SAN LUIS OBISPO — Seven innovative startups have officially completed their two-year journey in the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s (CIE)Incubator program.
Since its inception in 2010, the CIE Incubator has promoted regional economic development by supporting tech and innovation startups with scalable potential. The program has helped startups create more than 447 jobs, raise over $102 million in angel and venture funding, $5.3M in grant funding, and earn $12.6M in revenue. Out of 47 companies that have graduated, 33 have continued to operate and 5 have been acquired, resulting in an 80% success rate.
In the past two years, the seven companies completing the program have collectively created 38 jobs, benefited from 2,880 hours of business advising and secured $24.7 million in capital funding, grants and awards.
“The CIE Incubator program is all about helping early-stage startups get the guidance and tools they need to build strong, successful companies,” said Donica Forensich, economic development director for the CIE Small Business Development Center (SBDC). “Seeing these teams build from the ground up and land some of their first investments has been incredible, and we’re thrilled to watch their journeys continue.”
The companies graduating from the CIE Incubator program include:
AMS Therapeutics is dedicated to finding novel treatments for neurodevelopmental disorders.
Abstract Security creates advanced solutions to protect businesses and organizations from cyber threats.
Cove(formerly Mense) provides labs and researchers with the first research-backed, patient-friendly solution for at-home menstrual fluid collection.
Castlelock Corporation is bringing firearm safety into the 21st century with its innovative firearm safety device integrated with high-speed biometric technology.
Dopa(formerly Horizen Tech) is gamifying self improvement to help young adults replace unhealthy habits with better ones.
Nexstera Tech combines waste stream detection with direct-from-home battery collection to stop fires, recover valuable materials, and close the loop on lithium-ion waste.
ODIN Diagnostics is revolutionizing concussion diagnostics with an objective and reliable eye-tracking solution, reducing the risk of successive concussions and enhancing athlete safety.
“The Incubator is the next step of growth for companies that are moving from just an idea and a product to incorporating and taking on investment,” says McCall Brinskele, founder of Cove.
The CIE recently added three new startups to the Incubator, making a total of eight startups currently in the program.
AwareNet transforms security by turning communities into real-time safety networks and integrates people with smart devices, AI-driven threat detection and neighborhood alerts to keep families and homes protected.
Ecoplasticity is creating a seaweed based coating made from an invasive species of algae that replaces the plastic lining found in paperboard take-out containers making them fully compostable and recyclable.
Everest Medical Solutions, Inc.’s shoulder dystocia treatment device ensures peace of mind for both obstetricians and new families during a shoulder dystocia emergency by providing a safe and standardized solution that blends midwifery practices with traditional obstetric care.
About the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
The CIE provides Cal Poly students, faculty and community members with the tools, mentorship and resources to transform their innovative ideas into viable businesses, fostering entrepreneurship and regional economic development. By providing quality coaching, professional consulting and connections with industry professionals, the CIE creates an environment in which new businesses can develop and thrive. For more information, visitcie.calpoly.edu.
The CIE Incubator program is open to the broader business community, and Cal Poly affiliation is not required. Enrollment is open year-round. Startups interested in applying for the Incubator can visitcie.calpoly.edu/launch/incubator.
Everest Medical Solutions founders Madeleine Mumford (left) and Jenna Eissman (right) celebrate with CIE SBDC Economic Development Director Donica Forensich, after winning the $5,000 “3 Minutes 2 Win It” pitch competition award at the Central Coast Economic Forecast.
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s (CIE) Incubator startup Everest Medical Solutions won the $5,000 award in the “3 Minutes 2 Win It” pitch competition at the Central Coast Economic Forecast (CCEF), held on Nov. 7 at the Madonna Inn.
The annual event brings together regional leaders, industry experts, policymakers and innovators to discuss the economic outlook for San Luis Obispo County and the broader Central Coast region, and is widely considered one of the region’s most influential events. This year’s program featured keynote insights from Dr. Chris Thornberg of Beacon Economics, presentations from REACH highlighting regional aerospace and workforce development initiatives and pitches from three emerging startups supported by the CIE and the Cal Poly Small Business Development Center (SBDC).
CIE SBDC Economic Development Director Donica Forensich presented an update on the impact of the CIE and SBDC programs, noting that in the last ten months the SBDC has assisted over 400 companies, provided more than 2,700 hours of consulting, supported the creation of 150 local jobs and helped clients secure over $54 million in capital funding.
She then introduced the three Incubator startups selected to pitch: Everest Medical Solutions, ODIN Diagnostics and SafePlate Technologies. All three teams shared innovative products addressing critical challenges in healthcare, diagnostics and food safety.
ODIN Diagnostics founder Connor Heffler delivers the team’s pitch on their eye-tracking concussion assessment technology, designed to improve athlete safety through reliable, objective diagnostics.
ODIN Diagnostics is revolutionizing concussion diagnostics with an objective and reliable eye-tracking solution, reducing the risk of successive concussions and enhancing athlete safety, created by Connor Heffler (Economics, ’24) of San Diego and biomedical engineering graduate student Marina Zellers of Lompoc, California.
SafePlate Technologies co-founders Avery Taylor (left) and Mitchell Dann (right) presented their portable, rapid food safety testing solution, which brings lab-grade precision to on-site food manufacturing environments.
SafePlate Technologies is redefining food safety by offering food manufacturers portable, rapid and easy-to use testing solutions with quality only traditionally offered by lab grade devices, created by Mitchell Dann (Mechanical Engineering, ’24) of Torrance, California; Nahal Sadeghian (Mechanical Engineering, ’24) of Folsom, California; and electrical engineering masters student Avery Taylor of Orangevale, California.
Everest Medical Solutions’ winning pitch focused on their shoulder dystocia treatment device, a tool designed to support safer births by offering providers a standardized and effective way to manage shoulder dystocia emergencies. The company’s mission is to provide obstetricians and midwives with a reliable, accessible and single-use device that improves outcomes for both patients and care teams. The startup was created by Jenna Eissman (M.S. Engineering Management, ’25) of Reno, Nevada, and Madeleine Mumford (M.S. Biomedical Engineering, ’25) of Snoqualmie, Washington.
