June 7, 2019
SAN LUIS OBISPO — The Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) has accepted seven startup companies into the 2019 HotHouse Summer Accelerator program. The intense 12-week program is designed for students and recent graduates who have developed new ventures and need funding and CIE resources to help launch their companies.
The program provides these teams with $10,000 in capital, plus hands-on strategic business guidance from faculty and mentors, dedicated office space in the HotHouse, and weekly programming. Accelerator companies will also receive training, introduction to investors and resources to help advance their startups.
The CIE Accelerator program will begin June 17. At its conclusion, participants will have the opportunity to pitch their ideas to investors during Demo Day, to be held Sept. 6 at the Fremont Theater in downtown San Luis Obispo.
The startups represent a variety of concepts, including a customizable camper shell, an ethical online marketplace platform, and innovative furniture with a mission.
“The teams chosen for this year’s program make up a remarkably innovative group of people prepared to take on the entrepreneurial world and make both local and global changes,” said Joanne Feeney, director of student innovation programs. “The accelerator program will enhance the groups’ business model development, operational skills, and pitching techniques to best represent their companies.”
Twenty-three startup representing disciplines from across Cal Poly’s campus applied to compete for one of seven available spots in this year’s accelerator program. Twelve finalists presented their ideas to a panel of judges who selected the final seven companies:
— Armadillo Designs is creating the All-Access Camper, which is a customizable camper shell with a convertible roof. The camper is the creation of manufacturing engineering junior Samuel Hunt and Bradley Bowman, a business administration junior.
— Ethic Marketplace is an ethical and sustainable online marketplace platform with a mission to inspire and enable conscious consumerism that factors in social, environmental, ecological, and political impacts. The platform was created by liberal arts and engineering studies senior Garrett Perkins, and architecture junior Jess Corr.
— Ropegun is a fitness tracker, route-guide and social media platform for climbers created by graphic communications graduate Joseph Sobrero and Nathaniel Furbeyre, a mechanical engineer graduate.
— Totem is an augmented reality festival experience platform that elevates the festival experience for attendees and organizers alike. The platform is the brainchild of Tal Kornfeld and Rémi Crosetti, both business administration seniors, and Morgan Buss, a mechanical engineering junior.
— Tulum Cosmetics is a direct-to-consumer matte liquid lipstick containing the medical treatment to heal and conceal cold sores. The lipstick is conceived by Emily Penuen, business administration graduate, and Megan Steiger, art and design junior.
— Tunmi Da Silva Designs is a brand of custom furniture with more than a functional purpose. The furniture is the creation of Tunmi Da Silva, an architecture graduate.
— Wayve Filtration is a portable, handheld water filter that can attach to any sink or spout, providing travelers with a convenient solution for obtaining clean water wherever they go. The device was conceived by graduate Sierra Scolaro, business administration; senior Zachary Pollatsek, mechanical engineering; and graduate Jonah Heath, industrial engineering.
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. For more information, go to https://calpolycie.wpengine.com/.
About the HotHouse
The HotHouse is a community space created through the efforts of Cal Poly, the city and county of San Luis Obispo, the business community and the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The goal of the HotHouse is to support the students and community members as they work to create new innovations and start business ventures. For more information, visit https://calpolycie.wpengine.com/hothouse.
Photo information: Accelerator.jpg
Front row (from left): Samuel Hunt, Sierra Scolaro, Zachary Pollatsek, Nathaniel Furbeyre, Emily Penuen, Tal Kornfeld, Tunmi Da Silva. Back row (from left): Bradley Bowman, Jonah Heath, Joseph Sobrero, Megan Steiger, Rémi Crosetti, Garrett Perkins. Not pictured: Jess Corr and Morgan Buss.
Contact: Candice Conti
805-756-5106; clconti@calpoly.edu
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April 8, 2019
Keynote to include discussion on AI and big data; event will also reveal newest class of student entrepreneurs to join CIE’s Summer HotHouse Accelerator program
SAN LUIS OBISPO — The Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship will host its annual Spring Entrepreneurship Forum on Tuesday, May 14, to discuss the ever-increasing role of artificial intelligence in the startup world and announce the student-founded startups selected for the CIE’s summer HotHouse Startup Accelerator program.
Attendees will learn about the growing importance of embracing and mastering big data and artificial intelligence in the startup world.
