In a world where innovation is the key to progress, Anemo AI emerges as a beacon of hope for researchers in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) field. 

Anemo AI is accelerating the research process for STEM researchers, specifically for Computer Science (CS) statistics and Artificial Intelligence (AI). They plan to conduct Research and Development (R&D) focused on AI which helps increase the rate of innovation. R&D enables professionals to push the boundaries of possibilities and accelerate advancements in the field. 

The idea for the startup originated during Ameer Arsala’s, co-founder and computer science junior, co-led research project. While conducting AI research, Arsala encountered numerous obstacles that slowed down their research process. For the first month, they performed a literature review when the research goal is to begin experimentation as quickly as possible, Arsala explained. They wanted to speed up the process. 

Ishan Meher, co-founder and computer science sophomore, met Amira through a Cal Poly Computer Science club where he was co-leading a different project. Miguel Flora, co-founder and computer science freshman, also participated in the same clubs. After casually talking about the idea for Anemo AI and recognizing their compatibility, they collectively decided to bring their idea to fruition. 

Last fall, Meher participated in the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) Startup Launch Weekend, a 52 hour-long event where innovators create interdisciplinary teams and develop a business over the weekend. From there, Ishanna learned about more CIE programs, including the CIE Hatchery. Since the co-founders developed a plan and mission for their company, they thought it would be beneficial to join the Hatchery and receive help, Ishanna said.  

The CIE Hatchery is an on-campus startup incubator open to all Cal Poly students interested in learning how to take a business from an idea to launch. Student entrepreneurs are provided with resources like mentorship, coaching and weekly workshops. 

“As a non-business major, the Hatchery helped us get a second opinion on our approaches and our strategy,” Meher said. “As Computer Science majors, we are pretty dead set on the technical side of things and it’s good to have an outside view on how to run a business.” 

As student entrepreneurs, these cofounders value the Hatchery’s role in providing a safe space to fail, Arsala said. Failure is a part of the learning process and they appreciate the environment the Hatchery fosters for that purpose. They believe their opportunity to experiment and test themselves will help in the future to deliver when it truly matters, Arsala explained. 

Looking ahead, the co-founders want to use Animo AI as a tool for their own research. They hope to use their product to accelerate their research and STEM research as a whole. 

In the near future, the cofounders hope to join the CIE Summer Accelerator program and iteratively approve their product. The Summer Accelerator is a 12-week program that provides participants the funding, hands-on mentorship and resources to build a business. 

The co-founders of Anemo AI are excited to grow their business and grow as individuals with the contribution of CIE resources. 

“The Hatchery provides a space to be around like-minded entrepreneurs and it motivates you to work on your own business,” Meher said. “I get really inspired and riled up when I see a bunch of people working on their product or company. It inspires me to take our product to the next level.” 

It’s been more than six months since the 2023 Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) Summer Accelerator came to an end. During the Accelerator, Cal Poly students and recent graduates spent 12 weeks immersed in the startup process, turning their startup ideas into real, viable businesses. 

The program culminated at Demo Day, where the participating teams showcased the progress they made on their startups throughout the summer and pitched their companies. 

Since Demo Day, the 2023 Summer Accelerator cohort has embarked on new professional, educational and entrepreneurial endeavors. 

Here’s a team-by-team breakdown of what the cohort has been up to: 

Ecoternatives | ENTEIN | Horizen Technologies | Mí Tiara | Nexstera Tech | Social Spark | TensorMaker | Té Piña

Ecoternatives 

Aiden Riehl, founder and CEO of Ecoternatives.

Aiden Riehl, founder and CEO of Ecoternatives, joined the Summer Accelerator after working on his company from his room for the previous two-and-a-half years. 

“The Accelerator was the first time where I met other people my age doing the same thing as me and where I felt normal in terms of entrepreneurial desires,” Riehl explained. “Although it lasted a summer, I think it impacts you for the rest of your life.” 

Ecoternatives is an online marketplace that sells sustainable and plastic-free products at more affordable prices. 

Since the Summer Accelerator, Riehl traveled for five months spanning from Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. 

Reflecting on his pre-Accelerator state, Riehl acknowledged feeling disorganized without procedures in place to improve his operations. During the Accelerator, he learned how to create these. 

“With the help of the Accelerator, I was able to streamline a lot of the tedious tasks by building systems into my company,” Riehl said. 

Amidst Riehl’s travels, he remained dedicated to advancing Ecoternatives. He introduced new processes for future employers, collaborated with content creators to bolster Ecoternatives and built out a marketing strategy. 

Riehl finally completed one of his biggest goals: automating tasks onto people he trusts, he said. With his new operations, he could finally hire two employees who in turn allowed for Riehl’s travel. 

In response to high customer demand, Riehl’s team is working on an Ecoternatives app for iPhones. Furthermore, Ecoternatives is creating a Build-a-Box subscription feature enabling customers to curate product bundles on a subscription basis. 

Lastly, Ecoternatives expanded to 15 more eco-friendly products. 

“With the Accelerator, I started thinking about my business long-term,” Riehl said. “ It made Ecoternatives into a real company with normal business practices and something I wouldn’t be embarrassed talking to investors and professionals about.” 

ENTEIN 

William Burns, founder of ENTEIN, and Cameron Yartz, former co-founder of ENTEIN (from left to right).

William Burns, a mechanical engineering major, began his CIE journey when he pitched his startup ENTEIN at Innovation Quest (iQ) 2023 and won the Environmental Impact Award. 

ENTEIN is utilizing food waste to grow insects as an affordable animal feed protein supplement. 

Feeling motivated by his success at iQ and eager to lift his startup off the ground, Burns joined the Summer Accelerator. For the summer, Cameron Yartz, a mechanical engineering major, also joined the project. 

“The Summer Accelerator allowed us to move forward in ways we would not have been able to alone,” Burns said. 

