Mayor Lurie Welcomes Eight Midwestern Universities to San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor Daniel Lurie today welcomed eight leading Midwestern universities to San Francisco with the launch of Third Coast Foundry, a new hub that will bring students, researchers, and entrepreneurs from across the Midwest to the city. Third Coast Foundry will leverage the city’s position as the global hub of innovation and artificial intelligence to create a new workspace for a consortium of select partner universities to support venture capital engagement and cross-institutional collaboration.

The opening of Third Coast Foundry builds on Mayor Lurie’s work to accelerate San Francisco’s economic recovery. Earlier this year, the mayor announced that Vanderbilt University plans to establish an academic campus serving full-time students in San Francisco beginning in 2027. In September, the mayor unveiled his “Heart of the City” plan—now with more than $60 million committed to the Downtown Development Corporation—to help foster a downtown where people live, work, play, and learn. Now, more downtown office space is being leased in San Francisco, Union Square retail vacancy is dropping, and workers are returning to the office more quickly in San Francisco than in any other major city.

“San Francisco is the global hub of innovation, technology, and venture capital. And with yet another investment from leading institutions of higher education, we are accelerating our city’s recovery and strengthening our city center as a place where people live, work, play, and learn,” said Mayor Lurie. “I look forward to welcoming students and leaders from the Midwest and partnering with these universities to open our doors to the next generation of innovators.”

“I’m thrilled to welcome Third Coast Foundry to District 6! Much like the neighborhoods I represent, this will be a home for collaboration and innovation” said District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey. “These world-class institutions are an incredible addition to our thriving Second Street corridor, and I look forward to strengthening our connections and being a partner with them.”

Third Coast Foundry is being launched as a two-year pilot supported by:

• Carnegie Mellon University
• Northwestern University
• The Ohio State University
• Purdue University  
• University of Chicago
• University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign
• University of Wisconsin–Madison
• Washington University in St. Louis

The workspace will be open immediately, with a grand opening taking place this summer. It will be located at 625 Second Street in the South Park neighborhood—steps from one of the largest venture capital communities in the world and the global innovation and AI hub. The space will include a 3,500-square-foot workspace that will serve as a short-term base for university-founded startups and teams traveling to the region, creating opportunities for investors, alumni, and other partners to engage through meetings, events, and programming. It represents one of the first collaborative, multi-university Midwest bases in the Bay Area focused on venture engagement and innovation support.

Third Coast Foundry will support demo days, receptions, seminars, and workshops, expanding visibility for university startups and offering new ways for Bay Area investors and alumni to engage. Managed and operated by the Polsky Center at the University of Chicago, it will act as a shared resource for participating institutions, with each university contributing to programming and community-building efforts that elevate the collective Midwest innovation presence in San Francisco.  

“This is a significant moment for the Midwest’s innovation ecosystem,” said Samir Mayekar, Managing Director of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago. “By establishing a visible footprint in the Bay Area, we’re creating new opportunities for our founders to access capital, talent, and strategic partners while also strengthening ties between two of the country’s most dynamic innovation communities.”

Third Coast Foundry sponsors include G2C Venture Partners and the Wisconsin Investment Management Company.