Simon Arkell will break down the intimidating subject of AI and share insights about how it can be leveraged in any startup. Arkell is a two-time pole vault Olympian (Australia) and president and co-founder of Deep Lens, an artificial intelligence software company providing a deep learning-based digital pathology platform to hospitals worldwide,
Prior to Deep Lens, the Cal Poly alumnus (MBA, ’94) was founding CEO of Predixion Software Inc., a predictive analytics platform software company, before Greenwave Systems Inc. acquired it in 2016. Predixion, which was named a visionary for advanced analytics by Gartner Inc., had raised more than $46 million from strategic and venture investors including General Electric Co., Accenture, Dell EMC and Draper Fisher Jurvetson.
“The CIE is proud to help our community stay on the cutting-edge of technology,” said CIE Executive Director Tod Nelson. “Big data isn’t going away anytime soon, and this forum is designed to make it feel more accessible.”
In addition, forum attendees will have an opportunity to see and meet budding entrepreneurs at the very start of the entrepreneurial process. Cal Poly student entrepreneurs will unveil their business plans to the community, marking the start of their 13-week journey in CIE’s summer accelerator program where the students and alumni hone in their business ideas, work with mentors, attend weekly workshops and have access to $10,000 in seed funding to kick-start their businesses.
During the P.E.N. (Pitches, Exhibits, Networking) portion of the evening, the 2019 CIE HotHouse Accelerator companies will be introduced, followed by “Business Card Hustle,” a game in which accelerator companies compete for resources by collecting as many business cards from attendees as they can.
Glenn Burdette, a San Luis Obispo-based CPA, Bank of America, SLO Seed Venture and Pacific Premier Bank are sponsoring the Spring Entrepreneurship Forum. Advance registration for the forum is required. For more information and to register, visit https://mayforum2019.eventbrite.com.
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Contact: Candice Conti
805-756-5171; clconti@calpoly.edu
SAN LUIS OBISPO — The Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) has opened a new facility to expand opportunities for new products, ideas and companies on the Central Coast.
The new 4,100-square-foot space, named the HotHouse Annex, is at 75 Higuera St., in the Pacific Coast Center, in San Luis Obispo. The space will serve to provide a regional entrepreneurial ecosystem, expand entrepreneurial infrastructure, and promote commercialization of products while continuing the CIE’s mission of developing potential new companies — all to help mitigate the economic impact to the region as Pacific Gas & Electric Co. implements the decommissioning process of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant.
“The HotHouse Annex will allow the CIE to expand its programming into the manufacturing sector so that we can help to create a more diversified and resilient local economy,” said CIE Executive Director Tod Nelson. “This project is expected to generate significant impacts for the economic health and vitality of the Central Coast while increasing the CIE’s already-substantial role in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.”
The new facility includes a lab for product development that allows for prototyping and early-stage manufacturing. Startups will also have access to CIE resources that include mentors, Advisory Board and connections to angel investors and seed-fund resources.
In addition, entrepreneurs will be able to apply for the CIE Accelerator and Incubator programs as well as the Small Business Development Center — a CIE-hosted program.
The center received the $500,000 grant last fall from the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Assistance Program to help fund a lab that will create opportunities for entrepreneurs, including community members, students and faculty, to develop new technologies and accelerate into the commercial sector by forming startup companies.
Adding more strength to the program is a partnership between the CIE and the SLO MakerSpace — an open, collaborative shop and craft center where participants can build projects, teach and take classes, and network with others interested in making things. Startups in the CIE Accelerator and Incubator programs will have access to the SLO MakerSpace, which is equipped with a wide range of woodworking and metalworking tools, ceramics studio, electronics lab, 3-D printers, music studio and more.
“We are proud to partner with the Cal Poly CIE,” said Lorelei Sibet, SLO MakerSpace founding board member. “This is a positive step and powerful addition to diversifying jobs in San Luis Obispo County. Together, we will enable entrepreneurs, startups and innovators to expand locally so they can be a benefit to our communities future job growth.”
The funding for this project will expand the CIE’s focus to include community entrepreneurs and encompass high-tech hardware, software and specialized manufacturing technologies.
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. For more information, go to cie.calpoly.edu.
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November 2, 2018
The new 2018-19 CIE Faculty Fellows, from left to right, are Bo Liu, Michael Whitt and Erik Sapper.
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Cal Poly’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) has named three professors to its multidisciplinary cohort of Faculty Fellows, a program that is helping build the entrepreneurship culture at Cal Poly.