With the help of the Summer Accelerator, ENTEIN was able to monetize different aspects of their business, increasing investor interest, Burns explained. 

Burns attributed much of their success to the networking opportunities over the summer. 

“The connections I made through the Summer Accelerator were priceless. I could not have started a company if I didn’t have our lead mentor and the CIE staff helping with different aspects of Entein,” Burns said. “The people made it happen.”  

Thinking back to Burns’ first pitch versus pitch at Demo Day, he said he grew a lot. The Summer Accelerator helped him better communicate about ENTEIN and relate their startup to various types of audience members, especially those not familiar with agriculture, he said. 

Since completing the Accelerator, Yartz is now working on a different project with an interdisciplinary team to create a Prosthetic Aid for Lifting (PAL) so Madeline Everson, born with ulna and radius in her left hand, can continue lifting in the gym. 

“This project is definitely out of our comfort zone, but we are motivated to succeed,” Yartz said. 

Burns has continued to put full effort into ENTEIN while a full-time student. He is running testing on their product from multiple waste sources and has expanded in their greenhouse. 

ENTEIN also doubled in growth capacity and is sending more samples to third-party suppliers to build production in the Sacramento and Fresno areas.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t have a full summer to follow my passion and work on ENTEIN,” Burns explained. “The Accelerator prepared me to run my business and gave me the tools and confidence I now use every single day.” 

Horizen Technologies

Owen Work and Camden Ford, co-founders of Horizen Technologies (from left to right).

Owen Works and Camden Ford, co-founders of Horizen Technologies (formerly known as Horizen Biotech and DrinkWise), went into the Summer Accelerator viewing their startup as a college assignment. However, during the summer, their perspective underwent a significant shift. 

“Throughout the Summer Accelerator, Horizen Technologies changed from being an academic project into becoming a real business,” Ford said.  

Horizen Technologies aims to create a drinking culture that prioritizes safety, health and well-being through their biosensor platform which monitors Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) levels.

Ford, a biomedical engineering graduate, initially hesitated to ask questions because of his limited entrepreneurial knowledge, he explained. However, he soon realized that everyone in the Accelerator was learning and he gradually became comfortable asking questions, failing, and ultimately gaining more, he said.

Following the Summer Accelerator, Horizen Technologies joined the CIE Incubator program. The Incubator is a two-year program providing early-stage companies the resources to develop into financially stable and high-growth companies. 

“Getting into the Incubator was a huge accomplishment,” Ford said. “It’s guiding us in the right direction of how to operate, helping us raise funds and explore the customer we want while giving us a place to headquarter at.” 

Since last summer, Works has been working on the company full-time while Ford is finishing his Master’s of Science (MS) in Biomedical Engineering at Cal Poly, dedicating his capstone project towards their product development. 

Both have led various undergraduate student teams within the Orfalea College of Business and College of Engineering. 

Recently, Horizen Technologies qualified as one of the top six finalists for AngelCon, an event where six qualified tech startups pitch their business for a chance to win $100,000+ in equity funding. 

As the co-founders prepare for AngelCon, they have been seeking fundraising options and have completed several grant programs.

Horizen Technologies was chosen for the VentureWell Spring 2024 E-Team program. Out of the twenty-five teams, they advanced with seven others to the second stage where they received a $20,000 grant to build their business further. 

The co-founders are grateful to the Accelerator for providing them with resources and connections who help mentor and teach them how to run their business, they said. 

“We are relatively young and we’ve never started a business before, so we rely on knowledge from mentors who have done this before,” Ford said. “The Accelerator gave us great connections with people who want to help us and has made us not afraid to do what it takes to accomplish our goals.” 

Buy your ticket for AngelCon and support Horizen Technologies on Thursday, May 2nd at 5:00 p.m. at Rod and Hammer Rock: https://angelcon2024.eventbrite.com/?aff=CIEwebsite

Mí Tiara

Luis Guzman, co-founder of Mí Tíara.

Computer science senior Luiz Guzman remembered the challenge of pitching his startup due to his “significant stage fright and public speaking issues,” he said. 

However, after advice from mentors, he realized how important it is to pitch his startup or else it would simply not exist. This mindset helped him push through his nerves and eventually, during Demo Day, Guzman found the experience “exhilarating.” 

Guzman and computer science senior Maricela Carillo co-founded Mí Tiara (formerly known as PlanForMí), a startup that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to simplify the event-planning process by easily connecting local vendors and customers. 

Looking back on Demo Day, Guzman felt a significant achievement and immense satisfaction from completing the program, he said. 

“Representing my Hispanic community and showcasing diversity in the program added to my sense of pride and accomplishment,” Guzman explained. “It reinforced the importance of diverse perspectives in entrepreneurial endeavors and highlighted the value of inclusion and representation in the startup ecosystem.” 

Following the Accelerator, Guzman and Carillo focused on the Accelerator’s feedback to refine their platform. This included enhancing their product features, expanding their vendor network and deepening their engagement with the Hispanic community, Guzman said. 

Looking forward, Mí Tiara plans for a successful launch in Fresno County and plans on expanding into other regions with significant Hispanic populations. 

As the co-founders continue running Mí Tiara, they credit the Accelerator for deeply ingraining the principles necessary to run a successful business, Guzman explained.  

“The Summer Accelerator was a catalyst for growth, pushing me out of my comfort zone and enabling me to lead with confidence,” Guzman said. “The experience of pitching, networking, and strategizing under the Accelerator’s guidance was invaluable, laying a solid foundation for Mi Tiara’s journey beyond the program.”

Nexstera Tech  

Penny Lane Case, co-founder and CEO of Nexstera Tech.

Penny Lane Case, co-founder and CEO of Nexstera Tech, remembers her excitement when pitching her startup on Demo Day. She felt pre-pitch nerves but was also confident in what her team accomplished over the summer, she said. 

