Office of Technology Partnerships

Common Needs at This Stage

Companies in this phase are often:

• Preparing for customer pilots, field deployment, or real-world demonstrations
• Exploring regional expansion or soft landing support
• Seeking corporate introductions or strategic partnerships
• Evaluating growth capital opportunities
• Moving from venture development into broader commercialization and scale

Scale-Up Resources and Growth Support

As companies move toward broader commercialization and expansion, support often becomes more integrated and execution-focused. In addition to mentorship and strategic guidance, this phase may include access to pilot demonstrations, verification testing, technical assistance, regional partnership development, soft landing support, and growth-oriented resources that help companies navigate real-world deployment and scale.

• Pilot Demonstrations, Verification Testing, and Testbeds

  For companies preparing to demonstrate performance in real-world settings, access to the right testing environment can be a critical next step.

  EPIC can help connect companies to opportunities for pilot demonstrations, verification testing, optimization testing, and relevant testbed environments that support product readiness and strengthen commercialization confidence. This is especially valuable for companies that need to validate performance under real conditions before broader market deployment.

  The Build to Scale microsite explicitly highlights this as a core part of its later-stage support model, describing access to “state-of-the-art test beds and pilot facilities” for “pilot demonstrations, verification and optimization testing under real conditions.”

• Technical Assistance and Specialized Expertise

  As companies prepare to scale, growth challenges often become more specific and more technical.

  In some cases, founders may need access to specialized guidance that helps strengthen product readiness, operational planning, commercialization strategy, or implementation in more complex environments. EPIC can help connect companies to relevant technical assistance, expert insight, and specialized resources that support more informed growth decisions.

  This reflects the Build to Scale emphasis on customized technical assistance and tailored support that helps businesses navigate more advanced stages of development. The homepage specifically highlights “customized technical expertise” as part of its acceleration services.

• Networking, Partnerships, and Market Access

  At the scale-up stage, growth is often driven by access - access to customers, strategic partners, corporate relationships, and the broader networks that can help open doors.

  EPIC helps companies strengthen visibility into partnership opportunities and ecosystem relationships that may support customer traction, pilot opportunities, industry collaboration, or regional growth. This can include introductions, ecosystem navigation, and support in identifying the right connections at the right time.

  Build to Scale similarly positioned networking and partnerships as a cornerstone of business growth, emphasizing the value of helping companies “build bridges” through regional connections.

• Relocation, Expansion, and Soft Landing Services

  For companies looking to establish a stronger presence in Inland Southern California, EPIC can help connect founders to resources that support relocation, expansion, and regional integration.

  This may include ecosystem navigation, introductions to regional partners, visibility into available support infrastructure, and guidance around what it takes to establish or grow a business presence in the region. For some companies, this stage is not only about product growth - it is also about geographic growth.

  The Build to Scale microsite framed this area as Relocation & Expansion Services, highlighting support that helps improve workspace and create stronger conditions for business growth.

• Growth Capital and Strategic Connections

  Later-stage ventures often need more than mentorship - they need access to the right strategic conversations.

  At this stage, companies may be evaluating growth capital, preparing for larger funding opportunities, pursuing customer introductions, or looking for partners that can help accelerate deployment and market traction. EPIC can help founders better understand the landscape, connect to relevant opportunities, and strengthen readiness for the next level of growth.

  This aligns with the Build to Scale emphasis on strategic guidance, mentorship, and access to funding as part of a more comprehensive acceleration model.

• State and Local Incentives

  As companies expand, regional opportunities can become increasingly important.

  EPIC can help companies identify relevant local and state resources, navigate ecosystem opportunities, and connect with partners that support expansion, commercialization, and long-term business growth in Inland Southern California.

• Opportunity Gateway

  Opportunity Gateway helps later-stage companies connect more intentionally to the regional innovation ecosystem.

  For some companies, that may mean introductions to relevant partners, visibility into local and regional support systems, or access to pathways that can accelerate growth in Inland Southern California. For others, it may be about identifying the right connections to support commercialization, partnerships, or expansion.

  At this stage, access matters - and Opportunity Gateway helps make the broader ecosystem more navigable.