The campus field guide
California Institute of Technology
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Inside this ecosystem · 2 linked sources
Caltech's Office of Technology Transfer and Corporate Partnerships publishes two student founder programs: the Bill Gross business-plan competition and the Timothy D. Ryan Summer Entrepreneurship Program. Both are open to undergraduates. The Ryan program says undergraduate applicants are preferred.
This page is compiled from public university and program pages. It has not been claimed or corrected by the school.
Include. Caltech has a current student business-plan competition with published prizes and a summer founder stipend that prefers undergraduates.
How we know this: the figures on this page come from the linked sources (last verified 2026-10-08); what those sources do not state is left unknown.
At a glance
Indexed programs
2
All currently active
Top direct funding
$30,000
Bill Gross Prize for Entrepreneurship
Equity
Mixed equity terms
Program mix
2
Pitch Competition · Founder Grant
Programs to explore
Compare funding, equity, and timing before you apply.
2 programs indexed
Pitch Competition
Bill Gross Prize for Entrepreneurship
Pitch CompetitionAlso: Bill Gross Business Plan Competition
$30,000
funding range
- Last activity
- 2026-04-16
- Participants
- Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students
- Verification
- Partially Verified
From students
Be the first student from California Institute of Technology to post a startup.
Post a startupFunding and Equity
The Bill Gross competition splits $60,000 into $30,000, $20,000, and $10,000. A company payout is a SAFE with a 20% discount and no valuation cap. An individual payout is cash. The Ryan program lists a $10,000 stipend per undergraduate and up to $10,000 for materials. Ryan equity terms are not stated.
Recent Activity
The third annual Bill Gross final was on the calendar for April 16, 2026. The prize page says the next dates will be announced in October 2026. The Ryan page names 2026 awardees and says the next applications open mid-Fall 2026.
Known Startups and Winners
The calendar says more than 70 Bill Gross submissions were narrowed to 10 finalists. Winner names are not on the prize page or the calendar. Ryan 2026 awardees named on the program page are Claire Chen and Sean Xiao, Carissa Gerung, and Siddarth Chander.
Research gaps & things to verify
Missing Information
Bill Gross 2026 winner names. Ryan equity terms. Undergraduate eligibility on the OTTCP new-venture page, which was not made into a program note.
News & articles
2 news articles and official sources documenting entrepreneurship programs, winners, and activity at California Institute of Technology.
2 sources
Official sources(2)
Bill Gross Prize for Entrepreneurship
California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
Bill Gross Prize for Entrepreneurship
The prize page and the April 16, 2026 calendar entry describe the competition and the SAFE option.
Read on California Institute of Technology
Timothy D. Ryan Summer Entrepreneurship Program
California Institute of Technology
California Institute of Technology
Timothy D. Ryan Summer Entrepreneurship Program
The Ryan page describes the summer stipend, materials budget, and 2026 awardees.
Read on California Institute of Technology
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