Nexstera Tech is pushing the boundaries of material differentiation and detection through AI-enhanced radar technology and transforming waste management operations. Their initial focus is identifying lithium-ion batteries in curbside buns before collection, aiming to mitigate the billion-dollar risk of battery-induced fires in the waste stream. 

Case reflected on her experience: “My confidence, my technical knowledge and the way I was able to compose my thoughts definitely changed throughout the Accelerator and that translated to my more powerful presence on stage,” she said. 

Case and her co-founders Stefany James and Kylene Landenberger have accomplished some big milestones since the Accelerator. 

Nexstera Tech expanded its data collection operation by renting out a space to house their two labs and hiring three testing technicians. At these labs, they are collecting thousands of scans every week and sometimes over one thousand in one day, Case explained. 

Furthermore, Nexstera Tech retrofit their first prototype on a Waste Connections Recycling vehicle at their San Luis Obispo Facility in December of 2023. They placed it on the oldest truck with the most challenging route to ensure their hardware could withstand the harshest conditions. 

Alongside installing their product, Nexstera Tech joined the CIE Incubator and recently qualified as an AngelCon finalist with five other companies.

AngelCon is an event where six qualified tech startups pitch their business for a chance to win $100,000+ in equity funding. 

“Getting into AngelCon was very reassuring.” Case said. “I love talking about what we do because I have immense confidence in our team and solution coupled with a deep passion for addressing this problem.” 

Case attributes much of her success in learning how to run her company to the support from her advisors and the Summer Accelerator experience, she explained. 

“The Accelerator truly made it possible for us to launch our company. It’s an incredible program full of resources, including valuable workshops and mentorship opportunities, that accelerate personal, business, and technical growth. I am forever grateful for the opportunity I was given as a member of the 2023 cohort.” Case said.

Buy your ticket for AngelCon and support Nexstera Tech on Thursday, May 2nd at 5:00 p.m. at Rod and Hammer Rock: https://angelcon2024.eventbrite.com/?aff=CIEwebsite

Social Spark 

Samantha Moberly, founder and CEO of Social Spark.

Samantha Moberly, the founder and CEO of Social Spark, expressed gratitude towards the Summer Accelerator for its role in nurturing her startup. She credited the program for transforming her startup from a class project into the beginning of a real business, she said.

Social Spark is a social networking platform aimed to combat loneliness by helping recent graduates and early-in-career individuals create new friendships through in-person events and outings. 

“We started out thinking we already had the start of a business. But, the more we talked to advisors and learned the different components needed for a business, the more we were able to really build a foundation for something that could actually turn into a real company,” Moberly said. 

During the Accelerator, Moberly realized how important it is to work around people when taking on big endeavors like building a startup. One of her favorite parts of the program was working with mentors — who she still frequently speaks to — and other startups to help build ideas, she explained. 

“When you get to spend the whole summer talking to amazing people who have created fantastic businesses and they engage with you like a peer, it really grows your confidence knowing you can actually speak with people like that,” Moberly said.  

After Demo Day, Moberly felt more solidified in Social Spark and confident to answer any questions presented to her. 

Since the accelerator, Social Spark hosted more successful events in the Bay Area, trying out different kinds including single-evening events, single-day events, and day-and-a-half events. She also developed a Social Spark membership where their algorithm matches members based on similarities, forming smaller groups for casual outings. 

Social Spark has been receiving positive customer reviews and customers who return to multiple events. 

Moberly appreciated the Summer Accelerator for providing her tools to operate Social Spark. 

“It took some adjustment ending the Summer Accelerator and no longer having a structured environment every day with check-ins each week. But that’s the important part of the process — moving forward and having the tools to run your startup without as much guidance,” she said. 

“I wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t have a full summer to follow my passion and work on ENTEIN,” Burns explained. “The Accelerator prepared me to run my business and gave me the tools and confidence I now use every single day.” 

TensorMaker 

Avi Peltz, former founder of TensorMaker.

Following the Summer Accelerator, Avi Peltz, former founder of TensorMaker, moved to the San Francisco Bay. 

TensorMaker was a platform that made building machine learning applications fast, easy and accessible to everyday developers.  

Since living in San Francisco, Peltz reconnected with co-founder of BioGlyph and first-place winner of Innovation Quest 2023, McClain Kressman. Avi Peltz is now working full-time as CTO at BioGlyph. 

BioGlyph streamlines the process of biologic, or medicine, development and iteration — as well as user modification tools — allowing researchers to easily shift between visual, markup and serial representations of medications developed from living organisms. 

Té Piña 

Benjamin Arts and Matt Reis, co-founders of Té Piña (from left to right).

Business administration seniors Mathew Reis and Benjamin Arts were excited to join the 2023 Summer Accelerator to leverage its resources and grow their startup Té Piña, a pineapple-based beverage that provides consumers with a healthier alternative to energy drinks. 

“During the Summer Accelerator, you’re able to get mentorship, money, support and connections to really accelerate your business,” Arts said. “You grind out the work and can see your business progress every single day,” Arts said.   

Arts and Reis attributed both their company growth and business understanding to the mentorship they received during the program.

“I went into my last quarter of school after the Summer Accelerator with more proficiency and efficiency in my classes,” Reis said. “I was able to be more responsible and business-oriented.” 

Following the Summer Accelerator, Arts and Reis have continued their work on Té Piña while delving deeper into the startup world. 

Since January, Reis has been working for Quickie Delivery Co, a startup delivering convenience store essentials to college students quickly, affordably and sustainably. 

“Because of the mentorship and expertise I gained in the Accelerator, Quickie Delivery Co, a past Summer Accelerator team, saw my potential and decided to bring me on to run their finances and do their books,” Reis explained. 

Similarly to Reis, Arts also became involved in another startup. He co-founded Mr. Turtle Laundry, a refillable laundry detergent machine placed in grocery stores and laundromats. 

