Supersymmetric field theories can be defined on curved spaces by coupling them to a supergravity background. Recently, it was shown how the requirements for such d=4 backgrounds can be obtained from string theory by examining supersymmetric D3-branes without worldvolume flux. I will discuss how to fully embed N=1 backgrounds in string theory and give examples. I will also discuss how this picture generalizes to the case of D3-branes with worldvolume flux and how this is related to field theories with non-linear supersymmetry on curved spaces.

Milano-Bicocca