USC is spending big on research. Will it translate to more LA startups?

University of Southern California has long been known for big spending parents, but the university is now also attracting big investment in the form of research grants from agencies and institutions. In 2023, USC’s annual research expenditures reached $1.04B, driven by federal grants supporting health protections for children against air pollution, quantum computing research, and stem cell research targeting kidney disease and Lou Gehrig's disease. USC President Carol Folt's initiatives, including the Frontiers of Computing initiative with a pledged $1 billion investment by 2030, have positioned the university among the top private research institutions in the United States. Noteworthy researchers, such as Paul Aisen and Massoud Pedram, have played crucial roles, with USC leading in computer and information sciences spending on the West Coast and ranking fifth nationally.