San Jose State University Research Foundation

What San Jose State University Research Foundation does

The San Jose State University Research Foundation is the research-administration entity of San Jose State University (SJSU), a comprehensive public university within the California State University (CSU) system, founded in 1932 and headquartered in downtown San Jose at One Washington Square. The Foundation operates alongside SJSU's Office of Research and Office of Innovation and Corporate Partnerships, handling sponsored programs, grants, research contracts, and corporate-research collaborations. It maintains its own employer identity (evidenced by a separate complaint procedure for employees) and manages the university–industry interface, including support for student-faculty research collaborations and external partnerships. Beyond research administration, the Foundation does not offer distinct commercial technology products; its technology surface consists of standard educational infrastructure — Canvas LMS, the one.SJSU portal, and the SJSU Mobile app.

The institution it supports serves a diversified student and stakeholder base spanning prospective and current undergraduate students, graduate and professional students, international students, adult/professional learners enrolled through SJSU Online, students with disabilities served by the Accessible Education Center, alumni, media, research partners, and vendors/suppliers. SJSU delivers instruction through the main San Jose campus plus satellite facilities including Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Hammer Theatre Center, and SJSU Aviation at Reid-Hillview Airport, reaching nearly 8,600 graduates each spring across more than 154 acres of landscaped grounds. Revenue mechanics for the broader university mix tuition and fees (with significant in-state versus out-of-state differentials), CSU state appropriations, contracts and procurement activity supporting campus modernization, and auxiliary services (Spartan Shops Bookstore, Spartan Eats food service, real estate). The Foundation's own revenue is not publicly disclosed.

The go-to-market model is enrollment-driven and sales-led, centered on recruiting prospective undergraduate and graduate students through admissions outreach, campus tours, recruitment events, virtual tours, and a strong organic social presence (Facebook, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube), with messaging that emphasizes Silicon Valley location advantage, affordability, and career outcomes. SJSU Online functions as a self-serve channel for working adults, while international-student outreach expands the funnel geographically. Marketing and branding are governed by University Marketing and Communications under the Transformation 2030 strategic plan.

Name

San Jose State University Research Foundation

Legal name

San Jose State University Research Foundation

Website

https://sjsu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2026

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The San Jose State University Research Foundation is the research-administration arm of San Jose State University, managing sponsored projects, grants, and corporate research partnerships within the California State University system.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

University Research Administration

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Research Universities with Major Extension & Outreach Missions (EDAHAAAG), STEM-Focused Public Research Universities (EDAHAAAE)

Keywords

• Sponsored research administration
• University grant management
• Academic research compliance
• Post-award administration
• Research foundation services

Headquarters

HQ city

San Jose

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from student tuition and fees for undergraduate and graduate programs, both in-state and out-of-state students. SJSU Online programs provide flexible completion pathways for students with prior college credits.
2. State Funding: California State University system state funding allocation as a public university part of the CSU system.
3. Contracts and Procurement: Contracts and Procurement Services selects vendors for goods and services for the university. Supporting campus facilities modernization and new construction projects.
4. Auxiliary Services: Commercial Services including Spartan Shops, SJSU Bookstore, Spartan Eats Food Service, and Real Estate Property Management generate revenue from student and campus community services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

San Jose State University Research Foundation is an auxiliary administrative unit that manages sponsored programs, grants, and research contracts on behalf of San Jose State University. The foundation handles post-award administration, compliance oversight, and financial stewardship for externally funded research projects originating from government agencies, industry sponsors, and other funding bodies. It does not offer distinct commercial products or technology services of its own.

Product overview

The San Jose State University Research Foundation is an administrative unit within San Jose State University that supports research activities, corporate partnerships, and innovation initiatives. It operates alongside the Office of Research and Office of Innovation and Corporate Partnerships to facilitate research collaborations, manage research foundation complaints, and support student-faculty research collaborations. The Research Foundation does not offer distinct commercial products or technology services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 8,600 graduates per spring semester
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Stanford University: Premier Bay Area research university that sets the ceiling for Silicon Valley talent competition and sponsored-research partnerships; not a direct competitor on price, but the benchmark for graduate outcomes and research prestige in the region.
• University of California, Santa Cruz: Major California public research university in the same Bay Area/Central Coast region, competing for Silicon Valley-adjacent students and research funding, but with the higher prestige and research budget of the UC system.
• University of California, Berkeley: Flagship California public research university competing with SJSU for top in-state students, faculty, and federal research dollars, with substantially larger research expenditures and endowment.
• University of Southern California: Major private California research university with extensive industry partnerships and online programs; comparable to SJSU/RF on the research-administration dimension and competes for the same California student population.

Regional players

• Santa Clara University: Private Jesuit university located in Silicon Valley, competing with SJSU for the same Bay Area undergraduate pool and Silicon Valley employer relationships, but with a higher tuition/private-endowment funding model.

Direct peers

• California State University, Sacramento: Large CSU campus with comprehensive graduate and professional programs, sharing California's public-university funding model and competing for in-state students across similar program mix.
• California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo: Top-tier CSU campus with strong STEM/applied-research orientation and hands-on learning model, competing for similar California-resident STEM talent and serving as a benchmark CSU peer for academic and research outcomes.
• San Francisco State University: Another major CSU campus in the Bay Area offering comparable undergraduate and graduate programs, sharing the same state funding system, public-university cost positioning, and similar urban Northern California market dynamics as SJSU.
• California State University, East Bay: CSU system peer located in the East Bay, directly competing with SJSU for Bay Area undergraduates, transfer students, and graduate enrollment within the same state funding framework.

Emerging players

• Northeastern University: Private research university with an aggressive co-op and Silicon Valley/regional campus expansion strategy, increasingly competing with SJSU for Silicon Valley employer partnerships and tech-talent placement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SJSU
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/sjsu
• Facebookfacebook.com/sanjosestate
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/san-jose-state-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/sjsu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about San Jose State University Research Foundation