Three of Cal Poly’s six colleges are represented in this new group of fellows: Bo Liu of the BioResource and Agricultural Engineering Department in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences; Erik Sapper of the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department in the College of Science and Mathematics; and Michael Whitt of the Biomedical Engineering Department in the College of Engineering.
These new CIE Faculty Fellows become part of an interdisciplinary community that is committed to inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs. They join a contingent of 18 other Faculty Fellows all working to raise awareness for the center’s programs and provide guidance to students and faculty with an interest in innovation and entrepreneurship.
“This year’s cohort of Faculty Fellows is particularly exciting, because it reaches across three colleges at Cal Poly and continues the deep interdisciplinary focus of the program,” said Jonathan York, CIE co-founder and academic director. “Each year, the Faculty Fellows program grows stronger and creates even more opportunities for students across the campus to build skills in innovation and entrepreneurship.”
Liu believes CIE programs embody Cal Poly Learn by Doing philosophy, and he hopes to provide an opportunity for ideas that sprout in university classrooms to be nurtured and converted into action. Likewise, Whitt said he will focus on helping students transform problems into solutions that also have commercial potential. Sapper is integrating entrepreneurial thinking into the courses he teaches and will focus on empowering undergraduates and master’s degree chemists to create innovative companies.
“I am very excited to be joining the CIE as a Faculty Fellow,” said Sapper, an assistant professor of Western Coasting Technology Center who obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Cal Poly in 2007. “Apart from the great opportunity to meet and engage with entrepreneurial students and faculty colleagues across campus, this program also provides me with resources needed to champion entrepreneurship within the College of Science and Mathematics, where those sorts of career paths are generally overshadowed by more traditional graduate school or industrial options.”
The CIE Faculty Fellows program began in 2012. The 2018-19 fellows join: David Askay, communication studies; Philip Barlow, construction management; Enrica Costello, art and design; Bob Crockett, biomedical engineering; Ahmed Deif, industrial technology and packaging; Graham Doig, aerospace engineering; Dale Dolan, electrical engineering; Lorraine Donegan and Charmaine Farber, both graphic communication; Mary Glick, journalism; Brian Granger, physics; David Janzen, computer science; Lynn Metcalf, entrepreneurship; Stern Neill, marketing; Clare Olsen, architecture; Christiane Schroeter, agribusiness; Lynne Slivovsky, computer engineering; Taryn Stanko, management and human resources; and Umut Toker, architecture.
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. For more information, go to cie.calpoly.edu.
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October 23, 2018
The Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship will host the ninth annual Elevator Pitch Competition Forum, a fast-paced contest for Cal Poly and Cuesta College entrepreneurs, on Wednesday, Nov. 7, in the Performing Arts Center on the Cal Poly campus.
The forum — free, open to the public — will be held from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Students will have 90 seconds each to pitch their cutting-edge innovations and business ideas. Judges will select two winners; one from Cal Poly and another from Cuesta. Each winner will receive $1,000. The audience will pick an overall “audience choice” winner that will receive $500.
AJ Forsythe, the co-founder and CEO of iCracked, is the keynote speaker. He won the first annual Elevator Pitch Competition in 2010 with a proposal for an on-demand smartphone repair network. What was once a Cal Poly student-founded startup with Forsythe as its first iTech has evolved into a multimillion-dollar company with more than 70 employees. In the past eight years, iCracked has attracted some 5,000 iTechs who have performed nearly 774,000 repairs across the nation. Forsythe will discuss iCracked’s transition from startup to success.
The Elevator Pitch Competition forum is sponsored by Cuesta College, Wells Fargo, SESLOC Federal Credit Union, the law firm of Carmel and Naccasha, and Relentless Management Group. Advance registration for the competition is required. For more information about the event and to register, visit https://epc18.eventbrite.com
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. For more information, go to cie.calpoly.edu.
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Contact: Candice Conti
805-756-5171; clconti@calpoly.edu
October 4, 2018
SAN LUIS OBISPO — The Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) will host its annual Demo Day on Friday, Sept. 14, at the Fremont Theater in downtown San Luis Obispo.
The event culminates CIE’s 2018 HotHouse Summer Accelerator program — an intense 13-week program that helps students and recent graduates who have developed new products and ventures. Representatives of the eight participating companies will give demonstrations and pitches and answer questions about their entrepreneurial efforts.