“CCEF was an amazing experience,” said Eissman. “The conference was really helpful for us because not only did it give us the financial means to make more progress, but it also opened us up to connections within the community that we can leverage to use that money to the best of our ability and get feedback from physicians.”
The team has already begun using their prize money to advance development of their device. “We came back to the office and immediately started buying prototyping materials, which is going to really help us nail down a model that we’re making for our testing. This is instrumental in the next step of our development,” said Mumford.
# # #
About the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship:
The CIE opens a world of entrepreneurial opportunity to Cal Poly students, faculty and community members and promotes entrepreneurial activity and dialogue across the university and throughout San Luis Obispo County. For more information, visit cie.calpoly.edu.
About the Cal Poly Small Business Development Center:
The Cal Poly CIE Small Business Development Center (SBDC) provides high-quality complimentary business assistance to start-ups and established companies. They help entrepreneurs launch companies, create and retain jobs and attract capital investment. For more information, visit sbdc.calpoly.edu.
The competition brought together interdisciplinary teams to build and develop startup concepts from idea to pitch in just 54 hours with $2,400 in prizes awarded
SAN LUIS OBISPO – Surface22, a team building titanium cutting boards designed to reduce microplastics in home kitchens and the culinary industry, won Cal Poly Entrepreneurs’ (CPE) annual Startup Launch Weekend.
The three-day event, held over 54 hours Nov. 14-16 at the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s (CIE) HotHouse in downtown San Luis Obispo, brought together students from across the university for a fast-paced experience in idea development, customer discovery and startup formation. Participants formed teams Friday evening and worked through the weekend to prepare final pitches to panel of judges on Sunday night.
“I’ve never felt my passion for entrepreneurship come alive quite like it did this weekend,” said Riley Marino, a business administration junior from San Francisco, who pitched his startup, Navify, an indoor 3-D navigation app for complex, multilevel buildings. “I had the privilege to have my idea selected for development by Cal Poly Entrepreneurs.”
Seventy-two student participants worked beside mentors, engaged in market research and refined concepts under tight deadlines. The weekend allowed students to explore entrepreneurship in a fast-paced environment while networking with founders and industry experts.
Cameryn Pina, CPE director of events who planned and executed the and Startup Launch Weekend, and founder of Twist & Toss, described the event as deeply meaningful.
“Being able to provide others the opportunity to innovate in such a collaborative space and see everyone’’s passion for entrepreneurship really come alive made me that much more appreciative of the space we’ve created for entrepreneurs at Cal Poly, and I was so proud to see all the teams succeed!”, said Pina, founder of Twist & Toss pasta startup, who competed in the 2024 event shared.
The event competition concluded with a “Shark Tank”-style pitch competition before a panel of three judges: featuring Dan Weeks, a longtime CIE Entrepreneur in Residence who also teaches entrepreneurship in Cal Poly’s Orfalea College of Business;, Shaun Tanaka, CEO and founder of Castlelock Corp. that develops innovative, biometric-enabled firearm safety devices, primarily for AR-15 rifles; and Barry Lieberman as the judges, an Orfalea College lecturer in industrial technology, packaging, and entrepreneurship academic area.
Cash prizes were awarded to the top teams: $1,000 for first place; $750 for second; $500 for third; and $150 for the Audience Choice. Awards were determined based on each team’s business viability, profitability, market potential, customer acquisition strategy and overall readiness for investment.
Awardees included:
First place — Surface22, for its titanium cutting boards for home cooks and the wider culinary community, with the goal of reducing microplastics. It was created by materials engineering senior Ryan Krakauer of Redwood City, California; business administration senior Hyuma Morikizono of the La Jolla section of San Diego; Bodi Roy, an aerospace engineering freshman from University Place, Washington; business administration freshmen Nina Le Van of Mountain View, California; Chiara DeGirolamo of Rancho Palos Verdes, California; business administration sophomore Elena Rimini of San Diego; and graphic communications sophomore Jackson Miller of San Diego.
Second place — Serene, a startup creating Safe Buddy, a transferable charm that sends location coordinates to friends and family when wearers feel unsafe such as walking alone at night. It was created by business administration sophomores Lindsey Williams of Denver and Mahek Aggarwal of Valencia, California; industrial technology and packaging junior Hailey Haberman of Sunnyvale, California; and finance freshman Nehal Singh of Bothell, Washington.
Third place — Prodigy, a digital service marketplace to connect college athletes with clients seeking loo coaching at an affordable price. It was created by computer science senior Owen Rogers of Honeoye Falls, New York; business administration juniors Caleb King of Bellevue, Washington, Hunter Howell of Sacramento, and Mason Conrad of Highlands Ranch, Colorado; business administration junior Lily Bryan of San Diego; business administration sophomore Lily Tilden of Portland, Oregon; and industrial technology and packaging junior Peter Olsen of San Francisco.
Audience Choice — The Tendon Project, a wearable redefining how athletes understand and protect their tendons by analyzing its collagen makeup and offering real-time insight into health and recovery of this vital connective tissue. It was created by electrical engineering junior Samuel Weston of Rocklin, California; Austin Smith of Galt, California; biomedical engineering freshman Avari Brocker of Troutdale, Oregon; business administration sophomore Claire Johnson of Santa Ana, California; and business administration senior Joseph Teran of Pasadena, California.
Other highlights included Surface22 engraving personalized cutting boards to thank the judges and Twist & Toss, last year’s runner-up. catering the final pitch competition.
This year’s event was supported by the CIE, Efren’s Mexican Restaurant, SloDoCo Donuts, Woodstock’s Pizza, Sequel Tea, Yerba Madre and Vertosa.
