SACRAMENTO — UC Davis celebrated a major milestone Friday with the formal inauguration of Aggie Square, a $1.1 billion innovation district that merges scientific research, entrepreneurship, education, and community engagement in the heart of Sacramento. The project, eight years in the making, was unveiled with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that brought together university leaders, elected officials, developers, and neighborhood stakeholders.
Located on an 11-acre site at UC Davis’ Sacramento campus, Aggie Square is envisioned as a regional hub for innovation, global collaboration, and equitable growth.
“Today’s opening celebration marks a major milestone for UC Davis as Aggie Square becomes the region’s newest innovation district,” said Chancellor Gary S. May. “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”
Aggie Square is the result of an extensive public-private partnership between UC Davis, the City of Sacramento, and Wexford Science & Technology LLC. May praised the contributions of “thousands of people from the university, the city of Sacramento, our neighboring communities, Wexford Science & Technology and the hardworking builders and contractors,” crediting them with bringing the university’s bold vision to life.
“Today’s opening celebration marks a major milestone for UC Davis as Aggie Square becomes the region’s newest innovation district.” – Chancellor Gary S. May
The ceremony also featured a series of announcements about new partnerships that position Aggie Square as a launchpad for international biotech ventures. One of the most significant new initiatives is a collaboration between UC Davis, Wexford Science & Technology, and FLANN Inc., a South Korean firm that supports biotech companies expanding into the U.S. market. The partners will establish a “soft landing” program to host cohorts of up to 10 early-stage South Korean life sciences startups within Connect Labs, a flexible laboratory and office environment built by Wexford.
“This initiative strengthens Aggie Square’s position as a global gateway for innovation and international collaboration in the life sciences,” the university said in the press release.
Ted Russell, president and CEO of Wexford, echoed that sentiment. “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 a vibrant community and innovation hub that enriches the entire Sacramento region,” he said. “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.”
In addition to its international reach, Aggie Square is also attracting private investment from domestic venture capital. UC Davis announced a new partnership with HM Venture Partners, a healthcare investment firm that works with high-growth biotech and medtech companies. The firm will act as an advisory partner to the “Investing in the Future of Medicine Fund,” an initiative led by UC Davis Health Ventures with support from the Greater Sacramento Economic Council.
Another new agreement will see UC Davis team up with The March Group, a Davis-based venture capital firm, to co-develop a business accelerator focused on commercializing university research and intellectual property.
The newly unveiled first phase of Aggie Square includes three state-of-the-art buildings spanning 767,000 square feet. These facilities house wet and dry laboratories, modern classrooms, flexible workspaces, and collaborative community areas designed to foster interdisciplinary work across biomedical engineering, life sciences, technology, and data science.
One centerpiece is Connect Labs, Wexford’s “scale-in-place” lab infrastructure, which provides furnished and equipped lab, support, and office spaces with shared equipment and services designed to lower barriers for emerging growth companies.
Aggie Square also includes ANOVA Aggie Square, a residential building that will provide 190 apartments and 252 beds for students, researchers, and staff, as well as a 1,550-stall parking structure to support the district’s operations.
According to the university, Aggie Square will generate $1.92 billion in economic output for the Sacramento region and $2.32 billion statewide. Construction has already created more than 12,000 jobs, and 3,200 permanent jobs are expected after the project’s completion (UC Davis News Release, May 3, 2025).
Congresswoman Doris Matsui applauded the project’s regional impact: “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.”
From the beginning, university leaders emphasized that Aggie Square would benefit the surrounding community as much as it does the innovation economy. A Community Benefits Partnership Agreement, signed in 2021 between UC Davis, the City of Sacramento, and Wexford, commits more than $50 million toward affordable housing, workforce development, youth programs, and neighborhood access to public spaces and services.
The agreement followed more than 90 community and stakeholder meetings and includes provisions for local hiring, better transportation options, and enhanced education programs for youth in adjacent neighborhoods.
“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. “The partnerships we’ve forged together will help ensure better access to housing and job opportunities for the residents of these communities.”
In addition, the City of Sacramento established an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD) that will redirect $30 million in future property tax revenues from the Aggie Square project into infrastructure improvements and other community priorities.
UC Davis will occupy 60% of the commercial space in the first phase of Aggie Square. Notable tenants include the Wang Lab, focused on gene therapy and stem cell treatments for 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; and the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center’s new “cancer research hub.”
The National Center for Interventional Biophotonic Technologies, another incoming tenant, is pioneering the use of light-based, AI-driven tools for surgery and brain monitoring. The Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, known globally for its animal DNA testing services, is also expected to move to the site.
Looking ahead, future phases of Aggie Square are likely to include expanded life sciences, engineering spaces, and support infrastructure to help local startups scale and grow.
“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.”