The summer accelerator program provides $10,000 in seed money to each company, hands-on strategic business guidance from Cal Poly faculty and mentors as well as dedicated office space at the HotHouse. The entrepreneurs receive training, introductions to investors, and resources to help move their startup forward.
The CIE Accelerators constantly worked and pivoted throughout the program, and the startups are seeing this pay off.
“Being in the HotHouse Accelerator program this year has allowed our team to cultivate our company culture,” said Shaun Wixted, co-founder of Lost Coast Surf Tech. “We have learned who we are as a company and what we represent while building our technology.”
This year’s accelerator companies include a variety of industries and disciplines, making it a unique cohort. They include:
— NeoCharge creates solutions that improve the ease of use and ownership experience for electric vehicle owners. Its first product, the NeoCharge One, is a simple and affordable way for EV owners to get access to fast charging at home.
— BooBees is a women-empowering surf company that provides sustainable products such as a beeswax-based surf wax to replace petroleum products. www.surfboobees.com
— Clove is an automated smart appliance that allows people who love food and cooking culture to grow a sustainable supply of fresh herbs and produce in their home. www.growclove.com
— Fauna Farms helps mitigate the environmental crisis through agriculture by providing farmers with a marketplace to consistently sell responsibly raised animals, and consumers with a reliable way to eat meat responsibly. www.faunafarms.com
— De Oro Devices is creating innovative technology to improve the quality of life for people afflicted with Parkinson’s disease. Their device utilizes audio and visual cues that are clinically proven to help individuals with Parkinson’s overcome freezing of gait, one of the most common and debilitating symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. www.deorodevices.com
— Lost Coast is an emerging surf company that develops premiere equipment. Their first product will be a high-performance surfboard fin with activity tracking technology, allowing surfers to push past their ceilings via the fin design and data. www.lostcoastsurf.tech
— Roopairs is an equipment management platform that enables restaurant owners and managers to track repairs and maintenance history, while also providing a simple process for hiring service providers when equipment breaks down. www.roopairs.com
— Sex.E provides sexual health and gender-based violence education through live sketch comedy shows and online content. www.sexe-education.com
Demo Day is sponsored by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Professional Corporation. The Sept. 14 event is free and open to the public; advance registration is required. For more information and to register, go to 2018demoday.eventbrite.com.
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. For more information, go to cie.calpoly.edu.
About the SLO HotHouse
The SLO HotHouse is a community space created through the efforts of Cal Poly and the city and county of San Luis Obispo, the business community and the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The goal of the SLO HotHouse is to support the students and community members as they work to create new innovations and start business ventures. For more information, visit cie.calpoly.edu/slo-hothouse.
Contact: Candice Conti
805-756-5171; clconti@calpoly.edu
August 30, 2018
May 22, 2018
Contact: Candice Conti
805-756-5171; clconti@calpoly.edu
Cal Poly’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) has accepted eight startup companies into this year’s SLO HotHouse Summer Accelerator program.
The intense 13-week program is designed for students and recent graduates who have developed new ventures that need funding and CIE resources to help launch their companies.
The program provides $10,000 in capital, plus hands-on strategic business guidance from faculty and mentors, weekly programming and dedicated office space in the SLO HotHouse. Companies receive training, introductions to investors, and resources to help move their startups forward. At the end of the program, participants will have an opportunity to pitch their ideas to investors during Demo Day, to be held in September.
The startups represent a variety of concepts, including a women-empowering surf wax, innovative electric vehicle charger, a medical device to help Parkinson’s patients, and sketch comedy used to educate.
“We have an exceptional group of innovators ready to tackle the startup world so they can grow and make a lasting impact locally, nationally and throughout the world,” said Lori Jordan, director of student innovation programs. “Throughout the program, companies will develop their business model, learn how to operate a business, and practice telling their story so they can pitch their company.”
Applicants representing disciplines from across campus competed for one of eight available spots in this year’s accelerator program. Thirteen finalists presented their ideas to a panel of judges, who chose the final eight companies earlier this month.
“Our accelerator program rapidly increases the odds of each startup’s success, said Jonathan York,” CIE co-founder and interim executive director. “It’s where entrepreneurs come to create the innovative companies that will better our world.”
This year’s accelerator companies are:
– Amped Accessories is an innovative and inexpensive solution that provides access to fast electrical vehicle charging at home. It was conceived by seniors Ryan Amesbury, business administration; Spencer Harrison, industrial and manufacturing engineering; and Akhil Veluru, computer engineering.
