University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Barbara is a public research university founded in 1909, serving 25,000+ undergraduate and graduate students across 200+ degree programs and operating ten organized research units in quantum computing, materials science, energy, and environmental science with industry and federal partners.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1909
- HeadquartersSanta Barbara, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What University of California, Santa Barbara does
University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) is a public research university founded in 1909, located in Santa Barbara, California, and operating as a constitutionally chartered campus of the University of California System under the governance of The Regents. UCSB serves approximately 25,000+ undergraduate and graduate students across 90+ undergraduate majors and 50+ graduate programs, with 50% of undergraduates participating in faculty-led research. The university is ranked the #8 public university in the United States by Forbes Magazine (2024-2025 America's Top Colleges list) and operates 20 NCAA Division 1 athletic teams alongside a Platinum Bike-Friendly University designation, with 55% of undergraduates commuting by bicycle.
UCSB's research enterprise is anchored by ten organized research units including the California NanoSystems Institute, the Materials Research Laboratory (seventh consecutive NSF MRSEC awardee), the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, the Marine Science Institute, NCEAS, and the AlloSphere Research Facility. The university has produced proprietary research outcomes in molecular solar thermal energy storage (pyrimidone-based, 1.6 MJ/kg energy density, patent granted), silicon-based CN center qubits for quantum networking (in partnership with Cisco), entangled diamond quantum sensing, ThermoLoop clean hydrogen production (two PCT filings with NewHydrogen covering 158 countries), genetically encoded MRI sensors, and AI-driven materials discovery. UCSB collaborates with federal agencies (NASA, NSF, DOE, NIH) and corporate research partners including Cisco, NewHydrogen, Google, and Brookhaven National Laboratory.
UCSB's revenue model combines four primary streams: state appropriations from California, competitive research grants and contracts (federal and corporate), tuition and fees from students, and private philanthropy managed through the UC Santa Barbara Foundation (established 1973). In 2024-25, 3,787 unique students received privately supported awards. The university pursues technology transfer through its Technology Transfer Office, licensing patented innovations to commercial partners. As a public institution, UCSB does not have traditional shareholders; governance rests with the UC Board of Regents and campus administration led by the Chancellor, with philanthropy overseen by the UC Santa Barbara Foundation Board of Trustees.
University of California, Santa Barbara firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- University of California, Santa Barbara
- Legal name
- The Regents of the University of California
- Website
- https://ucsb.edu
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1909
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- University of California, Santa Barbara is a public research university founded in 1909, serving 25,000+ undergraduate and graduate students across 200+ degree programs and operating ten organized research units in quantum computing, materials science, energy, and environmental science with industry and federal partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
University of California, Santa Barbara industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF)
Keywords
Where University of California, Santa Barbara is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santa Barbara
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
University of California, Santa Barbara business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- State Appropriation and Public Funding: As a public university within the University of California system, UCSB receives significant state funding appropriations that support core educational operations, facilities, and research infrastructure.
- Research Grants and Contracts: UCSB researchers secure competitive grants from federal agencies (NSF, NASA, DOE, NIH), state agencies, and corporate sponsors. The Materials Research Laboratory received its seventh consecutive NSF grant to operate as a Materials Research Science and Engineering Center.
- Tuition and Fees: Students pay tuition and fees for undergraduate and graduate education. The university offers over 90 undergraduate majors and more than 50 graduate programs.
- Private Philanthropy: The UC Santa Barbara Foundation manages donor gifts, endowments, and fundraising campaigns. In 2024-25, 3,787 unique students received privately supported awards.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Quarterly | Undergraduate in-state tuition and fees |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
University of California, Santa Barbara product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UCSB is a public research university that delivers undergraduate and graduate education across more than 200 majors, degrees, and credentials, while conducting federally and corporately funded research in materials science, quantum computing, energy storage, and environmental science. It also operates organized research units such as the California NanoSystems Institute, Materials Research Laboratory, and Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, and licenses patented technologies to commercial partners through its Technology Transfer Office.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Undergraduate Degree Programs
Quantifiable outcome
- 3,787 unique students received privately supported awards in 2024-25
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use University of California, Santa Barbara
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
University of California, Santa Barbara technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
University of California, Santa Barbara partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Cisco Systems Inc.coreCisco partnered with UCSB to develop a universal quantum switch and entanglement chip for quantum networking. The collaboration achieved sub-nanosecond reconfiguration times while consuming only about 1 milliwatt of power, enabling interoperability between quantum systems from different manufacturers.
- University of HoustonminorCollaboration to discover boron arsenide crystals with thermal conductivity above 2,100 watts per meter per Kelvin, surpassing diamond's benchmark, as part of $2.8 million NSF project.
- Boston CollegeminorJoint discovery of boron arsenide crystals with exceptional thermal conductivity for next-generation electronics including smartphones and data centers.
- NewHydrogen, Inc.coreJoint development of ThermoLoop clean hydrogen production technology using AI and Large Language Models to discover optimal mixed-metal oxide materials for thermochemical water splitting. Two international patent applications filed for the technology.
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)coreResearch collaboration with KAUST professor Yating Wan and UCSB professor John E. Bowers on quantum dot laser feedback tolerance experiments, establishing practical design rules for isolator-free photonic integrated circuits.
