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Creator of Emergency Power Source Electrifies the Bull Ring

In Students and Campus
Group gathered on stage with Tim Attewell in center, with oversized check.

The winners of the 2025 Jeff Marine Bull Ring New Venture Competition gather on stage at the University Student Union Grand Salon on Thursday, April 24, 2025. (Bryan Rodgers / CSUN)

Tim Attewell pitches the “CoVolta” battery to the panel of judges.(Bryan Rodgers / CSUN)

Grand prize winner Tim Attewell (center) poses for a photo with Chandra Subramaniam, dean of the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics (right) and CSUN alumnus Jon Georgio ’83. (Bryan Rodgers / CSUN)

The team behind “Chronoflow,” an AI project management platform, won second place and the “Best in Technology” prize. (Bryan Rodgers / CSUN)

Brittany Evans won 3rd place with “Sassy Mouth Straws”— reusable and customizable boba straws. (Bryan Rodgers / CSUN)

A former film director, field producer and writer-turned-engineering grad student took the top prize at the 2025 Jeff Marine Bull Ring New Venture Competition final pitch event, on April 24, 2025— a $10,000 check for his invention aimed at creating a safe and stable power grid, particularly in emergencies. The Bull Ring is CSUN’s version of the popular show “Shark Tank” and spearheaded by the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics. 

Grand prize winner Tim Attewell, 37, is working toward a master’s degree in engineering management in CSUN’s College of Engineering and Computer Science. He’s the founder of “CoVolta,” where he’s working with his sister, Laura, and fellow engineering graduate student Vedi Vartani to bring his idea to fruition: to equip homes with small batteries, located behind a homeowner’s refrigerator, as a way to store power.

The idea came to him, Attewell said, while he was watching the California Independent System Operator app, which provides real-time information about the state’s power grid conditions.

“I felt that visceral frustration when I watched demand spike just as solar energy declined in the evening, and it was that disparity that drove me toward pushing for a solution,” Attewell said.

Attewell outlined for the Bull Ring competition judges the two main purposes for his battery: to act as backup power for critical appliances, such as refrigerators, during blackouts and emergencies; and in normal conditions, to reduce stress on the power grid by automatically switching refrigerators — which are major power drains — to battery power during peak hours. This could help utilities avoid blackouts and keep power grids more stable, he said. This backup power solution also could be particularly helpful in states where electricity grids are already stressed, he added.

Attewell, who has production assistant credits in the Hollywood hits “This is 40” and “The Hangover, Part III,” said he was “speechless” when Bull Ring organizers announced his pitch as the grand prize winner. Attewell’s resume also includes a stint as a field producer on a Discovery Channel survival show called Yukon Men, that was filmed in a remote village in Alaska. His career switch, from filmmaking to engineering, was a big jump — but the lure of problem-solving brought him back to school, he noted.

“It was ideas like this that made me want to change to engineering,” Attewell said.

His invention also won the competition’s “Audience Choice Award,” which will provide him with an additional $2,500. He said he’ll use the prize money to pay for manufacturing a battery prototype.

Chandra Subramaniam, dean of the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics, said he’s always impressed with participating students’ inventions.

“Students these days blow my mind, in terms of what they can think of or what they can come up with, what they see [as] gaps in society” where innovation is needed, he said.

Second place ($5,000) went to the team of computer science and business management students behind “Chronoflow,” an AI-powered project management platform. Third place ($2,500) was awarded to the creator of “Sassy Mouth Straws,” a line of reuseable and customizable boba and cocktail straws, to help event planners and consumers reduce plastic waste.

The two other finalists tied for the Best in Technology Award. “AutoEdit” is an AI-powered software add-on for video editing software. “Cinerra” is a company offering drone customization and pilot services for film, broadcast and commercial productions. Each team won $2,500.

The competition’s Social Impact Award ($2,500) went to the “New Earth Regeneration Initiative,” which is a method to process organic waste into soil and divert it from landfills.

The prizes are funded by alumnus Jeff Marine and his family.

