The Cove

Applied Innovation’s The Cove provides entrepreneurial
ecosystem under one roof

One walk through The Cove – the physical home of Applied Innovation – quickly alerts visitors that the University of California, Irvine means business.

Located in University Research Park, the 31,000-square-foot facility is the hub of UCI’s efforts to collaborate with the larger economy. The bustle of energy there is electric – from the 100-foot video wall surrounding a beach-themed conference room to the dozens of offices buzzing with startup company teams striving to transform their dreams into functional enterprises that will benefit society with new solutions to old problems.

The Cove is the embodiment of what Applied Innovation is all about. Founded in 2014 and led by UCI alumnus Richard Sudek, Applied Innovation (formerly the Institute for Innovation) serves, in his words, as “the front door” for all in­dustry collaboration with UCI, a one-stop shop for outside entrepreneurs seeking access to university inventions and talent, large corporations looking to tap the school’s research and development capabilities, and investors who want to put their cash into promising new companies. Read more …

Richard Sudek speaks out

In a little more than a year, Richard Sudek has led the transformation of Applied Innovation from a bold idea into a grand reality. This is best illustrated by a walk through The Cove, its headquarters in University Research Park. The stunning, high-tech facility is more than an administrative home, more than a state-of-the-art meeting space and more than an incubator for startup companies. It’s designed to become the heart of Orange County’s vibrant entrepreneurial community, according to Sudek, the executive director. Here, he discusses Applied Innovation (formerly the Institute for Innovation) and The Cove, which hosted an open house Oct. 8. Read more
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