Eight universities based in the Midwest will open a shared workspace in San Francisco this month to foster relationships in technology and venture capital.
The Third Coast Foundry will be located at 625 Second Street, near Oracle Park. It will operate as a base for the universities to connect with venture capital, and tap into the region's innovation in AI technology.
Three of the universities are based in Illinois: Northwestern University, University of Chicago, and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
The other five will move into the space "immediately." They include: Carnegie Mellon University, Washington University, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Ohio State and Purdue University.
Mayor Lurie’s office said the 3,500-square-foot building will be a facility for university-based startups. Their teams will use the site to travel throughout the region to hold demonstrations, seminars, and educational programs, conduct meetings, and make business connections.
The news comes months after Vanderbilt University said it would move into the campus of the California College of the Arts in San Francisco's Design District ahead of the 2027-28 academic year.