- Brookhaven National LaboratorycoreUCSB scientists worked under Brookhaven's Co-design Center for Quantum Advantage (C2QA) to identify the CN center silicon qubit with carbon-nitrogen defect for scalable quantum technology.
- Stanford UniversityminorCollaborative research with Stanford professor Susannah Scott on DMREF grant to study cation mobility in solid catalytic materials affecting chemical efficiency and selectivity.
- University of WashingtonminorCollaborative research on DMREF grant to understand and control dynamic atomic behavior in catalytic materials for environmental and economic benefits in chemical manufacturing.
- GoogleminorGoogle researchers collaborated with UCSB to develop the Budget Aware Test-time Scaling (BATS) framework that helps AI agents use computing power and external tools more efficiently, reducing costs by over 30% while maintaining performance.
- University of RochesterminorCollaboration to develop a chip-scale laser smaller than a penny using lithium niobate that can conduct ultrafast measurements with applications in LiDAR and gravitational wave detection.
- UCLAcoreUCLA researchers collaborated with UCSB on computational modeling for the molecular solar thermal energy storage project involving the pyrimidone molecule.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
University of California, Santa Barbara competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Georgia Institute of Technology: A leading public STEM-focused research university with strong programs in engineering, materials, and quantum systems. Georgia Tech's research-intensive model and federal-grant-driven funding mix closely mirror UCSB's, making it a comparable peer for research output and tech transfer.
- California Institute of Technology: A small STEM-focused private research university with deep overlap in quantum information, materials, and energy research. Caltech competes for the same Nobel-caliber physics talent, NSF/DOE grants, and NASA awards (e.g., the other Watts on the Moon prize), making it a close functional peer despite its smaller size.
- University of Michigan: A top-tier public research university with comprehensive graduate and professional schools, similar scale (~45,000 students, 5,000+ faculty), and overlapping strengths in materials science, environmental research, and quantum engineering. A standard peer used in national rankings comparisons.
- University of California, San Diego: A UC system peer with strong STEM research, particularly in quantum information, materials science, and oceanography. UCSD overlaps with UCSB on several research fronts and shares the same funding, governance, and admissions framework, making it a near-direct substitute for applicants and faculty.
- University of California, Los Angeles: Another direct UC system peer with a similar scale, comprehensive graduate and professional schools, and comparable research output in materials science, quantum, and climate research. UCLA is a primary competitor for federal funding, faculty recruitment, and top student applicants within California.
- University of California, Berkeley: UCSB's closest peer as the flagship of the same University of California system. Both are top-10 public research universities with comprehensive graduate programs, large research portfolios in materials/energy/quantum sciences, and identical state appropriation and tuition models. UC Berkeley competes head-to-head for the same federal grants, faculty, and out-of-state students.
- University of Washington: A top public research university with significant overlap in quantum, materials, and environmental research (and a UCSB collaborator on the DMREF grant). Shares a comparable funding mix of state appropriations, federal research grants, and industry partnerships.
- University of California, Davis: A UC system peer with strengths in environmental science, materials, and biological research. Operates under the same state appropriation model and competes with UCSB for UC-wide student applicants and shared federal funding pools.
Broad incumbents
- Stanford University: A premier private research university with overlapping strength in quantum computing, materials science, and clean energy (e.g., Stanford co-led the DMREF cation mobility grant with UCSB). Stanford competes for the same faculty, federal grants, and Silicon Valley industry partnerships, but operates with a substantially larger endowment and broader scope.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology: A global STEM research leader with overlapping programs in quantum computing, materials science, and clean energy. MIT competes with UCSB for top-tier faculty and federal research dollars and sets the benchmark for tech transfer outcomes from university research.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
University of California, Santa Barbara social profiles
Digital presenceUniversity of California, Santa Barbara financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
University of California, Santa Barbara leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles18 records
University of California, Santa Barbara subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries10 records
University of California, Santa Barbara funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors3 records
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University of California, Santa Barbara M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments4 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about University of California, Santa Barbara
What does University of California, Santa Barbara do?
UCSB is a public research university that delivers undergraduate and graduate education across more than 200 majors, degrees, and credentials, while conducting federally and corporately funded research in materials science, quantum computing, energy storage, and environmental science. It also operates organized research units such as the California NanoSystems Institute, Materials Research Laboratory, and Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, and licenses patented technologies to commercial partners through its Technology Transfer Office.
Is University of California, Santa Barbara a public or private company?
University of California, Santa Barbara is a public company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was University of California, Santa Barbara founded?
University of California, Santa Barbara was founded in 1909. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is University of California, Santa Barbara based?
University of California, Santa Barbara is headquartered in Santa Barbara, United States, in the North America region.
How does University of California, Santa Barbara make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. State Appropriation and Public Funding is the primary driver. The others are research Grants and Contracts, tuition and Fees and private Philanthropy.
Who are University of California, Santa Barbara's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Georgia Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, University of Michigan, University of California, San Diego, University of California, Los Angeles, University of California, Berkeley, University of Washington and University of California, Davis. Broad incumbents are Stanford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Does University of California, Santa Barbara have an API?
No public API is recorded for University of California, Santa Barbara.
What industry is University of California, Santa Barbara in?
University of California, Santa Barbara's product category is Higher Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAAAF, Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools. Its NAICS code is 6113.