The ANTrepreneur Center is an open door to any student on campus curious about entrepreneurship. Through an immersive and engaging experience, students are offered resources and support to guide them from ideation to creation to the building of an entrepreneurial mindset. The lifelong skills our students develop lead to success after graduation whether they join a startup, start their own business, or pursue a more traditional career.
But we can’t do it alone.
Consider becoming a partner and join our journey.
Founder’s Circle
Starting at $50,000
By becoming a member of the Founder’s Circle, you can help cultivate student leaders and share the transformative power of skilled, innovative, and prepared graduates with your community. As a Founder’s Circle member, you also deepen your impact and learning by joining our diverse ANTrepreneur Center students in engaging experiences throughout the year.
Corporate Circle
Starting at $25,000
Benefits of ANTrepreneur Center Corporate Circle Membership includes opportunities to engage as speakers, judges, and mentors, or participate in other exciting interactive experiences. It also affords the opportunity to name a student startup award and gets you access to UCI faculty and campus leadership.
External Committee
Starting at $10,000
Members support program engagement and the development of fundraising opportunities. Members are expected to actively participate in four full ACE Committee meetings per year + two subcommittee meetings and provide advice and input to ANTrepreneur Center leadership in key areas.
Get to Know Ricianne “Chi” Rey, the ANTrepreneur Center’s New Program Lead
In October of 2025, Riccianne “Chi” Rey joined the UC Irvine ANTrepreneur Center as new Program Lead. To welcome and introduce Chi, ANTrepreneur Center Director Ryan Foland sat down with her to learn more about her experience as a founder and what she hopes to accomplish at the Center.
Inside Demo Day: What 300+ Startup Pitches Taught Us
More than 300 pitch conversations. Over 50 judges. One Demo Day designed for learning, not verdicts. This article shares the most common themes from judge feedback at the UC Irvine ANTrepreneur Center’s AI Innovation Course Demo Day to help early-stage founders learn faster and pitch with greater clarity.
Interview with ANTrepreneurs: Alen Yaco of ROID AI
In this interview, UC Irvine student entrepreneur Alen Yaco shares the story behind ROID AI, a fitness-focused social network powered by artificial intelligence. From teaching himself how to code and overcoming repeated App Store rejections to building an evidence-based health platform that helps users, trainers, and coaches connect in one place, Alen reflects on persistence, accountability, and the realities of launching a startup as a solo founder while still in college.
Turning Your Idea Into Something Real: Lessons From Y Combinator (Part 2 of 3)
Turning an idea into something real requires action, not perfection. Drawing from Y Combinator lessons, this article explores why fast execution, early user feedback, and rapid iteration matter more than planning, and how students can use UC Irvine resources to build momentum and learn what truly works.
New Year, New Equipment: ANTrepreneur Center Expands Maker Room with 3D Printer Donation
The UC Irvine ANTrepreneur Center expanded its Maker Room through an in-kind donation of two advanced 3D printers from Stuart McClure. The new equipment increases rapid prototyping capacity, supports hands-on learning, and strengthens product development resources for student innovators.
ANTrepreneur Center Earns Top Honors in Fourth Annual Winter Office Decorating Competition
The UC Irvine ANTrepreneur Center earned top honors in the Fourth Annual Winter Office Decorating Competition, hosted by the Office of the Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning. By taking its holiday spirit outdoors with upcycled decorations, festive music, and a special visit from Santa, the Center created a joyful, community-focused experience that blended creativity, sustainability, and entrepreneurship.
UC Irvine ANTrepreneur Center Hosts Largest-Ever AI Innovation Course Demo Day
The UC Irvine ANTrepreneur Center exists to support students who are curious about entrepreneurship, innovation, and building ideas into real-world ventures. With the support of campus collaborators and Corporate Circle members, the Center delivers experiential...
UC Irvine ANTrepreneur Center Celebrates First Major Win from the New Santora Pitch Lab
Just weeks after opening, UC Irvine’s new Santora Pitch Lab has already delivered its first major win. Senior Tyler Maher took first place at the 2025 Titan Fast Pitch Competition, showcasing how focused pitch training and practice can help student founders stand out and succeed.
Chancellor’s Club Spotlights Student Founders at UC Irvine
The UC Irvine ANTrepreneur Center partnered with University Advancement’s Chancellor’s Club to host Innovation & Illumination, a Shark Tank–style showcase connecting donors with student founders. The event highlighted student pitches, the Santora Pitch Lab, and the power of philanthropy in supporting early-stage entrepreneurship at UC Irvine.
UC Irvine ANTrepreneur Center Launches First-Ever Product Development Office Hours in Collaboration with Invento Design
The UC Irvine ANTrepreneur Center is launching Product Development Office Hours in collaboration with Invento Design to support students building physical products. This new offering gives student founders access to experienced product design guidance, helping them navigate early decisions and move ideas closer to reality.