The University of California Esports Initiative (UCEI) was founded in September 2020 by esports administrators from UC Irvine, UC Berkeley, and UC Los Angeles. Created as a partnership to strengthen UC campus esports efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic, the UCEI has since become a constant partnership between the founding universities hosting annual UCEI Invitationals, with plans to expand to more events during the calendar year. The UCEI currently works in partnership with students from the six other undergraduate UC campuses in UC San Diego, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, & UC Merced.

To learn more about the founding of the UCEI, read official press releases from the founding members: UCLA, UC Berkley, UC Irvine.