Each of the five finalist teams had seven minutes to make their business and product presentations to the panel of four judges — who, in turn, had five minutes to ask questions of each presenter. The distinguished judges for this year’s final included alumnus Steven Van Alen, CEO of Sleepyhead and winner of the 2017 Bull Ring Grand Prize; Daniela Corrente, chief strategy and business development officer with Suma Wealth; Ugwunna Ikepeowo, chief impact officer with Kwanza Jones and Jose´ E. Feliciano Initiative; Jason Pratts, CEO of Kumo and BuildYourOrg. CSUN alumnus Jon Georgio ’83 gave the keynote address.

This is the tenth year for the Jeff Marine Bull Ring New Venture Competition, which provides an entire program for students — from any academic department — in developing their business ideas. In the weeks leading up to the event, teams are encouraged to take part in training that includes pitch coaching, one-on-one mentoring and workshops.

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Beyond the Bull Ring: Celebrating Ten Years of CSUN’s Training Ground for Entrepreneurs 

In Students and Campus
The Bull Ring stage with Steven Van Alen at podium and judges' panel.

Through the Years in the Bull Ring: 2017

Steven Van Alen pitches his business of making and selling mattress toppers for dorm beds to the panel of judges. (David J. Hawkins/CSUN.)

Steven Van Alen makes the pitch to judges during the final competition round in 2017. (David J. Hawkins/CSUN.)

2019

The NoSpills System team presenting their product and answering questions from the judges in the final round of the Bull Ring competition, 2019. (Patricia Carrillo/CSUN.)

2023

The team behind the winning business venture in 2023, the app “Steal the Look.” Team members from left to right, Minette Coye, Talin Aivazian, Alen Canik and Elizabeth Hernandez. (Sonia Gurrola/CSUN.)

2024

Laci Sanchez was the grand prize winner of the 9th annual Jeff Marine Bull Ring New Venture Competition in 2024. (Bryan Rodgers/CSUN.)

In 2017, Steven Van Alen was a business management student at CSUN and already committed to the dream of entrepreneurship. 

“I was selling stuff, doing services, mowing people’s lawns, washing cars when I was in middle school and high school,” he said. He’d even started a few companies. So when he entered CSUN’s second annual Bull Ring competition that year, “it wasn’t my first rodeo,” he explained. He’d even laid the groundwork, and had samples of his product — comfortable mattress toppers for dorm beds, when he entered the competition. 

But even so, he told CSUN Newsroom at the time that he was “completely shocked” when his business pitch won first place. But he was up for the challenge. “We’re going to put this money to good use, implementing our current ideas and driving marketing,” he said at the award ceremony. 

Eight years later, Van Alen has steered his business, called “Sleepyhead,” to astonishing heights. Its sales are focused on the Sleepyhead website and on Amazon, where mattress toppers for all sizes of beds are available. Sleepyhead is now based in Scottsdale, Arizona, with a staff of 25 and 5 college interns. 

“From 2021 to 2024 we grew 2400%,” Van Alen said. “We’ve been doubling, even sometimes tripling, year over year.” The company that Van Alen started while a student at CSUN now enjoys eight-figure annual sales — and Van Alen is looking to expand to a Sleepyhead line of mattresses and bedding. 

Ten years later, the CSUN Jeff Marine Bull Ring Competition is also still going strong. The spin on the popular T.V. show “Shark Tank” was created in the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics. The final event brings the five finalists together— the teams pitch their businesses before judges and an audience. But contestants aren’t just thrown into the ring — there’s a whole program designed to foster and prepare the up-and-coming entrepreneurs. And it’s not just for business majors — students from every academic department are encouraged to take part in the training that includes one-on-one mentoring with seasoned entrepreneurs, capital providers, and industry leaders, pitch coaching and workshops. 

Ryan Holbrook, the entrepreneurship program director, said the program continues to bring in those interested in striking out on their own. 

“This year, we received 53 applications, which is more than double the number we received three years ago, as we’ve been on a steady climb post-pandemic,” Holbrook said. “That translates into over 100 students participating.” 

Over the years, a wide-range of products and ideas have captured the top prize. The winning ideas include a seat-lift for people using wheelchairs, a no-spill tray for delivery drivers and a fashion app that allows people to shop curated looks. Last year, the team behind LS Trust Marketing took first place— the first services business to do so. 

