University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA)
An interdisciplinary academic unit within the University of Southern California, established in 2013 with a $70 million gift from Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre, offering undergraduate and graduate programs integrating design, technology, entrepreneurship, and communication.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) does
The USC Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) is an interdisciplinary academic unit within the University of Southern California (USC), established in May 2013 through a $70 million founding gift from Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre (Andre Young), co-founders of Beats Electronics. The Academy welcomed its inaugural undergraduate cohort in August 2014, held its first commencement in May 2018, and moved into its permanent home, Iovine and Young Hall, a dedicated high-tech building on USC's Los Angeles campus that opened in October 2019. Thanassis Rikakis was appointed Dean in July 2022. The Academy operates under USC's governance structure and does not have separate equity ownership; the founding donors are namesakes and benefactors rather than operators.
IYA's academic portfolio centers on four integrated pillars: human-centered design, technology, entrepreneurship, and communication. Core products include an undergraduate degree, the Master of Science in Product Innovation, the online Design@USC graduate program (launched October 2017), academic minors for students from other USC majors, and non-major course offerings accessible via D-clearance registration. Supporting programs include Career Edge (career development) and Innovation Quest, which bundles the Venture Showcase, Founders Bootcamp, Ignite Grants, and Spring Hackathon. The Academy also operates makerspaces, material science labs, and other hands-on innovation facilities within Iovine and Young Hall.
Revenue is generated through three streams: tuition and fees routed through USC's standard rate structure, ongoing donations solicited through the Give page, and corporate sponsorships for Industry or Impact Labs. Financial results are not separately disclosed and are consolidated into USC's institutional budget. The primary customer segments are prospective undergraduate and graduate students, served through USC's admissions infrastructure, and prospective employers, served through a dedicated engagement portal offering job postings, recruiting events, and lab sponsorships. Recent strategic activity includes a joint degree with USC Marshall (announced September 2024), a women's entrepreneurship program with Ernst & Young (announced October 2024), a youth-focused material science lab and program with the SoLa Foundation (announced November 2024), and a pilot program on Student-driven Innovations in AI and Society (announced March 2024).
University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA)
- Legal name
- University of Southern California
- Website
- https://iovine-young.usc.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- An interdisciplinary academic unit within the University of Southern California, established in 2013 with a $70 million gift from Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre, offering undergraduate and graduate programs integrating design, technology, entrepreneurship, and communication.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Technical Universities with Computing, Data & AI Focus (EDAHAEAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Polytechnic & Applied Sciences Universities (EDAHAEAB), Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA), Online Technology & Computer Science Universities (EDAHALAH)
Keywords
Where University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Tuition and Fees: As a USC academic unit, the Academy generates revenue through undergraduate and graduate tuition. Programs include Design@USC online master's, undergraduate degrees, and minors.
- Donations and Gifts: The Academy was founded with a $70 million gift from Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre (Andre Young). Ongoing donations are solicited through the Give page, supporting scholarships, programs, and operations.
- Corporate Sponsorships and Partnerships: Employers and industry partners can sponsor Industry or Impact Labs, host recruiting events, and engage through various partnership opportunities.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Iovine & Young Academy delivers interdisciplinary undergraduate and graduate academic programs integrating arts, technology, and business innovation at the University of Southern California. Core offerings include an undergraduate degree, graduate degrees (Master of Science in Product Innovation and the online Design@USC program), undergraduate minors, non-major courses, and experiential programs (Innovation Quest and Career Edge) housed primarily in Iovine and Young Hall on the USC Los Angeles campus.
Product overview
The USC Iovine and Young Academy (IYA) is an academic institution providing undergraduate and graduate degree programs at the intersection of technology, design, and business. The core offerings include an undergraduate degree emphasizing human-centered design, technology, entrepreneurship, and communication; graduate programs including the Master of Science in Product Innovation and the online Design@USC graduate program. Supporting programs include minors, Career Edge career development, and the Innovation Quest ecosystem with Venture Showcase, Founders Bootcamp, Ignite Grants, and Hackathons. The academy's instruction takes place primarily at Iovine and Young Hall on USC's Los Angeles campus.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Undergraduate Degree Program Undergraduate program cultivating integrated learning in human-centered design, technology, entrepreneurship, and communication to prepare students for innovation across industries.
- Graduate Degree Programs Graduate-level offerings including the Master of Science in Product Innovation and the Design@USC online graduate program integrating design, business, and technology for professionals seeking advanced skills.
- Undergraduate Minors Minor options for students from other USC majors to gain structured exposure to innovation and design thinking.
- Innovation Quest Comprehensive innovation and entrepreneurship program including Venture Showcase, Founders Bootcamp, Ignite Grants, and Spring Hackathon to support student ventures.
