “employs more than 1,000 people.”
• Indicator for Target 4.4: The number of youth trained and the expansion of training facilities. The article mentions Digital NEST supports youth “ages 14 to 24” and has “expanded to five locations across California.”
• Indicator for Target 9.5: The number of new technologies or companies created from research. The article profiles four distinct companies (Oxford Nanopore, Unnatural Products, Digital NEST, Astrea Forensics) that have emerged from university research and alumni initiatives.
• Indicator for Target 16.3: The number of cases solved or judicial processes improved. The article notes that Astrea Forensics’ methods have “helped solve dozens of cases since the company’s founding in 2019” and that its technology successfully “cleared a ‘Frye hearing’.”
• Indicator for Target 3.b: The development and adoption of new medical technologies. The creation of the “MinION, the only hand-held device for genetic sequencing,” and its worldwide use is a clear indicator of progress.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: news.ucsc.edu