With Mr. Turtle Laundry, he won first place at the Cal Poly Entrepreneurs Startup Marathon, a 54-hour-long event where innovators create interdisciplinary teams and develop a business over the weekend. 

“Without my experience around Té Piña, I would have been lost in this project,” Arts said. 

For Té Piña’s future plans, the co-founders intend to make the most of their current resources, putting aside further developments until they have the necessary funds. 

Reis and Arts believe Té Piña is a promising venture, enjoy running the company, and are eager to dedicate more time on it in the future, they said. 

This March was National Women’s History Month, a time dedicated to honoring women’s achievements and contributions throughout history. This year, we had the privilege of speaking with several remarkable female entrepreneurs and all-female teams in the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) community. Let’s take a close look at these inspiring women: 

Maureen (Mo) Vasquez, Founder and Creative Director of Pipsticks 

Our first female entrepreneur highlight of Women’s History Month was Maureen (Mo) Vasquez, founder and Creative Director of Pipsticks! Mo, sticker lover, designer and mother of four, founded Pipsticks back in 2014 and, years later, is still growing her business through hard work and bright ideas! Pipsticks is the world’s largest sticker subscription service with subscribers in over 60 countries. They bring creative and unique stickers to the mailbox of collectors every month.

Mo works on an all-female team with Abby Fulton and Penny Kippe. Fulton and Kippe said Mo has a wonderful ability to balance the chaos of running her own business and being a mother of four. 

“It is inspiring to see a hardworking, creative powerhouse who is so down to earth as a leader,” they said.  

Pipsticks breaks the glass ceiling with a predominantly female team. A simple glance into their day-to-day operations shows how Pipsticks defies the negative stereotypes of women in business and embodies a culture that is innovative, motivating and supportive, Fulton explained. 

Pipsticks challenges stereotypes about women in business, proving that they are nothing short of empowering. 

Judy Mahan, CIE Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Senior Economic Director

Our second female entrepreneur highlight of Women’s History Month is Judy Mahan, Cal Poly CIE SBDC Senior Economic Development Director. Judy has been a part of the CIE for more than 13 years and has created a huge impact! ⁠

Mahan leads a talented team of women who all consider themselves fortunate to be under her leadership.  

“Judy is such a wonderful role model; she inspires me every day to work harder and aspire to do great things. She is unapologetically herself and amazing at what she does,” Libbie Stone, SBDC Videography Intern. 

Furthermore, Lynsey Fowler, SBDC Admin and Graphic Design Coordinator, said, “Working with Judy as a leader, I feel freer to be myself and I can talk to her about anything. She makes people feel very comfortable and included and brings great energy.” 

Mahan’s positive addition to the CIE, alongside her remarkable leadership and influence on her team, establishes her as an inspiring figure in the world of economic development and entrepreneurship. 

Penny Lane Case, CEO and co-founder of Nexstera Tech

Our third female entrepreneur highlight of Women’s History Month was Penny Lane Case, CEO and co-founder of Nexstera Tech. Nexstera tech is revolutionizing material detection with Artificial intelligence (AI) – driven radar technology. Penny Lane Case leads an all-female team and is currently working on her startup through the CIE Incubator, a program that provides early-stage companies tools, training and infrastructure to develop into high-grown enterprises.  

Case explained her experience as a female founder in a male-dominated field: “In the startup world, it is more common to find male presence and success, but it makes it much more impactful to make it as a female founder. I look forward to the day when I can support other women starting their founder journey.” 

Much of Case’s success is attributed to her co-founders Stefany James and Kylene Landenberger. They work tirelessly to create and bring their entire beings into everything they do, she said. 

“Working on an all-female team alongside these two compassionate and brilliant women breeds true transcendent innovation,” Case said. “It gives me an advantage because the communication and desire to understand each other is our top priority.”

Case’s leadership at Nexstera Tech and collaboration with her all-female team exemplifies the power of female entrepreneurship and proves the importance of diversity in driving innovation. 

McCall Brinskele, founder and CEO of Mense

Our fourth female entrepreneur highlight of Women’s History Month is McCall Brinskele, founder and CEO of Mense. Mense is a period care company on a mission to destigmatize and elevate the conversation surrounding menstruation. They have been apart of the CIE Incubator for almost a year and participated in the CIE Summer Accelerator program during 2022.

On top of running Mense, McCall also recently started a position as a Orfalea College of Business lecturer for both Business 310: Intro to Entrepreneurship and Business 461: Senior Project, alongside Assistant Professor and CIE Director of Academic Programs, Thomas Katona.

Additionally, she is also a woman in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) having received her Bachelor’s in Biomedical Engineering and Masters in Engineering Management at Cal Poly.

Her students describe her as “an excellent instructor” and “very approachable and extremely enthusiastic”. They note that McCall’s incorporation of her own entrepreneurial journey into her teaching has significantly enhanced their learning in the classroom

Along with all of the above, McCall is the daughter of an entrepreneur and has a strong passion for the theater and arts. 

Karen Tillman, Cal Poly CIE’s Interim Executive Director

Our final female entrepreneur highlight of Women’s History Month was Karen Tillman, the CIE’s Interim Executive Director
(check out the Q&A we had with her here).

Tillman formerly worked as Chief Communications Officer at Oracle, Cisco, GoDaddy and Brex and brings more than 25 years of experience from the tech world. Passionate about entrepreneurship and the opportunities in our region, she looks forward to the future of economic development in San Luis Obispo. 

“We always have to think about how we can keep our community vibrant, innovative and alive,” Tillman said. “There are huge opportunities that could create massive jobs in our region which is also a huge opportunity for Cal Poly.” 

Tillman is “extraordinarily excited” for San Luis Obispo’s future and says, “there’s a lot ahead of us.” 

On top of her work accomplishments, Tillman works with a nonprofit horse rescue where she adopts Mustangs, trains them and adopts them out to other homes. 