– BooBees is the world’s first commercially viable, environmentally sustainable and women-empowered surf wax. It was created by Rose Badrigian, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology in December, and co-founder Isaac Wilkie.
– Clove is a device that with little to no user interaction automatically grows and maintains up to 24 plants for culinary use. Conceived by business administration seniors A.J. Gankhuyag and Kieran Scandrett; Alexander Decker, a mechanical engineering senior; and Aaron Quinn, a biomedical engineering senior.
– Fauna Farms is a marketplace for small, sustainable ranchers to consistently sell their meat to local markets. It was started by seniors Arash Goshtasbi, animal science, and Paul Studer, computer science.
– Gaitway is a medical device with multiple audio-visual stimuli capabilities that can be attached to any cane or walker to help individuals with Parkinson’s overcome freezing of gait. The device is the brainchild of seniors Sidney Collin, biomedical engineering, and Adam Schwartz, business administration.
– Lost Coast Surf Tech has designed the world’s best performing surfboard fin with smart tracking features integrated into a comprehensive mobile app. Graduate aerospace engineering majors Shaun Wixted and Brandon Baldovin developed the technology. https://www.lostcoastsurf.tech
– Roopairs is a business-to-business, mobile “on-demand” platform that connects restaurants with service workers so commercial equipment is properly maintained and repaired at all times. The platform was started by seniors David Bartolomucci, business administration, and Tommy Jara, agricultural business, along with co-founder Ray Bartolomucci.
– Sex.E provides sex education and gender-based violence education to institutions through sketch comedy shows, online sketch videos and social media content. Brianna Rodebaugh, a mechanical engineering senior, and Jacob Corsaro, who graduated from Cal Poly in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in communications, conceived this startup.
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. For more information, go to cie.calpoly.edu.
About the SLO HotHouse
The SLO HotHouse is a community space created through the efforts of Cal Poly and the city and county of San Luis Obispo, the business community and the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The goal of the SLO HotHouse is to support the students and community members as they work to create new innovations and start business ventures. For more information, visit https://calpolycie.wpengine.com/slo-hothouse.
Photo information: Accelerator.jpg — Front row (from left): Arlo Rudy, Brianna Rodebaugh, Rose Badrigian and Aaron Quinn. Middle row (from left): Arash Goshtasbi, Kieran Scandrett, Alexander Decker, Andrew Lam, Brandon Baldovin and Tynan Guerra. Back row (from left): Paul Studer, Spencer Harrison, Ryan Amesbury, Sidney Collin, Shaun Wixted, Tommy Jara,
Raymond Bartolomucci, David Bartolomucci and Therin Heryford.
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April 25, 2018
SAN LUIS OBISPO — The Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship will announce the student-founded startups selected for the SLO HotHouse Summer Accelerator program during an entrepreneurship forum on Tuesday, May 15, in the Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo on the university campus.
Entrepreneurs from each Cal Poly startup will introduce to the community the business ideas they expect to hone over the 13-week program. The Summer Accelerator gives Cal Poly students and recent alumni access to hands-on mentorship, weekly workshops and access to $10,000 in seed funding to start building their business.
The student entrepreneurs will be joined by panelist Joel Flory, a Cal Poly alumnus who co
-founded VSCO, a smartphone photo application. VSCO has been named Apple’s “App of the Year,” Google Play’s “Best Apps of 2015” and Fast Company’s “Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Social Media.”
Flory, the Oakland-based company’s CEO, leads the firm on its mission to “equip, educate and inspire anyone on the journey toward reaching their creative potential.” According to Business Insider, “VSCO is the app professional Instagrammers use to make their photos look amazing.”
Flory and his co-founder, Greg Lutze, combined their passions for photography and technology to build VSCO, which stands for Visual Supply Co., in 2011. Flory was integral in growing VSCO to over 1 million paying subscribers and securing more than $70 million in funding. He understands the complex nature of building and sustaining a brand in the creative industry.
The forum is free, open to the public and held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
During the P.E.N. (Pitches, Exhibits, Networking) portion of the evening, the 2018 SLO HotHouse Accelerator companies will be introduced, followed by the “Business Card Hustle,” a game where accelerator companies compete for resources by collecting as many business cards from attendees.