Holbrook said that the students involved have continued to impress him with their grit. 

“The students’ ability to thrive in uncertainty, solve problems, and the overall entrepreneurial spirit has been what’s been most inspiring,” Holbrook said. “If there’s one word I would use to describe the CSUN students I’ve advised, it’s ‘resourceful.'” 

Van Alen notes those qualities will serve new entrepreneurs well, as it’s a demanding career path. 

“You have to be extremely dedicated,” said Van Alen. “You have to want to persevere because it’s a lot of time and energy and work,” he explained. 

This year, Van Alen will return to the Bull Ring stage, but this time, as one of the final event judges who will determine the winners of the event— cash prizes that are funded by alumnus Jeff Marine and his family. First place receives $10,000, the second-place winner receives $5,000 and the third-place award is $2,500. There are three additional awards given that are $2,500 each: the Audience Choice award, the Social Impact award and the Best Use of Technology award. Winners also receive $2,500 in free legal services and $2,500 dollars in marketing and branding services, which are in-kind donations provided by IntersectLA, CSUN’s student-driven creative agency and the law firm, NovusGC. 

Van Alen said his time in the ring, as a student, is still very much with him as he propels his business to new heights. 

“I talk about it in almost every interview I do or every investor call, to this day,” he said. “I say, hey, that competition really solidified my business. It shows that your ideas matter and your business matters.” 

This year’s final event takes place on April 24 from 3-5 p.m. in the USU Grand Salon. 

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Social Media Maven Takes Top Prize at Bull Ring

In Media Releases

Laci Sanchez was the grand prize winner of the 9th Annual Jeff Marine Bull Ring New Venture Competition, which took place at the USU Grand Salon on April 24, 2024. (Bryan Rodgers / CSUN)

The finalists! Front row, left to right: Aileen Tang; Victoria Miteva and Luis Olmos; Andrea Lopez; Laci Sanchez; Evan Jones and William Chavez. Back row, left to right: Chandra Subramaniam, dean of the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics; Neeti Dewan, Zack Schuler, Catherine Grooms, judges; Ryan Holbrook, director of the Entrepreneurship Program; Zohar Ziv, judge; Sachin Nayyar, keynote speaker and Wendy Greuel, executive-in-residence, in the USU Grand Salon, April 24, 2024. (Bryan Rodgers / CSUN)

Media Contact: Carmen Ramos Chandler, carmen.chandler@csun.edu, (818) 677-2130

A second-year California State University, Northridge student with a talent for TikTok (as well as other social media) took the $10,000 grand prize at the university’s ninth annual Jeff Marine Bull Ring New Venture Competition earlier this year. Nineteen-year-old Laci Sanchez wowed the judges with her presentation to expand her existing social media production agency at the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics‘ version of the popular show “Shark Tank.”

Sanchez, a sophomore majoring in finance, presented “LS Trust Marketing” to the judges in front of a packed house on April 24 at the University Student Union’s Grand Salon. Sanchez described her business as a “one-stop shop” for clients seeking to build their businesses using social media. She and her business partner, Paris Rayne, identify social media audiences for their clients and then design content aimed at their desired demographic. They also produce the social media content.

With the $10,000 prize, Sanchez said she plans to upgrade equipment and purchase new cameras. Eventually, she wants to employ a videographer, photographer and an editor.

“I always wanted to have my own business,” Sanchez said. “But I really do enjoy school, and I really enjoy the rigor of going to class. It’s nice that I’m able to do both because I get the opportunity to do events like this.”

The five finalist teams had seven minutes to make their business and product presentations to the panel of four judges — who in turn, had five minutes to ask questions of each presenter. The judges for this year’s event included Catherine Grooms, director of the Small Business Development Center at College of the Canyons; Zack Schuler ’97 (Marketing), executive chairman of the board of NINJIO, a cybersecurity training space; Neeti Dewan, an entrepreneur, angel investor, author and motivational speaker; and Zohar Ziv, an entrepreneur and advisor. Sachin Nayyar, founder and CEO of Saviynt, a cybersecurity space, gave the keynote address.

