Leading Midwest research universities launch innovation hub in San Francisco

Consortium of eight universities collectively representing billions in research investment establishes shared Bay Area hub to accelerate startup growth and strengthen Midwest-Silicon Valley pipeline.

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has joined seven other leading Midwestern research universities in launching Third Coast Foundry, a collaborative San Francisco-based innovation hub designed to accelerate the growth of university-founded startups and deepen connections between the Midwest's research powerhouses and the Bay Area's venture capital ecosystem, one of the world’s most active venture ecosystems.

Located at 625 Second Street in San Francisco's South Park neighborhood, just steps from major venture capital firms and the emerging AI corridor, Third Coast Foundry will serve as a strategic basecamp for university-founded startups, faculty, students and staff from across the consortium. The 3,500-square-foot ground-floor workspace will operate as a shared resource, with each partner university contributing to programming, operations and community-building efforts that amplify the collective Midwest innovation presence in San Francisco.

The innovation hub, which will offer flexible co-working and meeting space for founders traveling to the Bay Area, is designed to support fundraising and events like Demo Days, seminars and workshops with access to a dedicated third-floor event space.

This collaborative initiative reflects the participating universities' shared commitment to translating research excellence into economic impact while creating pathways for students and faculty to engage with leading technology companies, investors and entrepreneurs. The consortium of universities includes:

• Carnegie Mellon University
• Northwestern University
• The Ohio State University
• Purdue University
• University of Chicago's Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (joint initiative by Gies College of Business and The Grainger College of Engineering)
• University of Wisconsin–Madison
• Washington University in St. Louis

"The Third Coast Foundry represents a powerful collaboration among Midwestern universities that collectively produce some of the nation's top business, engineering and science talent," said Jed Taylor, Assistant Dean for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. "With billions in combined research investment across our partner institutions, Third Coast Foundry creates a direct pathway for transforming Midwestern research breakthroughs into venture-backed companies. This shared presence in San Francisco creates more opportunities for our student entrepreneurs and research-driven startups to connect with the capital and partnerships needed to scale their innovations."

“Illinois students, faculty, and alumni are building companies that tackle some of the world’s most complex challenges,” said Melissa Graebner, Associate Dean for Entrepreneurship and Robert C. Evans Endowed Professor of Business Administration at Gies College of Business, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. “Third Coast Foundry creates a valuable platform for those founders to have direct access to Silicon Valley’s capital and mentorship while showcasing the incredible innovations coming out of the Midwest and beyond.”

As a two-year pilot, the visible footprint positions Midwest university startups within proximity to more than $100 billion in venture capital assets under management. This strategic location enables university founders to access key partnerships, mentorship and talent networks critical for scaling technology ventures.

Building a Bridge from Midwest Innovation to Silicon Valley Capital

For The Grainger College of Engineering and Gies College of Business, Third Coast Foundry marks a significant expansion of the colleges’ long-standing Silicon Valley engagement and decades of leadership in entrepreneurship and technology commercialization. For nearly two decades, Grainger Engineering’s Technology Entrepreneur Center has operated the Silicon Valley Entrepreneurship Workshop, immersing 25 select students annually in the Bay Area's technology ecosystem and connecting them with U. of I. alumni leading prominent companies and ventures across the region. Gies Business’ and Grainger Engineering’s extensive alumni and learner network in the Bay Area includes founders, executives and investors at leading technology companies and startups, creating a powerful foundation for strategic engagement and scaling of Illinois-founded ventures in the nation’s highly competitive technology market.

In 2025, U. of I.  further strengthened its Bay Area footprint by participating in San Francisco's 2025 Deep Tech Week that brought Bay Area investors to hear pitches from startups working across clean tech, AI, robotics, quantum and more. Third Coast Foundry builds on this momentum, elevating the collective Midwest innovation presence in San Francisco.