UC Davis’ Aggie Square formally inaugurated: Sacramento Innovation District comes to life with labs, classrooms, community spaces

Opening a new chapter in UC Davis’ role as a regional engine of innovation and economic growth, Chancellor Gary S. May joined city of Sacramento leaders, developer Wexford Science & Technology LLC, business partners and community members to inaugurate Aggie Square, the $1.1 billion innovation district that will bring together the university’s cutting-edge research with private-sector companies and start-ups. The chancellor also announced new partnerships to accelerate life sciences ventures at Aggie Square.

Friday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the conclusion of eight years of planning and development of the 11-acre site on the UC Davis Sacramento campus, but it is only the beginning of the story of Aggie Square as a catalyst of collaboration and innovation in the life sciences and other fields, a hub of education and discovery of one of the nation’s top research universities, and a community asset to Oak Park and surrounding neighborhoods.

“Today’s opening celebration marks a major milestone for UC Davis as Aggie Square becomes the region’s newest innovation district. It’s where the brightest minds from UC Davis, industry leaders and startups will come together and spark collaboration and innovation that will benefit our region and the world for generations to come,” May said. “Aggie Square is a reality thanks to the dedicated efforts of thousands of people from the university, the city of Sacramento, our neighboring communities, Wexford Science & Technology and the hardworking builders and contractors, all of whom have helped bring this vision to life. This is a moment we can all be proud of and it truly showcases the power of our private-public partnership.”

On Friday, UC Davis, Wexford Science & Technology and FLANN Inc. — a South Korean firm that supports Korean biotech and pharmaceutical companies expanding into the United States —announced a new partnership. Together, they will launch a soft landing program at Aggie Square within Connect Labs by Wexford, designed to support cohorts of up to 10 early-stage South Korean life science companies as they establish a foothold in the U.S. market. This initiative strengthens Aggie Square’s position as a global gateway for innovation and international collaboration in the life sciences.

“UC Davis, the City of Sacramento and Wexford Science & Technology have long shared a vision for creating a premier innovation district that attracts cutting-edge research, sparks groundbreaking discoveries, and serves as vibrant community and innovation hub that enriches the entire Sacramento region,” said Ted Russell, president and CEO of Wexford Science & Technology. “Today, that vision comes to life with the opening of this intentionally designed first phase — a place purpose-built to foster connection, creativity and community. We’re excited to see these spaces activated through vibrant programming, dynamic events and ongoing collaboration between UC Davis researchers, industry partners and the broader Sacramento community.”

May also announced a partnership between UC Davis and HM Venture Partners, a healthcare venture capital firm that works with high growth biotech and medtech companies globally and in all stages. Supported by the Greater Sacramento Economic Council, HM Venture Partners will act as an advisory partner on UC Davis’ Investment Advisory Group, bringing its expertise and potentially companies they are investing in to Aggie Square.

UC Davis also announced an agreement with the March Group, a thematic venture capital investor focused on industry paradigm shifts accelerated by exponential technology, to work together to develop a business accelerator and associated fund, based on intellectual property coming from UC Davis.

“Aggie Square is more than a collection of new buildings; it’s a place where research, business and community come together,” said Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty. “Today’s event marks the start of Sacramento’s next chapter in life sciences, technology and opportunity.”

The first phase of Aggie Square, unveiled on Friday, delivers 767,000 square feet of transformative development that anchors the district’s bold vision. This milestone includes three state-of-the-art buildings featuring wet and dry laboratories, modern classrooms, collaborative community spaces and a variety of flexible-use areas. Included in this phase is Connect Labs by Wexford, a flexible, scale-in-place lab and innovation infrastructure that will include pre-built and furnished lab, support and office spaces with a curated set of amenities, services and shared equipment for emerging and growth companies, particularly in life sciences, biomedical engineering, technology and data sciences.

Also opening is ANOVA Aggie Square, a thoughtfully designed residential building offering 190 apartments and 252 beds to support the innovation community. The phase is rounded out by a 1,550-stall parking garage, providing essential infrastructure to support this dynamic new hub of research, learning and engagement.

“Aggie Square has gone from a big idea to an impactful reality,” said Congresswoman Doris Matsui. “Sacramento is a dynamic region primed for continued growth and innovation – and it takes determined collaboration from community leaders to manifest that future. UC Davis’ leadership on Aggie Square exemplifies that. Years ago, we broke ground on Aggie Square – now groundbreaking research can happen inside the walls of this state-of-the-art facility.”

Aggie Square will result in $1.92 billion in total economic output regionally and $2.32 billion statewide. Economists estimate that more than 12,000 jobs have been created related to the construction of this site, with 3,200 permanent jobs expected after the project is complete.

Aggie Square is invested in Sacramento’s growth. Through the Community Benefits Partnership Agreement signed in 2021, UC Davis, the city of Sacramento and Wexford Science & Technology have committed over $50 million to affordable housing, local hiring, youth programming, community access to space and workforce development — ensuring lasting community impact for generations to come. The agreement came after more than 90 community and stakeholder meetings that led to a commitment to providing jobs and job training, affordable housing, better transportation options and youth education programs, among other benefits.

The city of Sacramento established an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District, redirecting $30 million in future property taxes generated by Aggie Square back into the project to fund infrastructure and community priorities.

“UC Davis and Wexford have committed themselves not only to the advancement of our region as a hub for life sciences and other technologies, but also to the betterment of the neighborhoods around Aggie Square,” said Sacramento Mayor Pro Tem Eric Guerra, who represents areas adjacent to Aggie Square. “The partnerships we’ve forged together will help ensure better access to housing and job opportunities for the residents of these communities.”

The university will occupy 60% of the commercial space in Phase 1 while the remaining 40% will be leased by private industry. Initial university tenants include the Wang Lab, a prime research hub in stem cell therapy and gene editing for early treatments of birth defects such as spina bifida and Duchenne muscular dystrophy; the Department of Biomedical Engineering’s new nine-month master’s program in medical device development; the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center’s new “cancer research hub”; and the National Center for Interventional Biophotonic Technologies, which is revolutionizing surgical procedures and brain monitoring using light-based, artificial intelligence-informed technologies. The Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, known for its pioneering animal DNA testing and genetics services, also is expected to move to Aggie Square.

Future phases are likely to include additional life science and engineering spaces, as well as additional innovation infrastructure to support the scaling of start-ups and growth companies.