###
About Cal Poly Entrepreneurs:
CPE is a Cal Poly student entrepreneurial club bringing together creative thinkers and doers to develop world-changing ideas. A place where entrepreneurship and education coexist, CPE is a community where entrepreneurial thinking is more than a skill but a mindset that manifests itself across all majors and programs at Cal Poly. To learn more, visit calpolyentrepreneurs.com.
Carter Lim won the 2025 Elevator Pitch competition for Communicare, an AI communication coach that helps people practice their speaking skills. Ten startups made pitches about their startups in 90 seconds, the approximate time it would take to describe their proposal while riding in an elevator, as each vied for the $1,000 top cash prize. The 16th annual competition was held at the Performing Arts Center at Cal Poly on Nov. 6.
The Cal Poly Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship 16th annual competition featured 90-second pitches from colleges across campus
SAN LUIS OBISPO, California — A Cal Poly computer science freshman took home the $1,000 first-place prize for Communicare at the Cal Poly Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE) 16th annual Elevator Pitch Competition.
“I’m happy. Leading up to this, I was very stressed, but I want to give a shout-out to my communications Professor Jon Kawashima, who gave me the confidence to do this,” said Carter Lim, of Bellingham, Washington. His AI-powered tool is designed to make communication coaching affordable and accessible, helping users practice their speaking skills in just minutes a day.
“What’s the difference between a $60,000 a year job and a $120,000 a year job?” he asked the audience. “Ninety seconds of good communication.”
“Now, here is the harsh reality: How you communicate determines how people perceive your competence. If you have the technical skills of a 10, but you communicate like a four, people think you are a four. Nowadays, communication courses are expensive costing hundreds per hour and corporate trainings costing thousands per employee.”
Communicare harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to teach public speaking skills by turning practice into a daily game, he said.
Electrical engineering junior Samuel Weston, of Rocklin, California, earned the $500 Audience Choice Award for Tendon Project, a wearable device redefining how athletes understand and protect their tendons. By analyzing the collagen makeup of the tendon, his device offers real-time insight into tendon health and recovery.
Samuel Weston received the $500 Audience Choice Award for Tendon Project, a wearable device redefining how athletes understand and protect their tendons at the Elevator Pitch Competition. Photo by Katy Clark
Weston was excited to share his idea with the community. “It feels great, a lot of hard work went into this, and I’m glad people like my idea,” the rugby athlete said.
The Elevator Pitch was held Nov. 6 in the Pavillion Room of the Performing Arts Center on the Cal Poly campus. The 90-minute judged competition featured a Battle of the Colleges, with finalists from across the university competing head-to-head for cash prizes in presentations limited to just 90 seconds or the time it takes to ride an elevator.
“The energy at this year’s Elevator Pitch Competition was fantastic,” said Stephanie Zombek, senior marketing and communications manager for the CIE. “The variety of ideas on stage reflected the diversity of disciplines across campus, and that’s what makes this event so fun and impactful. This competition pushes students to think fast, communicate clearly and with confidence and own their ideas — valuable skills across every major and career path.”
The CIE is Cal Poly’s hub for innovation, supporting entrepreneurs at every stage with resources, mentorship and a collaborative startup ecosystem. The annual pitch competition is open to students from all majors, to explore new ideas and practice their pitching skills.
Zombek said participants learn how to communicate under pressure, a key skill in many aspects of the professional world.
“Our hope is that they leave with more confidence, clearer messaging, and a stronger sense of how to connect their ideas to a broader audience,” she said.
Judges included: Jim Dantona, former president and CEO of the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce; Jasna Jovanovic, assistant professor of psychology and child development and director of Cal Poly’s University Honors Program; and Lucy McGowan, assistant professor of agribusiness and a CIE faculty fellow. Participants were evaluated on how clearly a problem was explained, creativity and innovation, effectiveness of communication, persuasive potential and entertainment value.
This year’s competition included a variety of ideas, from jujitsu-inspired gym wear to a local news app:
Drink Tox, a health drink designed to help users recover from hangovers by restoring essential nutrients and aiding liver detoxification; pitched by biochemistry senior Charlie Palmer of Danville, California, representing the Bailey College of Science and Mathematics.
Gym Wear Made Fun, a women’s athletic apparel brand blending bold fashion with jiu-jitsu and streetwear-inspired functionality, pitched by business entrepreneurship senior Alara Wiefling of Houston, representing the Orfalea College of Business.
Learning Curb’s CAP, a customizable academic planner that helps neurodivergent students manage time and stay on track with classes, tests and extracurriculars; pitched by biomedical engineering freshman Avari Brocker of Troutdale, Oregon, representing the College of Engineering.
News Curation App, a digital platform that combats disinformation by curating local and global news stories with context and source transparency, pitched by journalism and political science senior Jeremy Garza, a fellow with the CalMatters College Journalism Network, representing the College of Liberal Arts.
Nibble, a mobile app that encourages people to explore local food spots by providing surprise dining recommendations and sharing user-created “food trails”; pitched by agricultural business senior Josh Van Tassel of Los Altos, California, representing the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.
PureRise, a clean, functional beverage designed with adaptogenic mushrooms and other plant-based ingredients to support stress reduction and focus; pitched by agribusiness sophomore Brea Rossiter of San Marcos, California, representing the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.
Rooted Nutrition, a startup offering clean, plant-based endurance fuel made without dyes or preservatives to support gut health during long-distance activities; pitched by business administration sophomore Morgan Edwards of Pismo Beach, California, representing the Orfalea College of Business.
SURFACE22, a cutting board designed to improve kitchen hygiene by using swappable and color-coded surfaces for different food types, pitched by materials engineering senior Ryan Krakauer of Redwood City, California, representing the College of Engineering.
About the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
The CIE opens a world of entrepreneurial opportunities to Cal Poly students, faculty and community members, and promotes entrepreneurial activity and dialogue across the university and throughout San Luis Obispo County. For more information, visit cie.calpoly.edu.