Tillman’s impressive background in the tech industry coupled with her passion for entrepreneurship and commitment to community development positions her as a valuable asset to Cal Poly and the San Luis Obispo region as a whole. 

These are just a few of the many hardworking female entrepreneurs in the CIE community who inspire us every day. Women’s History Month is a reminder to respect and celebrate women’s contributions to society, economy, innovation and beyond. Together, we can amplify women’s voices and support these trailblazers who are paving the way for the future of women in business.

Taylor Jenisch’s transition from the solitude of remote work to the vibrant atmosphere at the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) HotHouse in Downtown San Luis Obispo (SLO) was more than a mere change in location; it was a transformative experience that reenergized his professional life. 

Following the COVID-19 pandemic and the widespread shift to virtual, at-home work, Jenisch, founder and CEO of Burning Boat Films, found it difficult to deal with working remotely and its lonely quality. Despite the flexibility and freedom remote work offered, Jenisch felt a drop in productivity and the weight of isolation, he said. 

“I came to the HotHouse and immediately felt the energy of other people, especially the entrepreneurs,” Jenisch said. “Productivity picked up massively and I had a better mood from the people around and being able to talk to others.”    

Jenisch started Burning Boat Films, an entertainment company focused on creating documentary and narrative films, in Copenhagen. Eventually, he shifted his company’s base to SLO, engaging with independent contractors both locally and globally. 

Jenisch discovered the HotHouse through a mutual friend who was actively involved. Intrigued by the space, Jenisch decided to give it a try for a day, which has led to nearly a year of coworking. 

“The community and the people in the HotHouse were the biggest selling factor — they’ve got a really nice group of people,” Jenisch said. “Every day you get to meet someone new, which has helped me build solid business connections.” 

About a month after joining the HotHouse, Jenisch attended the CIE’s monthly Small Business Development Center’s (SBDC) Coffee and Conversation where the SBDC brings in a guest speaker to provide advice about a specific expertise ranging from sales to marketing to general business strategies. Following this event, Jenisch received a full investment in one of his films. 

“Through one of the Coffee and Conversations, I received a full investment for a film, which is insane for that short of time at a coworking space,” Jenisch explained. “I realized there are a lot of untapped resources here,” Jenisch said. 

Having grown up in Europe, Jenisch initially struggled with how to structure a business in America. However, Jenisch said he received a lot of help from the CIE staff and other connections within the HotHouse. He described transitioning to the HotHouse as a “180-degree turn for the better.”

“If you’re finding it difficult to motivate yourself to put in a full day of work because you’re working in a room or have kids at home and are getting distracted, it’s a nice opportunity to come into a coworking space,” Jenisch said. “Get some socialization in and become fed by the motivation of other people.”

Four Cal Poly students attended the 40th annual Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO) Global Conference & Pitch Competition held in Tampa, Florida, immersing themselves in Cal Poly’s practical learning approach known as ‘Learn By Doing.’ CEO is a global network for collegiate entrepreneurs and innovators with more than 250 college and university chapters; they support and inspire the growth of any student that seeks to be entrepreneurial. 

Out of the 600 startup teams that applied, Cal Poly business administration seniors Benjamin Arts and Mathew Reis made it to the top 25 as finalists with their startup Té Piña. 

Té Piña is a pineapple-based beverage that provides consumers with a healthier alternative to energy drinks. 

Arts attended the CEO event in 2022 as a spectator, having been recommended by faculty as a student who would effectively represent the Cal Poly entrepreneurship program. This year, after feeling confident in their startup, Arts and Reis decided to apply to the competition.

Prior to the CEO event, Arts and Reis participated in the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) Summer Accelerator, a three-month program that provides Cal Poly students and recent graduates with the resources needed to turn their startups into real, scalable businesses.

“During the Summer Accelerator, every Friday you are pitching and receiving constructive criticism. After going through an experience of 12 weeks of pitching, it’s really hard to be put in a scenario where you’re not ready to go under fire,” said Reis. 

Because of their involvement with the Summer Accelerator, Arts and Reis felt more equipped talking about their business than other teams pitching, Arts said.  

“With general pitching and answering certain questions, it showed that we have [pitched our business] 100 times,” Arts explained. 

Joining Arts and Reis were the President and Vice President of Cal Poly Entrepreneurs (CPE) Michelle Wu and Jacob Boyd who are both business administration sophomores. CPE is a student-run club that unifies entrepreneurs on campus. 

Each year the CEO organizers invite the President and Vice President of entrepreneurship chapters in their organization to enjoy the event as spectators. 

The CEO conference was a great opportunity to network and get more involved in the startup culture, Boyd said. 

“Seeing other leaders involved and being so passionate about what they’re doing motivates me as well,” Wu explained. “It’s a reminder that we are all in this together.” 

Going into the conference, Boyd was concerned that compared to other entrepreneurship chapters, CPE would be lacking as a club. To his surprise, members of other chapters came to CPE for advice and “being able to help them out was pretty cool,” he said. 

Reis, Arts, Boyd and Wu all found the CEO event to be invaluable in terms of meeting mentors, participating in workshops, expanding their network and taking advice from keynote speakers, they said. 

“The whole experience was ‘Learn By Doing’ and it showed us what it is like to be a real entrepreneur,” Wu said. “I’m grateful to have experiences like this coming out of Cal Poly.” 

At the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) we tend to highlight success stories of companies who follow the path of our programs. While these startup journeys are undoubtedly inspiring, there is no one-size-fits-all formula for success. The road to it is not a one-way path; it’s more like a complex network of intersecting routes — you just need to find yours. 

The following five Cal Poly alumni are examples of entrepreneurs who forged their distinctive paths to success. Their stories remain untold, not because they didn’t succeed but because they didn’t follow the traditional CIE success narrative. Nevertheless, we want to celebrate them because they are prime examples of resilience and the essence of entrepreneurship. 