This final event of the Jeff Marine Bull Ring New Venture Competition is the culmination of months of preparation. There’s an entire program that supports students — from any academic department — in developing their business ideas. In the weeks leading up to the event, teams are encouraged to take part in training that includes pitch coaching, one-on-one mentoring and workshops.

Chandra Subramaniam, dean of the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics, said the school’s entrepreneurship courses and programs give students a head start with their business ideas — something they can continue to develop once they graduate. He said he is always impressed with their entrepreneurial spirit.

“These are students who are hardworking and willing to put in the time to create something that is going to be beneficial,” said Subramaniam. “They want to be their own boss. They say, ‘This is something I want to do.’ Bull Ring allows students to build skills in terms of how to think on their feet and how to develop ideas and new ventures.”

The four other finalist proposals included a wheelchair lift and stowing solution on cars (Atlas); an online learning platform for students studying math and science (Practice & Potential); a social media platform designed for active learning (ReCreate); and an online secondhand clothing site for resellers (ReThrifted).

In addition to the grand prize, second and third prizes were also given, as were special awards, as follows: 

Second Place: ReThrifted, $5,000 

Third Place: Atlas, $2,500 

Audience Choice Award: Atlas, $2,500 

Entrepreneurial Leadership Award: Practice & Potential, $1,000 

Best Use of Technology Award: ReCreate, $2,500 

Social Impact Award: Semi-finalist The Eleven Shop, a foster youth-led business that makes and sells candles. $2,500 

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Fashion App Takes Top Prize at the 8th Annual Jeff Marine Bull Ring 2023 New Venture Competition

In Alumni

The student creators behind a fashion app strutted off with the $10,000 first prize at this year’s Jeff Marine Bull Ring Competition— the Nazarian College of Business and Economics’ version of the popular show “Shark Tank,” at the USU Grand Salon on April 20, 2023.

The app, called “Steal the Look,” was presented as a social media app with an easier way to shop curated looks– one that goes beyond “shoppable” social media posts.

Instead of searching multiple websites, the app combines ways to browse ideas for outfits, the ability to make purchases and create online communities of like-minded fashion fans. The app’s founder Talin Aivazian explains a key aspect of the tool that allows users to shop outfits that other people have put together. “The mission of the app is to help others who need a little extra help styling themselves,” Aivazian said.

To cater to individuals’ tastes and needs in clothing, the app provides a detailed filter for particular styles and aesthetics — like gender neutral clothing; sizes — think tall or petite; and coverage — such as modest clothing. Minette Coye, a junior studying Management-Business Administration, presented the start-up plan to the panel of three judges.

“When users are able to filter and search for aesthetics such as these, they can connect with people who share their values on anything from sustainable fashion to inclusive sizes,” she explained.

Coye said the 4-member team behind “Steal the Look” formed in an entrepreneurship class, uniting behind the idea created by Aivazian. They were introduced as the “most interdisciplinary team” in the competition, including undergraduate students from both the business and the engineering schools.

Coye was thrilled that the team took the first prize.

“It’s surreal, seeing everybody else that was up here, you know? When we made it into the top 20, we were so thankful and felt blessed, and then the top five and now we are blown away,” she said.

The Jeff Marine Bull Ring New Venture Competition is a highly anticipated annual event– this is its eighth year. But there’s a lot of work and preparation involved before the exciting final competition. It’s an entire program devoted to helping students— from any department — develop their business ideas. In the months leading up to the event, teams are encouraged to take part in the training that includes pitch coaching, one-on-one mentoring, and workshops. The original field of competitors was first whittled down to 20, then down to the final 5 contestants.

This year’s battle of the start-ups brought a wide variety of business idea pitches, including a waterproof “smart” bracelet to help people take medication on time (DuraPill Bracelets); a next-generation exoskeleton with artificial muscles for use by military and firefighters (FromNature Engineering Solutions); an online platform for students and clubs to find and share events (NOC. Network on Campus); and a mobile app that offers independent music artists a menu of services to help build their audiences (Rebels).