09/05/25 - SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA: Startup teams from Cal Poly’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) Summer Accelerator program pitch during Demo Day 2025 at Rod & Hammer Rock on Sept. 05, 2025 in San Luis Obispo, California. Photo by Ruby Wallau for CIE
SAN LUIS OBISPO — The Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) showcased seven startups at its annual Demo Day in-person at Rod & Hammer Rock and online via YouTube Live on Friday, Sept. 5.
The event culminated the CIE’s 2025 Summer Accelerator program, an intensive 12-week program that helps Cal Poly students and recent graduates develop their startup ideas into scalable businesses. Representatives from each startup pitched their business ideas and presented what they accomplished over the summer with the help of dedicated CIE mentors and staff.
“This cohort was an especially unique group—a mature team of entrepreneurs tackling hard problems with the potential to create huge positive impacts on both people and the environment,” said CIE Academic Programs Director and Cal Poly professor of entrepreneurship Dr. Thomas Katona.
“Demo Day was not only a fun and engaging evening, but also a chance to connect, hear directly from these young entrepreneurs and walk away with a renewed sense of optimism for the future,” said Katona.
09/05/25 – SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA: Kiara Robichaud of Elora from Cal Poly’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) Summer Accelerator program pitch during Demo Day 2025 at Rod & Hammer Rock on Sept. 05, 2025 in San Luis Obispo, California. Photo by Ruby Wallau for CIE
The Summer Accelerator provides $10,000 in seed funding to grow each startup, as well as mentorship from industry experts and workshops that teach the various components of building a business. Demo Day gave these emerging entrepreneurs the opportunity to demonstrate how hard work and collaboration are helping propel their startups to the next level.
These include people like recent Cal Poly alumna Addison Bounds (Business Administration, ’25).
“The CIE, and specifically the Summer Accelerator, has made me a better entrepreneur by surrounding me with like-minded people in a competitive, growth-oriented environment,” Bounds said. “Being part of this cohort has given me the chance to bounce ideas off peers, learn from industry experts and gain insights from people who are generous with their time and experience.”
The cohort included many recent Cal Poly graduates who represent a variety of industries and disciplines, from environmental sustainability to medical technology. The startups include:
— Ecoplasticity is developing a biodegradable coating derived from an invasive species of seaweed that replaces the plastic lining found on paper takeout containers, making them compostable and anaerobically digestible. The startup was created by business administration masters student Mayela Fernandez of Monterrey, Mexico, and polymers and coating masters student Michelle Cullen of Redondo Beach, California.
— Elora is creating aesthetic jewelry with built-in drug detection technology—blending style with safety to empower women to enjoy their social experiences with confidence. The startup was created by business administration graduate Addison Bounds of Jupiter, Florida, and biomedical engineering masters student Kiara Robichaud of Redding, Connecticut.
— Devscribe is an AI-powered platform that automates API documentation, generating clear, brand-tailored docs that update with code changes, saving developers time and improving efficiency. The startup was created by business administration graduates Gianni Hart of Nipomo, California, and Samuel Solano of Huntington Beach, California.
— NeuRelief Medical is on a mission to help those suffering from insomnia fall asleep faster, get deeper sleep and minimize mid-night awakenings with their non-invasive device designed to safely and gently stimulate the vagus nerve. The startup was created by biomedical engineering masters students Red Walker of Bethesda, Maryland, and Jeremy Laufer of Palo Alto, California.
— Preserva Biotech is developing the first at-home device to test insulin effectiveness, preventing complications from degraded insulin and improving outcomes for people managing diabetes. The startup was created by computer engineering graduate Ethan Vosburg of Roseville, California, business administration graduate Oliver Haas of Seattle, Washington, and bioengineering graduate from the University of California, San Diego, Micaela Moreira of Lima, Peru.
— One Fountain Health simplifies medication management with an automated pill dispenser, eliminating weekly pill sorting and helping people maintain independence and peace of mind. The startup was created by business administration graduate Eli Lazar of Issaquah, Washington, and computer engineering graduate Victoria Asencio-Clemens of Santa Cruz, California.
— Vandra is making a probiotic-rich frozen dessert made with dairy-based kefir, providing a fun, flavorful way to boost gut health and immunity, while making healthy living more enjoyable and accessible. The startup was created by agricultural business senior Alex Malone of Los Gatos, California, and business administration junior Wian Roothman of Johannesburg, South Africa.
About the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship:
The CIE opens a world of entrepreneurial opportunity to Cal Poly students, faculty and community members and promotes entrepreneurial activity and dialogue across the university and throughout San Luis Obispo County. For more information, visit cie.calpoly.edu.
Addie Bounds pitching her startup Aurela at iQ 2025. Aurela is part of the 2025 Accelerator Cohort.
SAN LUIS OBISPO — The Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) has accepted seven startup teams into its Summer Accelerator, an intensive 12-week program that provides Cal Poly students and recent graduates with the resources necessary to turn their innovative ideas into full-fledged startups.
Participants receive $10,000 in seed funding, as well as access to expert mentorship, entrepreneurial workshops and a dedicated workspace in the HotHouse, the CIE’s office located in downtown San Luis Obispo.
“What makes this cohort unique is the diversity of its participants,” said Dr. Thomas Katona, CIE academic director. “We have students from multiple Cal Poly colleges, graduate programs, early undergrads and even students joining us from other universities. It’s a clear reflection of the continued growth and strength of the Summer Accelerator program.”
Six out of the seven teams in this cohort participated in Innovation Quest (iQ), a high-stakes competition where Cal Poly students pitch their innovative business ideas to a panel of judges in the hopes of winning funding for their startups.
The 2025 Summer Accelerator teams represent a variety of different ideas, from drug-detection technology with Aurela to combating insulin- testing issues with Preserva Biosciences.
“The entrepreneurship programs at Cal Poly was one of the main reasons I chose to come here,” said business administration freshman Lindsey Williams of Denver, Colorado. “I think the Summer Accelerator is such a great opportunity and I’m very excited.”
