Media Contact: Alondra Ponce, alondra.ponce.432@my.csun.edu, or Carmen Ramos Chandler, carmen.chandler@csun.edu, (818)-677-2130
The Center for Social and Technology Entrepreneurship at the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics will host the Sunstone CSU Startup Launch Competition on May 8 in the University Student Union at California State University, Northridge. More than 14 CSU campuses will send student and recent graduate teams to compete for $200,000 in seed funding.
The event will feature two competitive phases, beginning with a trade show-style expo in which teams present their ventures to more than 30 judges, including entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and business leaders.
First-place winners from five tracks — AI and digital technology, hardware and consumer products, health and wellness, service-based businesses, and social impact enterprises— will advance to a final pitch competition for the grand prize. The final panel of judges will include Nazarian College alum and long-time supporter Paul Jennings, who is the founding partner and CEO of Public Communications Services Inc.
Chandra Subramaniam, dean of Nazarian College, said hosting the competition reflects the college’s leadership in entrepreneurship and focus on hands-on learning.
“Hosting the Sunstone CSU Startup Launch Competition highlights Nazarian College’s growing leadership in entrepreneurship and our commitment to providing students with real-world, hands-on experiences,” Subramaniam said. “It also shows how we are helping students take their ideas from the classroom and turn them into something real with support from faculty, industry leaders and the broader CSU community.”
“The Center for Social and Technology Entrepreneurship is excited to bring together student and recent graduate innovators from across the CSU system,” said Joanne Scillitoe, executive director for C-STE and professor of management at Nazarian College. “This competition gives participants the opportunity to develop their ideas, connect with mentors and investors, and experience what it takes to launch and grow a startup. This event represents the best entrepreneurs across the CSUs.”
The event is open to the public and will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person. Programming begins at 9 a.m. with the first-place track winner announced at 1:30 p.m. followed by second- and third-place winners and the audience choice award at 2:45 p.m.
Participating CSU campuses include Bakersfield, Channel Islands, Chico, Long Beach, Northridge, San Bernardino, San Marcos, Cal Poly Pomona, San Luis Obispo, Fresno, Sacramento, San Diego and San Francisco, San Jose and East Bay.
Sunstone Community Fund, the philanthropic arm of Sunstone Management, is a longtime sponsor of the competition.
“This is a strategic investment in the future of entrepreneurship and community,” said John Keisler, CEO of Sunstone Management. “The CSU system represents one of the most powerful engines of talent and innovation in the country. Through this CSU-wide competition, we’re building an ecosystem where students, innovators and founders can transform innovation into real-world impact. We’re proud to partner to strengthen entrepreneurship and create lasting value for the communities these founders will serve.”
The David Nazarian College of Business and Economics at California State University, Northridge, is an AACSB-accredited business school and one of the largest in the nation, preparing a diverse student body with industry-relevant skills, certifications and hands-on experience for career success.
The Center for Social and Technology Entrepreneurship, also known as C-STE, supports student innovators at Nazarian College and across the CSUN campus through mentorship, experiential learning, and access to funding, helping turn ideas into impactful, scalable ventures.
Sunstone Investment Group, headquartered in southern California, is the holding company for the
Sunstone family of entities, including: Sunstone Investment Management Services, responsible for
administrative services; Sunstone Advisors, an SEC-registered investment adviser, which oversees
Sunstone Venture Partners LLC, a private capital fund manager; Sunstone Cities, a government economic development consulting firm; and Sunstone Community Fund, a charitable organization that supports entrepreneurship. Sunstone is dedicated to enriching lives through investment, entrepreneurship, and community.