- Career Edge Career development and professional preparation program supporting IYA students and alumni.
- Non-Major Course Offerings Individual courses available to students from other USC departments and majors via D-clearance registration who wish to access the Academy's curriculum.
Quantifiable outcome
- First graduating class in 2018 with will.i.am as commencement speaker
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA)
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- SoLa FoundationcoreIYA opened a material science lab at the SoLa Foundation location, supporting youth education in science, design, and engineering. The Academy and SoLa Impact also launched a joint program for L.A. youth in science, design, and engineering.
- Ernst & Young (EY)coreIYA and Ernst & Young launched an entrepreneurship program specifically designed for women, supporting female founders and entrepreneurs.
- USC Marshall School of BusinesscoreIYA and USC Marshall announced a joint degree program, combining business education with the Academy's integrated approach to technology, design, and innovation.
- USC Office of Research and InnovationminorIYA Student-driven Innovations in AI and Society pilot program launched in 2024, supported by USC's research infrastructure.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Stanford Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school): Stanford's d.school pioneered the integration of design thinking, technology, and entrepreneurship in higher education. It is the closest direct peer to IYA in philosophy, pedagogy, and target student, with a similar focus on interdisciplinary innovation at a top-tier US university.
- MIT Media Lab: MIT Media Lab is a premier interdisciplinary research lab blending technology, design, media, and entrepreneurship. It shares IYA's cross-disciplinary ethos and prestige-tier positioning, though with a stronger research and graduate focus.
- Carnegie Mellon School of Design: CMU's School of Design integrates design with technology and human-computer interaction research. Comparable to IYA in merging design with technical depth, and operates within a top-tier research university environment.
- Parsons School of Design (The New School): Parsons' strategic design and design + technology programs target similar interdisciplinary students at the intersection of design, business, and technology. It is a direct competitor for the same applicant pool, with a stronger pure-design heritage.
- Rhode Island School of Design (RISD): RISD is a leading arts and design institution that has expanded into technology and entrepreneurship pathways. While more design-fine-arts focused, it competes for the same design-forward prospective students IYA targets.
Emerging players
- RISD/MIT Brown Design Engineering (Joint Program): Brown and RISD's joint design engineering program mirrors IYA's cross-school interdisciplinary model. It is a newer, more focused entrant that competes for applicants seeking design + engineering at the undergraduate level.
- General Assembly (now part of Adecco): General Assembly offers short-form, industry-focused tech and design education bootcamps. It serves a similar employer-driven talent market as IYA's graduate programs but in a more compressed, for-profit format.
- Section (Section4 / Section Schools): Section is an emerging online education provider offering design and product courses aimed at working professionals. It competes with IYA's Design@USC online master's for the same professional upskilling market, with a more bootcamp-style cadence.
Regional players
- CalArts California Institute of the Arts: CalArts is a California-based arts institution with strong tech industry connections (Pixar/Disney alumni legacy). Comparable in California-based arts + technology education positioning, though stronger in traditional arts than in business/entrepreneurship integration.
- Imperial College London Dyson School of Design Engineering: Imperial's Dyson School of Design Engineering integrates design and engineering at a top-tier global university. Conceptually aligned with IYA's integrated design + tech approach, but serves a primarily UK/European student base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) social profiles
Digital presenceUniversity of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA)
What does University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) do?
The Iovine & Young Academy delivers interdisciplinary undergraduate and graduate academic programs integrating arts, technology, and business innovation at the University of Southern California. Core offerings include an undergraduate degree, graduate degrees (Master of Science in Product Innovation and the online Design@USC program), undergraduate minors, non-major courses, and experiential programs (Innovation Quest and Career Edge) housed primarily in Iovine and Young Hall on the USC Los Angeles campus.
Is University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) a public or private company?
University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) founded?
University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) was founded in 2013. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) based?
University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Fees are the primary driver. The others are donations and Gifts and corporate Sponsorships and Partnerships.
Who are University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA)'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Stanford Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school), MIT Media Lab, Carnegie Mellon School of Design, Parsons School of Design (The New School) and Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Emerging players are RISD/MIT Brown Design Engineering (Joint Program), General Assembly (now part of Adecco) and Section (Section4 / Section Schools). Regional players are CalArts California Institute of the Arts and Imperial College London Dyson School of Design Engineering.
Does University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) have an API?
No public API is recorded for University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA).
What industry is University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA) in?
University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA)'s product category is Higher Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAEAK, Technical Universities with Computing, Data & AI Focus, with a secondary code of EDAHAEAB, Polytechnic & Applied Sciences Universities. Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.