This year’s cohort includes:
Elora (formerly Aurela) is developing aesthetic jewelry that is embedded with drug detection technology to empower women to feel safe and confident while enjoying social experiences. Aurela was created by: business administration students Addie Bounds of Jupiter, Florida; Lindsey Williams of Denver, Colorado; and Kiara Robichaud, a biomedical engineering student from Redding, Connecticut. Aurela was an iQ 2025 finalist.
Devscribe is simplifying application programming interface, or API, documentation by allowing companies to generate, edit, test and host beautiful API docs in one place with themes that match their company’s branding. API software allows two applications to talk to each other. Devscribe was created by: computer science senior Samuel Solano of Huntington Beach, California; and Gianni Hart, a business administration senior from Nipomo, California. DevScribe was an iQ 2025 finalist.
Ecoplasticity is redefining and replacing plastic with their biodegradable coating derived from an invasive species of seaweed that is completely compostable and anaerobically digestible. Ecoplasticity was created by Mayela Fernandez Cantu, a graduate business administration student from Monterrey, Mexico, and material engineering senior Michelle Cullen of Redondo Beach, California. Ecoplasticity was an iQ 2025 finalist.
NeuRelief (formerly Nervana) is developing wearable transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) device that incorporates biosensors to provide optimal stimulation dosing to relieve stress and treat stress-related conditions. The startup was created by master’s of biomedical engineering students Rex Walker of Bethesda, Maryland, and Jeremy Laufer of Palo Alto, California.
Preserva Biotech is revolutionizing diabetes management, safety and savings for millions by developing the first-ever at-home insulin testing device for people dependent on insulin. The startup was developed by: business administration senior Oliver Haas of Seattle, Washington; computer engineering student Isaac Lake of Thousand Oaks, California; UC San Diego biotechnology student Micaela Moreira; and Ethan Vosburg (Computer Engineering, ’23) of Rocklin, California. Preserva Biosciences was an iQ 2025 finalist and received the Biotech Innovation Award sponsored by Leslie and Brett Eldridge of $5,000.
SimPill is helping people maintain independence and peace of mind through flawless management of their medication. The startup was created by: manufacturing engineering student Ben Lipper of San Luis Obispo, California; computer engineering senior Victoria Asencio-Clemens of Santa Cruz, California; and business administration senior Eli Lazar of Issaquah, Washington. Simpill was an iQ 2025 finalist.
Vandra is creating a probiotic-rich frozen dessert made with dairy-based kefir, designed to replace the need for supplements by providing a flavorful way to boost gut health and immunity, while making healthy living more enjoyable and accessible. The startup was created by agricultural business student Alex Malone of Los Gatos, California, and business administration student Wian Roothman of Johannesburg, South Africa. Vandra was an iQ 2025 finalist and received the third place Bakir Begovic Innovation Award of $5,000.
###
About the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE):
The CIE opens a world of entrepreneurial opportunities to Cal Poly students, faculty and community members and promotes entrepreneurial activity and dialogue across the university and throughout San Luis Obispo. For more information, visit https://cie.calpoly.edu.
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Four student startup teams split $40,000 at the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s (CIE) annual Innovation Quest (iQ), a high-stakes competition where Cal Poly students pitch their innovative business ideas to a panel of judges to garner funding for their startups, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.
“I’m so excited to be here tonight. This is the 20th anniversary of Innovation Quest,” said Cal Poly president Jeffrey D. Armstrong. “This has been helping students be successful for so many years. It was started by Laura Pickering, Rich Boberg and Carson Chen, and they’re still here today moving this along. I heard some of the pitches this morning and they were amazing. I’m so glad I didn’t have to pick the winner of this amazing event.”
Mechanical engineering senior Alex Rosenbaum of Seattle, Washington, received the top prize of $15,000 for his solo-startup NeuroCom at the event, which took place in April on campus, with awards presented later at a local venue.
“Winning iQ is going to allow us to start working on this full time and help us continue boot-strapping towards our first customers,” said Rosenbaum. “I feel very excited. This is life changing.”
NeuroCom is developing a wearable tactile device that uses haptic feedback to enhance communication and situational awareness for military, law enforcement and first responders when visual or auditory cues fall short.
The Rich and Jackie Boberg Innovation Award of $10,000 went to GreenSight Technologies, an AI-powered platform to help refurbishers and resellers identify, evaluate and resell or dispose of electronic devices, including used computers, cellphones and tablets, more efficiently, keeping electronics out of landfills and making technology more accessible to all. GreenSight Technologies was created by: Jake Daniels (Engineering, ’24) of Palo Alto, California; master’s of electrical engineering student Diego Curiel of Santa Barbara, California; and Mackenzie Kettwig (Computer Engineering, ’24) of Colfax, California.
“Finishing second at iQ is an incredible feeling,” Curiel said. I’m grateful to everyone who contributes to making an event like this possible. I do want to mention that last year we participated and we did not place, so if you didn’t place this year, don’t let it discourage you from continuing to chase whatever it is you’re passionate about.”
Agricultural business students Alexandra Malone of Los Gatos, California and business administration student Wian Roothman of Johannesburg, South Africa, received the Bakir Begovic Innovation Award of $5,000 for their startup Better Being Kefir. Their fermented-milk kefir is a probiotic-rich frozen dessert made with kefir, designed to replace the need for supplements by providing a flavorful way to boost gut health and immunity while making healthy living more enjoyable and accessible.
“Taking third at iQ was such an incredible achievement,” said Malone. Being surrounded by so many inspirational people and young entrepreneurs was inspiring.”
The $5,000 Biotech Innovation Award sponsored by Leslie and Brett Eldridge, went to Preserva Biosciences, a startup revolutionizing diabetes management, safety and cost savings for millions by developing the first-ever at-home insulin testing device for people dependent on insulin.