By sharing their stories, we hope to inspire individuals who resonate with their journey. Maybe you are not a Business major or concentrating in Entrepreneurship but want to pursue building a startup — Esha Joshi demonstrates that it’s possible! Maybe your first startup doesn’t scale like you’d hoped — Kaitlyn Henry shows that the skills obtained from entrepreneurship will open the door to more opportunities. 

Becoming an entrepreneur is simple and where entrepreneurship can take you is limitless. 

Esha Joshi | How majoring in computer science led to a successful startup venture

Cal Poly College of Engineering (CENG) alumnus Esha Joshi had a passion for startups, leading her to explore entrepreneurship. 

“I was definitely very interested in doing something with startups — potentially even starting my own company — in college,” Joshi said.

In 2016, during her senior year, Joshi joined the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) Hatchery. Her first startup, Repay, aimed to tackle the problem of inefficient reimbursement processes between businesses and their interviewees.

Joshi described this phase as both fun and educational, serving as a small precursor to running her own company.

The entrepreneurial skills she acquired during her time at the CIE became instrumental in her journey. Today, she is the co-founder of Yoodli, an app that leverages Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help users to build confidence while public speaking. 

“The CIE helps students acquire the tools, develop the skills and cultivate the mindset of an entrepreneur,” Joshi explained.

Joshi’s remarkable journey to Yoodli led to her receiving prestigious awards, such as GeekWire’s Youngest Entrepreneur of the Year in 2022 and Forbes 30 Under 30: Consumer Technology in 2023. She and her co-founder have successfully raised more than $7 million from investors, including Madrona Venture Group and Vulcan Capital.

Kieran Scandrett | How a horticulture startup led to a career in sales

Cal Poly Orfalea College of Business (OCOB) alumnus Kiernan Scandrett pitched his innovative idea during iQ in 2018 and won second place. His startup Clove was a pre-seed, consumer product, subscription box and premium cooking content company aimed at becoming the HelloFresh of gardening. 

After winning second place in iQ, Scandrett joined the Summer Accelerator.

Despite Clove’s inability to secure sufficient funding to continue, Scandrett considers running the company one of his “proudest moments.” 

Inspired by his experience at the CIE, his co-founder encouraged him to pursue a career in sales, recognizing that entrepreneurship is inherently about selling ideas and solutions.

“As an entrepreneur, you are always selling. That’s your life: selling people on your products and your solutions, but most importantly, just selling yourself to people,” Scandrett said. “So it was there and then, almost immediately after that meeting, that I decided that I was going to pursue a career in sales.”

With his entrepreneurship education and horticultural experience, Scandrett successfully progressed to the position of Head of Sales at Habitat Horticulture, a role he held for nearly four years. 

Scandrett’s message to aspiring entrepreneurs encourages those to believe in themselves and to not allow good ideas to go to waste.

“Believe in yourself and if you have trouble doing that, think about the person in your life who believes in you the most,” said Scandrett. “Try to bring that energy or manifest that same (confidence) in yourself.” 

Kaitlyn Henry |  How following her curiosity led to success with a career in investing

In 2016, Kaitlyn Henry, Cal Poly OCOB alumna, was involved in both the CIE’s Innovation Quest (iQ) and Summer Accelerator where she explored her AgTech startup, SpotDrop. 

Henry said the Summer Accelerator played a pivotal role in their startup. It allowed them to move swiftly and learn from their failures, Henry said. She described her time as “the most amazing experience.”

Her experience in the Summer Accelerator expanded her knowledge about Venture Capital.

“Everything that I had done up until that point — being the business counterpart to a technical founder or technical team — venture capital and investing in startups felt like an extension of that… It took the parts that I loved about both (of my prior) jobs, and I got to experience all of that on a broader scale every single day,” Henry explained.

In 2016, she was recognized as the Entrepreneurship Outstanding Senior of the Year among more than 300 students for her remarkable achievements in cross-disciplinary entrepreneurial collaboration within the CIE’s Incubator program.

Although SpotDrop didn’t achieve product-market fit, Henry emphasized that she “learned a lot along the way.” 

With the help of the entrepreneurial skills Henry developed during her time with the CIE, she is now the Vice President at OpenView, a venture capital and private equity firm, a role she has held for five years.  

Patrick Pezet & Matt Canepa | How free pizza led to the start of a successful business

Cal Poly OCOB alumni Patrick Pezet and Matt Canepa stumbled upon an idea that would revolutionize Major League Baseball—an innovative coffee pouch as a healthier alternative to chewing tobacco.

After Pezet and Canepa came up with the idea, they saw a flier on campus that read: “Have a Cool Idea? Free Pizza!” Not thinking too much into it and hungry for some free pizza, they decided to go and present their idea.  

To their surprise, people took a keen interest in their product, leading them to pitch their idea, Grinds Coffee, at iQ. They won the competition and received a $15,000 check.

Soon after, Grinds Coffee took off. 

“Free pizza literally got us in the door. That’s why we walked in. And then that community — the small community and mentorship around it — that’s why we exist today. That’s why we gave it a shot,” Pezet shared. 

In 2013, Pezet and Canepa pitched Grinds Coffee on Shark Tank, a popular reality show where wealthy investors calculate startups who pitch for funding. Grinds Coffee was featured in ESPN the Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine and Fox Business Channel that same year.

Today, Grinds Coffee is a successful business with a product used in Major League Baseball and beyond. As of September 27, 2023, they had sold over four million cans.

“Don’t hold back a question, or a thought, or an idea because you’re unsure or not confident,” Pezet said. “Get involved and give it a shot.” 

September marks the start of National Self-Care Awareness Month. While this is a reminder to reflect on the importance of self-care, mental health is important all year long. As an entrepreneur, it is easy to forget to prioritize oneself when in the midst of prioritizing a business.

