The Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society and the Banatao Institute (CITRIS) create information technology solutions for society’s most pressing challenges. CITRIS and the Banatao Institute leverage the research strengths of University of California campuses at Berkeley, Davis, Merced and Santa Cruz, and operate within the greater ecosystem of the University and the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of Silicon Valley. The institute was created by the California state legislature to shorten the pipeline between world-class laboratory research and the development of applications, platforms, companies, and even new industries. CITRIS and the Banatao Institute facilitate interdisciplinary work among hundreds of University of California faculty members, students, corporate partners, and international institutions. Together with these public and private partners, we are shaping the future of technology in ways that cross traditional boundaries. From concept to prototype, the CITRIS invention ecosystem includes competitive seed funding, specialized testbeds, Marvell Nanofabrication Laboratory, CITRIS Invention Lab, and the CITRIS Foundry startup accelerator. We bring the expertise of multiple disciplines to bear on critical challenges such as designing sustainable energy, water and transportation systems; improving the human experience with robotics and inclusive intelligence; modernizing health care delivery; fostering responsible tech policy; promoting diverse perspectives; and examining the future of work and the global economy in the age of automation. CITRIS and the Banatao Institute represent a bold and exciting vision that engages one of the top university systems in the world to generate social and economic benefit.