The startup was developed by: business administration senior Oliver Haas of Seattle, Washington; computer engineering student Isaac Lake of Thousand Oaks, California; UC San Diego biotechnology student Micaela Moreira; computer engineering major Brian Slonim of San Diego California; Luke Trill (Business Administration, ’24) of San Jose, California; and Ethan Vosburg (Computer Engineering, ’23) of Rocklin, California.
“It feels amazing to win this award,” Haas said. The ability to work on this project and make life easier for insulin-dependent people is a dream come true.”
Eleven finalists from more than 50 applicants pitched their innovative ideas in Cal Poly’s Nash Family Entrepreneurship Lab. The event’s banquet and awards ceremony were held at Rod and Hammer Rock later that evening.
Alumna Haley Pavone (Business Administration, ’18), CEO and founder of Pashion Footwear, was among the 18 past participants who returned as judges to celebrate 20 years of iQ. Pashion Footwear is an innovative fashiontech startup that has created the world’s first fully convertible heels and received first place at the 2017 iQ.
“It feels so full circle to now be back this year as a judge,” said Pavone, who formed Pashion Footwear in 2016 after her bare foot was impaled on the dance floor by another woman’s stiletto heel. “iQ is really what put us on the map and gave us the funding that we needed to make our first prototype that made the last eight years possible. It’s so cool to be a part of giving that opportunity back to the students of today.”
iQ was founded in 2004 by Cal Poly electrical engineering graduates and business leaders Chen, Boberg and Pickering. Since its launch in 2004, iQ participants have received over $400,000 that has helped launch several successful businesses, such as iFixIt, Grinds Coffee Pouches, Mantis Composites, Guardian Bikes, Liftgator and Alydia Health.
“It was great to see such a diverse group of students from all over our campus, particularly on an anniversary year,” said Dr. Thomas Katona, CIE academic director. “They really represents the full range of students who have been impacted by this program—and they brought it. They brought it hard.”
In addition to the winners, seven finalists were chosen:
Aurela aims to develop aesthetic jewelry that is embedded with drug detection technology to empower women to feel safe and confident while enjoying social experiences. Aurela was created by: business administration students Addie Bounds of Jupiter, Florida; Lindsey Williams of Denver, Colorado; and Kiara Robichaud, a biomedical engineering student from Redding, Connecticut.
Devscribe aims to simplify application programming interface, or API, documentation by allowing companies to generate, edit, test and host beautiful API docs in one place with themes that match their company’s branding. API software allows two applications to talk to each other. Devscribe was created by: industrial engineering seniors Tyler Kim of Los Altos, California; Shivam Shrivastav of San Ramon, California; computer science senior Samuel Solano of Huntington Beach, California; and Gianni Hart, a business administration senior from Nipomo, California.
Ecoplasticity aims to redefine and replace plastic with their biodegradable coating derived from an invasive species of seaweed that is completely compostable and anaerobically digestible. Ecoplasticity was created by Mayela Fernandez Cantu, a graduate business administration student from Monterrey, Mexico, and material engineering senior Michelle Cullen of Redondo Beach, California.
Moove Hydration aims to develop a dairy-based hydration beverage that upcycles milk permeate, the liquid remaining after proteins and fat are removed, from California dairies, reducing waste while delivering naturally occurring electrolytes for superior hydration without the taste and texture of milk. The startup was created by agricultural business senior Marielle Thomas of Sacramento, California, and alumnus Nathan Smidt (Agricultural Business, ’24) of Bakersfield, California.
Mr. Turtle Laundry aims to tackle the single-use plastic packaging problem through their innovative laundry detergent refill stations. Mr. Turtle Laundry was created by: computer science junior Seth Johnson of Seattle, Washington; two alumni, Michael Hennessy (Business Administration, ’25) of Huntington Beach, California, and Benjamin Arts (Business Administration, ’24) of San Jose, California; and Colin Brown (Economics, ’23) of Bend, Oregon.
Simpill aims to help people maintain independence and peace of mind through flawless management of their medication. The startup was created by: manufacturing engineering students Ben Tratt of Seattle, Washington, and Ben Lipper of San Luis Obispo, California; computer engineering senior Victoria Asencio-Clemens of Santa Cruz, California; and business administration senior Eli Lazar of Issaquah, Washington.
The Portal aims to provide a comforting escape for patients on their healing journey through immersive projections that will fill hospital rooms with the love and connection of the outside world. The Portal was created by: business administration students Avalon Poncin of Newcastle, California, Emerson Widmer of Hamilton, Montana, and Thomas Benjamin of San Diego; biochemistry major Charlie Palmer of Danville, California; experience industry management student Lily Simmons of Kansas City, Kansas; and Ryan Banavitch, a computer science student, from Mavern, Pennsylvania.
###
About the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship:
The CIE opens a world of entrepreneurial opportunities to Cal Poly students, faculty and community members and promotes entrepreneurial activity and dialogue across the university and throughout San Luis Obispo County. For more information, visit https://cie.calpoly.edu/.
SAN LUIS OBISPO — A mobile app that centralizes campus announcements, local news and community updates for Cal Poly students won the top prize at Camp PolyHacks, an interdisciplinary hackathon based on social entrepreneurship, held at the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) HotHouse in downtown San Luis Obispo.
During the three-day hackathon held in late January, over 100 Cal Poly students from 35 disciplines registered, with 70 making it to the final day. The annual competition promised participants a weekend filled with “collaboration, free food, $1,000+ in prizes and personal mentorship” promising “opportunities to expand your problem solving skills in a variety of disciplines.”
Participants broke into a dozen teams, where members worked together to develop solutions to an issue impacting San Luis Obispo residents. Each team’s solution was in the form of a product, service, information or marketing campaign, policy proposal or a mobile app demonstration or prototype.
Each of the 12 teams participated in a pitch competition on Jan. 26, with awards presented on the final day of the hackathon for the most impactful solutions in several categories.
