UC Davis's Premier Startup Course
Next Cohort: Winter 2027, January 5, 2027
BuildYour Startup
in just 10 weeks
The most intense, hands-on entrepreneurship experience at UC Davis. Build a real company, validate your idea with customers, and pitch to actual investors.
- 90+Startups Launched
- $100K+Revenue Generated
- 150+Students Trained
- 95%Completion Rate
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Course Overview
Not Your Average
Business Class
Where classroom theory meets Silicon Valley reality. Transform your ideas into funded startups.
Solo-Preneur Friendly
No co-founder necessary! Use AI as your digital co-founder to build your startup.
Vibe-Coding Approach
No programming needed! Use vibe-coding to build your MVP with AI assistance.
Weekly Pitch Rounds
Present your progress weekly and get feedback from mentors and peers.
AI-Powered Tools
Access altitut.com and cutting-edge AI tools for every aspect of startup creation.
Course Details
Schedule
Tues/Thurs 10:30-11:50 AM
Starting January 5, 2027
Location
Student Startup Center
Bainer Hall 1503
Prerequisites
Open to all majors
No programming required - Vibe-coding only!
Your 10-Week Journey
From idea to investment-ready startup in one quarter. Here's how we transform students into founders:
Week 1-2 AI Setup & Ideation
Setup AI as your digital co-founder - no team needed! Solo-preneurs welcome.
Week 3-4 Customer Discovery
Talk to real customers and refine your solution
Week 5-6 MVP Development
Build and launch your minimum viable product
Week 7-8 Growth & Revenue
Acquire customers and generate real revenue
Week 9-10 Demo Day Prep
Perfect your pitch for real investors
Your 10-Week Journey
Follow the same path as real startups - from idea to IPO in one quarter.
- Week 1
Setup AI Tools for Startup Creation
AI Co-Founder Setup
No co-founder necessary! Set up AI as your digital co-founder and brainstorm ideas. Perfect for solo-preneurs.
- Week 2
Friends, Family & Fools
Customer Discovery
Get out of the building! Start customer discovery and validate your idea.
- Week 3
Pre-Seed Round
Problem Validation
Present interview insights and refine your problem statement.
- Week 4
Seed Round
MVP Design Sprint
Build your minimum viable product and plan testing strategy.
- Week 5
Series A
MVP Testing
Test with real users, iterate based on feedback, show traction.
- Week 6
Series B
Business Model
Define revenue streams, unit economics, and growth strategy.
- Week 7
Series C
Growth & Traction
Scale your startup, track key metrics, prove product-market fit.
- Week 8
Series D
Pitch Perfection
Master your story, prepare for Demo Day, impress investors.
- Week 9
IPO
Demo Day
Present to real investors, compete for prizes, celebrate success!
- Week 10
Exit & Reflection
Next Steps
Plan your startup's future, apply to competitions, keep building.
Ready to start your entrepreneurial journey?
Apply Now for Winter 2027Success Stories
Real Students.
Real Startups.
These students started with just an idea. 10 weeks later, they had paying customers.
Shrobes
Fashion rental marketplace for students
“Building a two-sided marketplace in 10 weeks seemed impossible, but the gamification kept us motivated.”
Revenue Generated
Financial Milestone
Active Community
Customer Engagement
Campus Impact
Business Impact
Most Sustainable Business
Want to see your startup featured here next year?
Join ENG 108Unlock Achievement Badges
Earn recognition for your entrepreneurial milestones. Collect all 24 badges to become a startup legend!
Average student earns 12-15 badges per quarter
Meet Dr. Costilla Reyes
Your Guide from Idea to IPO
Dr. Alfredo Costilla Reyes brings a unique blend of artificial intelligence expertise, engineering innovation, and entrepreneurial experience to ENG 108. With a background in early stage business development and AI, he understands both the technical and business challenges of launching a startup.
His teaching philosophy is simple: learning by doing. Rather than lectures about entrepreneurship, you'll experience it firsthand—from the excitement of your first customer interview to the pressure of pitching for funding.
"The best way to learn entrepreneurship is to become an entrepreneur. In ENG 108, we compress years of startup experience into 10 intense, transformative weeks."
Connect with Dr. Costilla Reyes
150+
Students Mentored
90+
Startups Advised
Ready to Launch Your Startup?
Join ENG 108 for Winter 2027 and transform your idea into reality.
Important Dates
Course Starts
January 5, 2027, 10:30 AM
Application Deadline
Preferably before January 5, 2027
Who Can Apply?
All UC Davis students (any major, any year)
No co-founder needed - The course leverages AI Tools for Startup Creation
No idea needed - we'll help you find one
No coders welcome - build without coding!
Must commit to attending all Tuesday/Thursday sessions
Ready to work hard and embrace failure as learning
How to Apply
Register on Schedule Builder
Add ENG 108 to your Winter 2027 schedule
Attend First Class
AI tools setup happens Week 1 - don't miss it!
Start Building
Begin your entrepreneurial journey from Day 1
Questions about the course?
Email Dr. Costilla Reyes“ENG 108 was the highlight of my UC Davis experience. I came in with just an idea and left with a real business, amazing co-founders, and the confidence to keep building.”