Semel HCI Center

What Semel HCI Center does

The Semel HCI Center is a university-wide health and wellness initiative embedded within UCLA, organized around seven focus-area pods — BEWell (Built Environment), BreatheWell (Clean Air), EatWell (Food), EngageWell (Social Well-Being), MindWell (Emotional Well-Being), MoveWell (Physical Activity), and ResearchWell (Research) — that collectively address physical, social, and emotional well-being across the campus community. Founded philanthropically by Jane B Semel and Terry Semel and operationally led by Associate Vice Provost Wendelin Slusser, MD, MS, the center serves UCLA undergraduate and graduate students as the primary user segment, with UCLA faculty and staff as a secondary constituency. Its programmatic surface includes the LiveWell Podcast, the jane b semel HCI Community Garden at the Sunset Canyon Recreation Center (supporting up to 200 plot holders annually), the Humans of UCLA storytelling initiative, the Bruin BikeShare program (130 bikes across 18 hubs via CycleHop and Social Bikes), the Eudaimonia Society under MindWell, and the Research & Program Evaluation Grants under ResearchWell.

The center does not operate a proprietary technology platform; its infrastructure is institutional and content-led, comprising a WordPress-based website (healthy.ucla.edu), podcast distribution across Apple, Spotify, SoundCloud, Buzzsprout and Good Pods, a YouTube channel, and Instagram accounts (@healthyucla, @humansofucla_hci). Core technology, where present, comes from partners rather than the center itself — notably Social Bikes/SoBi for bike-share reservations and CycleHop for fleet operations.

The business model is non-commercial: the center is funded by philanthropic gifts (anchored by the Semel family) and UC institutional support, with no disclosed pricing, no products for sale, no licensing revenue (firmographics' "licensing_royalties" label appears to be a misclassification of philanthropic funding), and no external customers. Reach is extended system-wide via co-leadership of the UC Healthy Campus Network, which brings the HCI model to 10 University of California campuses and into UC-wide policy such as the Sustainable Practices Policy. Reported outcomes include 300+ students supported, 100+ staff projects, 35 academic courses supported, and 50+ co-authored publications.

Name

Semel HCI Center

Legal name

The Semel Healthy Campus Initiative Center at UCLA

Website

https://healthy.ucla.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Semel HCI Center is a UCLA-based university wellness initiative integrating health into campus life across seven focus pods (BEWell, BreatheWell, EatWell, EngageWell, MindWell, MoveWell, ResearchWell), serving UCLA students, faculty, and staff via programs including the LiveWell Podcast, community garden, BikeShare, and system-wide UC Healthy Campus Network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

University Wellness Programs

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDALAFAF

Health Promotion, Prevention & Wellness Education

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Student Health, Counseling & Wellness Services

SECONDARYEDAAAHAK

Mental Wellness & Resilience Education (Non-clinical)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Health, Wellness & Lifestyle Education (Nutrition, Fitness, Mindfulness)

SECONDARYEDAAAHAN

Workplace Wellness & Wellbeing Education

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Health, Wellness & Lifestyle Education (Nutrition, Fitness, Mindfulness)

SECONDARYEDAMAIAJ

Health, Wellness & Self-Care Skills (Sleep, Nutrition, Habits)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Life Skills & Personal Development (Study Skills, Executive Function, SEL)

SECONDARYHLAEAAAH

Employer Wellness & Population Health Programs

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Health Insurance & Managed Care/Commercial (Employer-Sponsored) Health Insurance

Keywords

• University wellness programs
• Campus health initiatives
• Community health education
• Student wellness services
• Holistic well-being programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic funding: The Semel HCI Center is envisioned and supported by Jane and Terry Semel. Funding is derived from philanthropic gifts and UC-wide institutional support rather than commercial revenue generation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Semel Healthy Campus Initiative (HCI) Center at UCLA is a university-wide wellness initiative that provides health and wellness programming across seven focus area pods: BEWell (Built Environment), BreatheWell (Clean Air), EatWell (Food), EngageWell (Social Well-Being), MindWell (Emotional Well-Being), MoveWell (Physical Activity), and ResearchWell. It delivers wellness programming, educational content, community gardening, mindfulness resources, podcast content, sustainable transportation (Bruin BikeShare), and research translation to UCLA students, faculty, and staff.

Product overview

The Semel HCI Center is a university health and wellness initiative organized as a hub-and-spoke model with seven focus area pods: BEWell (Built Environment), BreatheWell (Clean Air), EatWell (Food), EngageWell (Social Well-Being), MindWell (Emotional Well-Being), MoveWell (Physical Activity), and ResearchWell (Research). These pods work collaboratively to promote physical, social, and emotional well-being across UCLA's campus. Key programs include the LiveWell Podcast for education and awareness, the jane b semel HCI Community Garden for food education, Humans of UCLA for storytelling, and the Bruin BikeShare for sustainable transportation. The center also publishes annual reports and maintains educational blog content addressing various wellness topics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BEWell: Built Environment focus area promoting healthy campus design and infrastructure.
• BreatheWell
• EatWell
• EngageWell
• MindWell
• MoveWell
• ResearchWell
• LiveWell Podcast

Products and services

• LiveWell Podcast

Quantifiable outcome

• 10 UC campuses led by the UC-wide Healthy Campus Network
• +5 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UC Healthy Campus NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Semel HCI Center co-leads the UC-wide Healthy Campus Network, an initiative spanning 10 UC campuses to integrate health into UC-wide policies, including the Sustainable Practices Policy. This is the primary mechanism for scaling the HCI model across the University of California system.
• Venice Family CliniccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Wendelin Slusser practiced and taught General Pediatrics and health promotion at the Venice Family Clinic for 19 years. Dr. Slusser received the Venice Family Clinic Visionary Award in 2020. The clinic is a key partner in community health programming.
• UCLA Fit for Healthy Weight ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Wendelin Slusser is Co-Founder and Academic Director of the UCLA Fit for Healthy Weight Program, a community, school, clinic, and family-based program focused on enhancing physical, social, and emotional wellbeing of infants, children, young adults and their caregivers.
• UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe LiveWell Podcast features collaborations with UCLA MARC, whose Director of Mindfulness Education Diana Winston appears on episodes discussing mindfulness and meditation. MARC conducts evidence-based mindfulness research that informs HCI programming.
• Community Programs Office (CPO) Food ClosetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe jane b semel HCI Community Garden connects with the Community Programs Office campus food closet to address challenges to healthy eating and food security for UCLA students.
• UCLA Teaching KitchenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe HCI Community Garden programming connects with the UCLA Teaching Kitchen to offer hands-on food education and cooking skills addressing nutrition and food security.
• UCLA TransportationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCLA Transportation partners with HCI on bike infrastructure including the Bruin BikeShare program, bike counters, and biking regulations, supporting BEWell's built environment and active transportation goals.
• UCLA Art & Global Health CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe UCLA Art & Global Health Center, directed by Professor David Gere, partners with HCI to present wellness and health education programming, including the UCLA Sex Squad performances and art-based health initiatives, supported by Healthy Campus Initiative funding.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCt2OAlgJb6A-eECL657y08w
• Instagraminstagram.com/healthyucla
• Xx.com/HealthyUCLA
• Facebookfacebook.com/healthyucla
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/uclahealthycampusinitiative

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Semel HCI Center