The mobile app Scoop received the top $1,000 prize. The app (developed in React as a website) consolidated Cal Poly announcements and area news for use by the campus community. The key feature included an interactive podcast summary, powered by Google NotebookLM using AI assistant Google Gemini, which taps personal story recommendations as sources and allows users to ask follow-up questions.
Team members included: business administration major Yesenia Beltran; Emma Gomes, a junior studying English; Parker Jones, a software engineering major; philosophy student Juls Altman, who is seeking an ethics of science and technology concentration; journalism junior Nico Mireles; and Kaviya Veerasingam, who working toward undergraduate degrees in statistics and business administration, with a concentration in quantitative analysis.
Camp PolyHacks was sponsored by the CIE, as well as: the Cal Poly Digital Transformation Hub, or DX Hub; the colleges of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, Architecture and Environmental Design, Engineering and Liberal Arts; the Journalism Department; and Dignity Health.
“It’s been many hours of work and it’s just really great to see everybody getting together in their teams and producing some pretty cool ideas that will hopefully spark some change within the community and the local problems that we’ve been aiming to solve,” said Morgan Fitzgerald, a fourth-year journalism student who is minoring in entrepreneurship.
Prizes totaled $2,500, including $1,000 in Amazon gift cards donated by the DX Hub and $1,000 in campus dining gift cards donated by the College of Architecture and Environmental Design.
Camp PolyHacks included workshops from Annie Daniel, a senior software engineer who writes software to help with reporting and news gathering at the New York Times. She discussed the Times’s web development team and the media company’s election/Olympic dashboards. Jim Finwick, a Cal Poly alumnus (Business Administration, ’91), who has been involved with the CIE for nearly 10 years, including 8 1/2 years as an entrepreneur in residence of working with early-stage startups, made a presentation. Finwick, who is The president and CEO of Camelot Consulting, gave a keynote address on how students can make a pitch deck and deliver a memorable pitch to potential investors.
Other awards included:
— Best Pitch: SLO Informed, a startup to address the dearth of local government news coverage by using a data scrapper to extract key points from local government meeting transcripts and generate AI-written and human-edited summaries. The team includes journalism seniors Emmy Burrus, Leila Touati, Abby Gorman, and Nic Parrot, a junior; computer engineering major Luke Trusheim; political science senior Kiran Trivedi, with a pre-law concentration; computer science student Julia Met Lu; and business administration senior Rebecca Almendra Contreras, who has an information systems concentration.
— Audience Choice: EcoSort, a smart garbage container that uses a trained artificial intelligence model to automatically sort discarded items. All the user has to do is place an item on the top of the can, one piece at a time, that is quickly and correctly diverted into the correct portion of the container. The four-member team consists of computer science majors Dhanvi Ganti, Sameer Maheshwari and Kyler Nord, and graduate student Jatin Puri, who is seeking a master’s degree in business analytics.
— Best Demo: FoodFlow, a web-based application to enhance the student experience in obtaining food at Cal Poly, specifically through the Cal Poly Food Pantry. The app has three main features: recipe recommendations based on available foods; pantry-stock tracking; and queue-time tracking. The team consisted of computer science students Kabir Gupta, Felipe Rotelli and Sue Sue, and business analytics graduate student Wenxiang Li.
The event featured up to 25 community members, who volunteered as mentors, workshop hosts and judges. It was organized by Cal Poly journalism students for their senior project.
“Just listening to the students think about the problem spaces and think about how to make a real impact in our community makes me feel hopeful that we’re all going to be okay despite everything that’s happening in the world right now. The future is in good hands,” said Kim Bisheff, Camp PolyHacks advisor and an assistant professor of journalism.
About the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship:
The CIE opens a world of entrepreneurial opportunity to Cal Poly students, faculty and community members and promotes entrepreneurial activity and dialogue across the university and throughout San Luis Obispo County. For more information, visit cie.calpoly.edu.
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) hosts the annual Elevator Pitch Competition where students present startup ideas at the Performing Arts Center on November 14, 2024 in San Luis Obispo, California. Photo by Ruby Wallau for CIE
SAN LUIS OBISPO — California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) students won $1,000 at the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s (CIE) 15th annual Elevator Pitch Competition, a fast-paced, high-energy competition for student entrepreneurs, held on Nov. 14 at the Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo.
Ten finalists, selected from dozens of applicants, had 90 seconds each to pitch their innovative products, services and startup ideas. They were evaluated by a panel of judges on four criteria: how well was the problem or opportunity explained; was the idea innovative; was the direction clear; and was the pitch persuasive.
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA – NOVEMBER 14: Elevator Pitch judges from left to right: Dan Weeks, Melissa James, Matt Pontes and Benjamin Arts. Photo by Ruby Wallau for CIE
This year’s judges included CIE Alum Benjamin Arts (business administration, ‘24); CIE Entrepreneur in Residence, Dan Weeks; County Administrative Officer of SLO County, Matt Pontes; and President and CEO of REACH Central Coast, Melissa James.
Electrical engineering sophomore David Rock of Irvine, California, received the $1,000 first-place prize with his pitch for Drone Line.
Drone Line is a modified inspection drone that can continuously charge through inducted wireless charging.
“Winning the Elevator Pitch Competition is just more proof that this is a good idea and I should pursue it for years to come,” Rock said.
Sebastian Ugarte-Capel of Aliso Viejo, California, a business administration freshman, received the $500 audience choice award.
His pitch for Revitalized Ramen, a combination of caffeine and instant ramen for extra fuel and nourishment, impressed the crowd.
“It felt great to win the audience choice award and I’m happy people liked my jokes. It’s a simple product but I think it’s something a lot of people could actually use,” Ugarte-Capel said.
