At the Lead’R Lab, students learn innovative and entrepreneurial skills that set them apart and better position them to positively impact society.

Our mission is to share impactful resources and knowledge that foster and support our students’ big ideas! Ultimately, we are enhancing the innovative atmosphere on campus!

We would love to see more UCR innovators and entrepreneurs share their ideas and be a part of a peer-collaborative setting.

Past events:
Oct. 5, 2022: Panel discussion on technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Watch the discussion on YouTube. 

Want to learn more and stay up-to-date on all things Lead'R Lab? Fill out our interest form for updates on upcoming Lead'R Lab events and other opportunities to grow your entrepreneurial skills.

Location: Orbach Library, Room 140 (Mentor Room)

The Mentor Room is used for Creat’R Lab consultations and mentoring sessions with Blackstone LaunchPad and Lead’R Lab mentors. These program invites makers and innovators to learn about entrepreneurship and teaches entrepreneurs how they can prototype their ideas.

Meet the Lead'R Lab Team

Alvaro Alvarez is the UCR Library's Innovative Media Librarian. Alvaro's key responsibility is to develop educational programming, provide outreach and hold consultations on a variety of topics related to media and maker projects.

Brendon Wheeler is the UCR Library's Maker Services Coordinator. He is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the Creat'R Lab and assists Creat'R Lab patrons, supervises student employees, implements and maintains specialized equipment, and facilitates outreach activities such as meetups and workshops for students and faculty.

Ankita Ahluwalia, a student volunteer and social-impact entrepreneur, is Lead'R Lab's co-founder. She recognized the need for a centralized program sharing entrepreneurial and innovative resources for UCR students. In conversations with UCR faculty, she came up with the idea to reinstate and revamp a discontinued program on-campus. In collaboration with the UCR Library, she helps with the Lead'R Lab program to empower UCR innovators and entrepreneurs. Ankita has extensive experience in the ed-Tech and Biopharma industries and mentors early-stage entrepreneurs at UC Riverside.

Dr. Francisca (Francis) Reyes joined UCR's Office of Technology Partnerships on December 1, 2021. She is the Blackstone LaunchPad and Entrepreneurial Education Lead EIR and serves as campus director for the Blackstone LaunchPad.

For questions about the Lead'R Lab, you can email Alvaro or Francis.

Lead'R Lab is supported by LaunchPad and INNOVA'R.