The quarterly Entrepreneurship Forum Series is presented by Sambazon. Advanced registration is required. For more details to register, visit https://ciemayforum.eventbrite.com.
February 23, 2018
SAN LUIS OBISPO — A panel of industry experts including a former Fox Television president and a social media marketer-entrepreneur will discuss why new media is vital to success in business at Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s forum Tuesday, Feb. 27, in the Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo on campus.
The theme of CIE’s winter entrepreneurship forum, “Get Connected: Entrepreneurship in the Rise of New Media,” is how a media landscape transformed by social media, among others, presents new opportunities to connect with potential customers, as well as challenges in breaking through the noise of 24/7 online connectivity.
The forum, which is free and open to the public, features panelists Sandy Grushow and Jason Neubauer. It will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Grushow spent 24 years at Fox, many of which he served as chairman. During that time, he was involved with the launch of shows including “The Simpsons,” “Beverly Hills, 90210,” “Family Guy,” “The X-Files,” “American Idol,” “24,” and “House.” After leaving the network in 2004, Grushow turned his focus to digital media and technology, taking on positions such as CEO of Phase Two Media and advisor to the Weather Channel. He was recently named the executive chairman of Winston House Media, a new, music-focused lifestyle brand.
Neubauer was named Social Media Campaign Millennial Engagement of 2017 by the Internet Marketing Association. He is currently the founder and CEO of the Santa Claus Affect. His initial video has been watched on Facebook more than 21 million times. He’s also proposed a TV show about the Santa Claus Affect, which seeks to “change the dialogue on social media, as well as society overall, from one that promotes self-satisfaction to one that aims at helping as many people as possible.” Neubauer is also an entrepreneur who was one of the first to recognize the power that social media influencers have on consumers. He’s a co-founder of Coolbox, a tool box for the 21st century, that was seen in an episode of ABC’s “Shark Tank.”
“Attendees of our winter forum will learn about new media’s important role in building a company, as well as how mastering it has contributed to our panelists’ successes,” said Jonathan York, CIE’s cofounder and interim executive director. “Our forums are designed to bring entrepreneurial-minded people from the Cal Poly and San Luis Obispo communities together to create a productive learning and networking experience.”
The Entrepreneurship Forum Series is presented by Sambazon. Advanced registration is required. For more details to register, visit febforum18.eventbrite.com.
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. For more information, go to cie.calpoly.edu.
About the SLO HotHouse
The SLO HotHouse is a community space created through the efforts of Cal Poly and the city and county of San Luis Obispo, the business community, and the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The goal of the SLO HotHouse is to support the students and community members as they work to create new innovations and start business ventures. For more information, visit https://calpolycie.wpengine.com/slo-hothouse.
Contact: Candice Conti
805-756-5171; clconti@calpoly.edu
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January 19, 2018
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — Startups could receive up to $200,000 in angel-backed investments by applying for the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s (CIE) Small Business Development Center (SBDC) 2018 Angel Conference.
Entrepreneurs looking to participate must apply by Jan. 31. The cost is $99, which includes entrance and dinner for two to the March 29 event. Apply online at bit.ly/ccangelconference.
Six selected finalists will pitch in front of angel investors and an audience at the conference. The investors will vote and invest up to $200,000 in the winning startup.
Each investor contributed $6,000 in a fund set-up as a limited liability company (LLC). About 60 percent of investors are local to San Luis Obispo County, 30 percent are from Santa Barbara County and 10 percent are from Fresno County.
The inaugural Angel Conference will be held March 29 at 4:30 p.m., at the Alex Madonna Expo Center in San Luis Obispo. Tickets are $150 for audience members, or $800 per table, which include entrance to the event and dinner.
For more information on eligibility, requirements and event registration, visit bit.ly/ccangelconferencedinner, or contact Adam Lingerfelt, SBDC project coordinator, at (805) 756-5180 or alingerf@calpoly.edu.
The Angel Conference is presented by Pacific Premier Bank.
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, go to https://calpolycie.wpengine.com/.
About the CIE Small Business Development Center
The Cal Poly CIE Small Business Development Center is funded in part through a subcontract between Cal Poly, the city of San Luis Obispo and UC Merced, under the current cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. The SBDC is a top resource for business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs, offering no-cost, expert one-on-one business consulting, training and online courses in startup assistance, debt and equity funding, sales and marketing, international trade and product commercialization. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit http://sbdc.calpoly.edu/.
