University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA)

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).

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

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

• Interdisciplinary higher education
• Arts technology business programs
• Undergraduate graduate degrees
• Product innovation education
• Entrepreneurship design curriculum

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, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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

Core 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

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SoLa FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2024IYA 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)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024IYA and Ernst & Young launched an entrepreneurship program specifically designed for women, supporting female founders and entrepreneurs.
• USC Marshall School of BusinesscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024IYA 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 InnovationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024IYA 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

Direct 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

• Xx.com/USCIovineYoung
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCgkuqSRZZwWefTDHhIXsQ2A
• Facebookfacebook.com/USCIovineYoung
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/usciovineyoung
• Instagraminstagram.com/usciovineyoung/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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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 University of Southern California (USC), Iovine & Young Academy (IYA)