About
GEM
Supporting Early-Stage Innovation in Goleta & Santa Barbara
Goleta’s startup ecosystem is built on collaboration, innovation, and real opportunity.
up to
$10,000
FUNDING
6-month
grant period
NO EQUITY
taken
QUARTERLY
Review Cycle
The Goleta Entrepreneurial Magnet (GEM) is a collaboration between the City of Goleta and the University of California, Santa Barbara. The early stages of GEM were solidified in early 2012 with the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce and its formation was announced at the Goleta State of the City event in May 2012. GEM opened its first facility (4,500 square feet of furnished office space and conference rooms) in July 2014 at 600 Pine Avenue in Old Town Goleta. GEM has pivoted its business model to focus more heavily on supporting businesses and no longer has a physical location.
GEM’s mission is to strengthen the local economy by supporting new and growing technology entrepreneurs. GEM seeks to be recognized as a world-class regional center of excellence for entrepreneurial technology development and growth for technology-focused startups.
The City, as one of the founding entities, provides financial support to GEM and has three representatives on the Board of Directors.
The GEM Startup Proof-of-Concept Grants provide flexible funding to emerging ventures that have originated in the Goleta/Santa Barbara area, and that have completed their discovery phase. The purpose of these grants is to help entrepreneurs:
- Fund small-scale prototypes and/or pilot projects designed to gather data on customer demand and insight; and,
- Help the founders reach a critical milestone to access angel investment and/or bring a product to market.
Ready to Build what's next?
Bring your idea, your team, or your early-stage venture into the GEM ecosystem