Each team was given seven minutes to present their venture to the judges, who in turn, were given five minutes to ask questions of each team. The event was a decidedly Matador-family affair: the three finals’ judges included Jang Lee ’97 (Accounting), Steven Sarfati ’84 (Engineering), MS ’91 (Electrical Engineering) and Tim Gaspar ’06 (Finance). Bill Griffeth ’80 (Journalism) served as Master of Ceremonies and kept the program moving and running on time. Paul Jennings ’85 (Marketing), Hon.D. ’22 gave the keynote address while the judges deliberated and chose the winners.

Lee said having this type of experience puts these students ahead of others who are starting out in their careers.

“The students are learning the groundwork of how to raise money, how to build a business plan, how to do the financials and pitch to a group of people to be able to raise money,” Lee said. He explained that he has served as the Chief Financial Officer for a number of different startup companies. His roles with these companies involve pitching to venture capitalists. “To have this type of experience, this early on in their lives is invaluable,” he said.

Dean Chandra Subramaniam of the Nazarian College of Business and Economics echoed Lee’s sentiment and noted that experiential learning is at the heart of CSUN programs.

“We want every student to graduate and say, ‘I’m going to graduate with the skills that I need to be able to move up the ladder when I get a job,'” he said.

The other winners of the competition are as follows:

Second Place: NOC. Network on Campus $5,000.

Third Place: DuraPill $2,500.

In addition, $2,500 cash awards were given in each of the following categories:

The Audience Choice Award: NOC Network on Campus

Best Use of Tech Award: FromNature

Social Impact Award: The Cafecito Journal (This team made it to the semi-finals with its pitch for a space to give people an opportunity to up-cycle unwanted items.)

The top three finishers also receive in-kind legal services and in-kind marketing services and priority entry into the Nazarian College of Business and Economics Summer Accelerator program, a 10-week course for developing start-up ventures.

 

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Student Team 'Octobit' Captures First Place in Bull Ring New Venture Competition

In Science and Technology
Arch made of balloons with a man in the center on a podium holding a microphone

Arch made of balloons with a man in the center on a podium holding a microphone
The Bull Ring New Venture Competition gives Matadors an opportunity to present their new venture ideas to an audience while developing a willingness to experiment. Ryan Holbrook, director of the CSUN Entrepreneurship Program, introduces finalists at the 2019 Bull Ring finals. Photo courtesy of Ryan Holbrook.

From a system that allows universities to detect plagiarism in a computer coding sequence to an app designed to connect people with moving companies, this year’s Bull Ring New Venture Competition was packed with innovative business concepts.

With more than 100 people in attendance, CSUN’s David Nazarian College of Business and Economics hosted the 7th annual Bull Ring New Venture Competition finals virtually on April 26, with five finalist student teams competing for $10,000 in total cash prizes.

Open to all current CSUN students, the competition is intended to give Matadors an opportunity to put their creativity and knowledge into practice, preparing them to present their new venture ideas to an audience while developing a keen willingness to experiment.

First place this year was captured by Octobit, an online, simulation-based training platform designed to help users such as behavioral clinicians and therapists better develop their communication skills with clients in clinical settings.

Through their own experience in behavior analysis, founder AnAn Chang ’21 (M.S., Applied Behavior Analysis) and co-founder and graduate student Ryan Moradpour noticed that their fellow behavioral clinicians often had a hard time interacting with their patients — who have learning and/or developmental disabilities — and learning how to explain their medical knowledge in a more accessible manner.

“A huge piece that’s missing that [is] really leading to a lot of issues with our clients, a lot of turnover and just poor job satisfaction, is that our fellow clinicians don’t know how to interact with their clients on a personal level,” said Moradpour, a master’s student in the Applied Behavior Analysis program.

Purple and blue background with an image of a desktop monitor in the middle.
A graduate-student initiative, Octobit captured first place with its innovative design.

By creating Octobit, Chang and Moradpour hope to improve the lives of clinicians, companies and their patients by helping clinicians deliver compassionate care with confidence during therapy sessions. The training platform presents students with a variety of scenarios they will encounter in real life and gives them options on the best ways to communicate with patients and their family members. Based on the option chosen, the program then gives feedback to the behavioral clinicians and educates them on what they did right or wrong.