Meeting one’s goals as an entrepreneur takes a lot of time and effort. Entrepreneurs often deal with unusual working hours, stressful decision-making, financial uncertainty, risk of failure and more. Prioritizing self-care is an integral part of creating a work-life balance, avoiding burnout and staying on track to sustained success.

Even during the busiest of times, entrepreneurs should carve out time to take care of themselves. Refocusing energy on oneself and revisiting the activities that provide joy can help create new energy, ideas, and productivity. 

Here is what the CIE community enjoys to prioritize self-care and avoid burnout: 

“Self-care is when I take 20-minute walks throughout my day,” Lynsey Fowler, SBDC Administrative Graphic Design Coordinator. 

“After work, I will do some kind of activity because I’ve been sitting still all day. I’ll go climbing, surfing or hiking,” Sydney Harrison, CIE Marketing and Communications Coordinator. 

“Making sure to take time for yourself and not get swept up in the hustle and bustle of doing your job. As entrepreneurs, we are very passionate about what we are working on. But at the end of the day, it’s still work, so it is important to do things that reenergize you and bring you joy,” Mccall Brinskele, founder and CEO of Mense.  

“Self-care means doing things that make me joyful throughout the day. That could be eating ice cream, dancing or talking to my parents and my brother,” Sarah Hirst, CIE Graphic Design Intern. 

“Being outdoors, being in nature,” Cory Karpin, CIE Interim Executive Director. 

“Clearing my social calendar and making sure that I have time to myself, at least an hour a day whether that’s scrolling on social media, listening to music or taking the long route to work from my car and just being outside,” Stephanie Zombek, CIE Marketing and Communications Manager. 

“Take a day off, plan it and make space for it. I try to get eight hours of sleep and go on runs if I feel antsy,” Avi Peltz, founder and CEO of TensorMaker. 

“I try and get some meditations in throughout the day. It definitely clears the level of thoughts that are circulating in my mind,” Ryan Meffert, founder and CEO of Double Helix Design.  

“Usually if I am working on projects or school work, I always make sure to take a break. I like to eat a lot of snacks while I’m working. Sometimes I like to go out and watch the sunset and spend time at the beach,” Abby Yue, CIE Videography Intern. 

“As a student, I like to prevent burnout by practicing meditation and breath work at home – that’s what I like to do to stay centered,” Libbie Stone, SBDC Videography Intern. 

“I try and get into this concept of anti-rivalry – not try and compare myself to others constantly. I need to show up for myself and achieve the things I set for myself. As soon as I compare myself to others, that is when the danger happens of burning out.” Kevin Meffert, Life Coach.  

“It is good practice to set reasonable hours to work. We usually have to work more than most people, but you should still set your work hours and when you are not available to be contacted,” Taylor Jenisch, founder and CEO of Burning Boat Productions. 

“Self-care means getting good rest, exercising and eating healthy food so that you can have energy to go about your day,” Samantha Moberly, co-founder and CEO of Social Spark.

National Read a Book Day is a time to celebrate our love for books and stories. In a world where 81% of us wish we had more time to read, this day offers a perfect opportunity to tackle our ‘to-read’ lists. Reading isn’t just an escape; it’s a wellspring of ideas and inspiration for entrepreneurs. 

Over the past year, over 74% of Americans have enjoyed at least one book, despite their busy lives. Electronic platforms make reading on the go easier, with nearly 20% of books read digitally. Whether you prefer physical books or digital screens, pick up the book at the top of your stack and embark on a literary adventure! 

This National Read a Book Day, let’s celebrate the deep connection between reading and entrepreneurship. Dive into a book that sparks your imagination and fuels your entrepreneurial spirit. 

Keep reading below to see what books the CIE community has been enjoying.

CIE Marketing & Communications Manager, Stephanie Zombek: A Gentle Reminder by Bianca Sparacino. 

Associate Professor of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Tom Katona: Silence by Shusaku Endo. 

Director of Finance and Operations, Damon Watkins: Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov. 

CIE Videographer Intern, Abby Yue: Beartown by Fredrick Backman. 

CIE Marketing and Communication Coordinator, Sydney Harrison: Swell by Liz Clark.

CIE Graphic Design Intern, Sarah Hirst: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. 

Innovation Programs Coordinator, Oliver Haas: Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling. 

CIE PR and Digital Marketing Intern, Schuyler Eley: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. 

Co-founder and CEO of Horizen Tech, Owen Works: The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. 

Co-founder of Té Piña, Benjamin Arts: Cut the Bullshit: The Truth About Sales and Marketing by Linus Ocasio. 

Co-founder and Chief Results Officer of Intersect, Jacob Hubert: $100M Leads: How to Get Strangers to Want to Buy Your Stuff by Alex Hormozi.

SBDC Assistant Director, Liz Fisher, and Co-founder of 2022 Summer Accelerator startup Ryde, Emily Gavrilenko: The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. 

Digital Media Coordinator at San Diego Community Power, Alyson Smith: Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin.

From a young age, liberal arts and engineering graduate Avi Peltz has been intrigued by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). AI involves computer systems attempting to model and apply human-like intelligence, while ML, a branch of AI, focuses on using data and algorithms to replicate human learning.

“Machine learning was this shiny, cool new thing that seemed really powerful,” Peltz said. “I have always been curious about it.” 

Growing up in tech-savvy Berkeley, Peltz watched many demonstrations of computer vision models that could identify objects and images. He described it as “astounding.” He saw developers bringing “incredible” creations to life and aspired to be a part of that. 

Peltz has always been technically minded, he said. Throughout high school, he built different websites and computer games. He also worked on various robotic and ML projects. This quickly taught him how ineffective pre-existing tools were that are intended to help perform basic tasks. 

After growing irritated with the complexity of ML tools, he sought to create a solution. That is when he began building his startup, TensorMaker.

TensorMaker is a platform that makes building ML applications fast, easy and accessible to everyday developers.