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA – NOVEMBER 14: Elevator Pitch audience choice winner Sebastian Ugarte-Capel (left) and overall winner David Rock (right). Photo by Ruby Wallau for CIE
Other Elevator Pitch Competition finalists included:
— BlockTerra, a startup that is utilizing blockchain technology to democratize farmland ownership in the United States so that anyone, regardless of their income, can own a piece, pitched by economics senior William Stevens of Los Angeles, California.
— Collaps-a-Box, a drawstring-controlled corrugated cardboard box that can shrink to fit its contents without any complicated machines or custom box sizing algorithms, pitched by aerospace engineering sophomore Drew Stannard-Stockton of San Francisco, California.
— DoubleDesk, a lightweight, collapsible desk extension that snaps onto your lecture hall desk to extend your workspace, pitched by business administration sophomore Heidi Judson of Turlock, California.
— Ecoplasticity, a biodegradable coating made of seaweed that will replace plastic lining found on to-go containers, single-use coffee cups and more, pitched by business administration master’s student Mayela Fernandez of Monterrey, Mexico.
— NoseFlow, a chemical-free and eco-friendly pocket-size misting spray that cools your nasal cavities to alleviate nose bleeds, pitched by business administration freshman Solomon Perera of Snohomish, Washington.
— NourishSnacks, a brand reimagining snacking by providing healthier alternatives to favorites such as PopTarts, using fewer ingredients, no harmful dyes and superfoods for added nutrition, pitched by business administration freshman Sienna Jones of Encinitas, California.
— Staxx, the world’s only smart poker chip linked to a mobile app that tracks your stats and provides immediate feedback, monitoring your decisions, calculating probabilities and analyzing strategies, pitched by computer engineering sophomore Benjamin Klein Pastor of San Diego, California.
— Twist and Toss Pasta Co., a food service that uses a unique build-your-own meal style for pasta lovers, offering a personalized experience, pitched by business administration sophomore Cameryn Pina of Morgan Hill, California.
To watch this year’s Elevator Pitch Competition pitches, visit the CIE YouTube channel here.
###
About the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship:
The CIE opens a world of entrepreneurial opportunities to Cal Poly students, faculty and community members and promotes entrepreneurial activity and dialogue across the university and throughout San Luis Obispo. For more information, visithttps://cie.calpoly.edu/.
06/16/22 - SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA: Cal Poly’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) hosts a networking event at the HotHouse on June 16, 2022. Photo by Ruby Wallau for CIE
Representatives from each company to outline future plans at Nov.1 program showcase
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Five innovative startups will showcase the culmination of their two-year journey in the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s (CIE) Incubator program during the Incubator Showcase on Friday, Nov. 1, at the CIE HotHouse in downtown San Luis Obispo.
Since its inception in 2010, the CIE Incubator has promoted regional economic development by supporting tech and innovation startups with scalable potential. The program has helped nearly 100 startups create more than 350 jobs and raise over $54 million in funding. In the past two years alone, the five companies completing the program have collectively created 37 jobs, benefited from over 650 hours of one-on-one consultations, and secured more than $2.6 million in capital funding, grants and awards.
“The CIE’s two-year incubator program includes everything early-stage companies need to develop into financially stable, high-growth enterprises,” said CIE Interim Director Liz Fisher. “Having worked closely with these companies from initial concept to their first investments, we are proud to see how far they have come and are excited to see where the future takes them as they continue to grow.”
The companies graduating from the CIE Incubator program include:
Acre Cloud has a farm-management platform that offers growers and contractors customized control over their operations, extensive auditing capabilities, and access to new products, such as AcrePay and AcreAnalytics.
Farm to Table Co. is significantly improving independent access to quality food and maximizing crop yields while reducing the environmental costs of food production in a meaningful way in our communities.
Little Place Labs is a software company specializing in building advanced machine-learning solutions for deployment and execution on satellites and other space infrastructures.
Quantum Energy Inc. is driving a clean-energy future by providing data that quantifies the hidden emissions and environmental impacts of energy. Their platform equips decision-makers with the insights needed to invest in clean energy, reducing harmful emissions and supporting a healthier planet.
VETAMA is a mobile veterinary company that is using AI and other technologies to provide a seamless service for pet owners. Users get the convenience of a veterinary clinic from home.
Founders praised the help that CIE’s Incubator program provided over the past years.
“There is nowhere else that I can imagine where you can get this level of access to resources and support as a startup founder to move forward and make your vision a reality,” said Andrew Demille, co-founder and COO of Quantum Energy.
The CIE recently added seven new startups to the Incubator, making a total of 16 startups currently in the program.
ENTEIN grows high-quality black soldier fly larvae for use in animal feed. The company is able to breed these insects off of food waste, making ENTEIN an integral player in California’s circular bio-economy.
GreenSight Technologies provides enterprise software to IT asset disposition companies to streamline the resale and disposal of electronics. They are using AI and market data to improve their business processes.
Hire with Miles helps startups and small businesses recruit international employees for customer service roles. Grow your business with top international talent.
JackRabbit Marketplace is a green-tech company helping contractors and property owners divert material from the waste stream.
MindSprout is a mobile platform that gamifies the gambling addiction recovery process as a tool for reducing relapses, building healthy habits and increasing self-awareness of addiction.
ODIN is redefining concussion care to mitigate traumatic brain injury with an objective and reliable eye-tracking solution, reducing the risk of successive concussions and enhancing athlete safety.
SafePlate Technologies is using biosensors to replace the old, allergen-testing methods that manufacturers currently use to test their ingredients, providing them with quick, quantitative and cost-effective results.
Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
The CIE provides Cal Poly students, faculty and community members with the tools, mentorship and resources to transform their innovative ideas into viable businesses, fostering entrepreneurship and regional economic development. By providing quality coaching, professional consulting and connections with industry professionals, the CIE creates an environment in which new businesses can develop and thrive. For more information, visit cie.calpoly.edu.
The CIE Incubator program is open to the broader business community, and Cal Poly affiliation is not required. Enrollment is open year-round. Startups interested in applying for the Incubator can visit cie.calpoly.edu/launch/incubator.