“A lot of the impetus of wanting to build TensorMaker was my own frustrating process during ML projects and not having very helpful tools,” Peltz said. “I wanted to create a better user experience.” 

TensorMaker aims to streamline the ML pipeline — a series of steps including the development, deployment and monitoring of an ML model. TensorMaker guides users through this pipeline without needing any prior ML experience.

“Most people trying to build these types of tools are focusing on enterprise ML teams and making them more productive,” Peltz explained. “We’re focusing on everyday developers.” 

By making his technology accessible, Peltz is enabling technology companies in domains ranging from agriculture, manufacturing and life sciences to take advantage of the power of ML while still maintaining their focus on the core competency of their business.

After working on TensorMaker throughout college, he decided to compete in the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) Innovation Quest (iQ). 

Innovation Quest is a competition that encourages student entrepreneurs to pursue their innovative ideas and help with the funding and resources needed to launch their ventures. 

TensorMaker was one of 14 finalists to pitch their startup at iQ 2023. Although he did not win the competition, iQ allowed him to develop more answers about his business, talk to potential users and do customer research, Peltz said. 

Following Innovation Quest, Peltz applied for the CIE Summer Accelerator. The Summer Accelerator is a program for Cal Poly students and recent alumni that provides them with mentorship, weekly workshops and $10,000 in seed funding. 

TensorMaker was one of the eight teams accepted to the program. 

“We received our first customer through the CIE community and without being here, we probably would not have had that relationship,” Peltz explained.

The CIE provided Peltz with not only the business language that he wasn’t initially confident in but also mentors who continue to lead him in the right direction, he said.

“Being in a space with people who are motivated to work on exciting projects motivates you to work even more,” Peltz said.

Over the course of the Summer Accelerator, TensorMaker worked on releasing its initial prototype. Peltz is eager to make his technology accessible to everyday developers and to explore the potential impacts of TensorMaker on a broader scale. 

“Whether it’s making agriculture more efficient and measured or being able to identify tumors in radiology scans, there are so many applications that can use these ML techniques and improve human well-being on the planet,” Peltz said.

TensorMaker, along with the rest of the 2023 Summer Accelerator cohort, will pitch their startup and showcase their progress at Demo Day on Sept. 8 at 4 p.m. at SLO Brew Rock. Tickets are available here.

Within the four walls of his childhood home in Hawaii, economics graduate Aidan Riehl embarked on an entrepreneurial journey, which is contributing to an environmental shift towards sustainability.

Sophomore year of college, Riehl wanted to create a business with a positive impact on the environment and society. However, he did not know what to address first. 

One day, as Riehl walked along the beaches of his hometown, he realized the problem was right in front of his face. The issue he dealt with daily was the alarming amount of plastic pollution around him. 

Growing up in Oahu, Hawaii, Riehl said he witnessed the effects of plastic pollution his whole life. Determined to make a difference, Riehl set his sights on tackling this issue and promoting a zero-waste lifestyle.

Riehl’s epiphany led him to ask the question, why don’t people shop sustainably or plastic-free? The answer became clear to him — the prices are too expensive. 

That is when the idea for Riehl’s startup, Ecoternatives, formed. 

Ecoternatives is an online marketplace that sells sustainable and plastic-free products at more affordable prices. 

As a one-man team, Riehl took time off from school, stayed in Hawaii and operated his business from his room. He bought $3,000 worth of products and shipped packages by himself. 

“I bought dressers from Craigslist and shoved soaps and lip balms in them,” Riehl said. “My mom would walk into my room and smell all the flora and sweet scents and think ‘This is not what a teenage boy’s room should smell like.’” 

Ecoternatives started growing through word-of-mouth recommendations, Riehl said. Then, he started sharing his website through social media channels and reached out to zero-waste nonprofits to help promote his business.

Over time, Ecoternatives evolved into not only a basic e-commerce store but also a community, Riehl said. 

“I’ve created such a cohort of people who are so passionate about this problem, who are very like-minded and who believe sustainability is too expensive,” Riehl explained. 

Riehl said Ecoternatives is different from other zero-waste stores because of his commitment to sourcing products. Unlike other zero-waste stores, Riehl does not settle for pre-vetted options. 

To find products for Ecoternatives, Riehl said he takes days researching the most affordable and sustainable options. He ensures that the product and its company follow strict social and environmental guidelines; for instance, energy-efficient sourcing, supply chain transparency and ethical labor practices. Finally, he tests the different products to see how they compare.

After working on Ecoternatives for two-and-a-half years, Riehl applied for the Cal Poly Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CIE) Summer Accelerator. The Summer Accelerator is a program for Cal Poly students that provides them with mentorship, $10,000 in funding and other resources to help build their business. 

Ecoternatives was one of the eight teams accepted to the program. 

Riehl described the Summer Accelerator as an “amazing opportunity.” He appreciates the ability to speak with experts in different industries who help him better understand the parts of his business, he said. 

“The CIE has helped me grow Ecoternatives by connecting me with the right people at the right moments,” Riehl said. 

Ecoternatives is currently running a fulfillment center in Texas that ships orders to the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada. He has made $110,000 in sales with nine months of active business. Ecoternatives is also donating a portion of its profits to other zero-waste nonprofits with each order. 

Looking forward, Riehl wants to create his own sustainable products to sell on Ecoternatives for an even lower cost. 

Riehl aims to extend Ecoternatives beyond commerce. He wants to organize beach cleanups and educational workshops for kids on how the consumption of goods can affect the environment. 

“Working on Ecoternatives made me more optimistic about sustainability because I’ve learned all the positive things my business can do,” Riehl said. “I’m very excited to expand our overall environmental and societal impact and show people that we can make sustainability more affordable.”

Ecoternatives, along with the rest of the 2023 Summer Accelerator cohort, will pitch their startup and showcase their progress at Demo Day on Sept. 8 at 4 p.m. at SLO Brew Rock. Tickets are available here.