“When clinicians are comfortable with delivering compassionate care, their patients are more satisfied, they keep their appointments and they recommend their clinicians to other friends and families,” Chang said.

Throughout the Bull Ring competition, which began in March with 20 teams, participants had access to free workshops, dedicated mentoring and coaching sessions to learn more about entrepreneurship, receive critical feedback on their product concept and business plan, and hone their ideas for the final event.

“Our students have been putting a lot of work into their new venture ideas, and the competition has been incredibly competitive,” said Ryan Holbrook, director of the CSUN Entrepreneurship Program.

In addition to Octobit, this year’s finalists were SubmitIt, a system for instructors to check for plagiarism in computer coding sequences; Canmove, an online platform that connects users to independent drivers and moving companies; Vanzari, an online resource for music fans and professionals that displays renowned artists’ album sales; and Atra, a cost-effective and customizable alternative to standard memorial headstone markers. Awards included an Audience Choice Award winner determined by a live vote; this year’s winner was Vanzari.

“These students are not just business majors, but come from all majors across campus, are interdisciplinary thinkers and are truly emerging as the change-maker generation shifting what it means to be an entrepreneur,” said professor Joanne Scillitoe, the inaugural Paul Jennings Chair in Entrepreneurship.

Since its inception, the competition has been supported by alumnus Jeff Marine and his family, allowing CSUN students to keep developing their entrepreneurial skills and make their visions a reality.

Each finalist team delivered a five- to- seven-minute pitch, followed by a Q&A with a panel of judges, who delved into their business models, potential for profitability and market opportunity. This year’s distinguished panel of judges included Rick Friedman, CEO and founder of boutique law firm NovusGC; Allen Lin, founder of blockchain startup NeonBase; Raychel Espiritu, venture outreach manager at the Alliance for Southern California Innovation, and Cole Christie, a senior consultant at Deloitte specializing in the tech industry.

After the finalists’ pitches, guest speakers Paola Alvarado and Tehami Syed, students from Granada Hills Charter High School, took the floor to present their own initiative, DETOX — an air purifier to help factories reduce their carbon emissions.

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Bull Ring Winner Gets 'Fast and Furious'

In Media Releases
A Zoom presentation where two students show a race car wing.

A Zoom presentation where two students show a race car wing.
Jeffrey Astorga and George Aquino present their design for an adaptable wing for car racing at the CSUN Nazarian College’s 2021 Bull Ring New Venture Competition.

In blockbuster films like “The Fast and the Furious” and “Need for Speed,” audiences witness supercars, driven by expert drivers, reach breakneck speeds. But what if amateur drivers could get a taste of that supercar action with their own cars?

On April 27, California State University, Northridge mechanical engineering student Jeffrey Astorga and alumnus George Aquino ’19 (Mechanical Engineering) finished first in the 6th Annual Bull Ring New Venture Competition, with their venture, Synergy Active Aero — the pair is crafting a universal moving wing to suit a wide array of cars, enabling them to reach racing speeds.

Car wings, which resemble spoilers, are used to increase performance by fighting wind forces that lift tires from the pavement. Car wings create downforce that improves traction and helps the vehicle stay fast even during turns, resulting in faster race times.

Most wings are custom-designed for individual cars. Astorga said Synergy designed an adaptable, unique wing that senses its current driving conditions and optimizes itself for best performance, making it versatile enough to use on numerous types of cars.

“Every average Joe can mount this wing on whatever make or model vehicle they have, and go to the track on the weekend with the same level of performance as a professional driver that has a million-dollar team backing them,” Astorga said.

The 6th Annual CSUN Bull Ring, held virtually via Zoom for a second year, welcomed innovative products and startup company ideas from Matadors across campus. Hosted by the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics, the competition was open to all current CSUN student-owned and -run ventures, regardless of the students’ majors. The finals offered a total of $10,000 in prize money for the victors, including an Audience Choice Award winner determined by a live audience vote.

CSUN Nazarian College Dean Chandra Subramaniam noted that along with students from his own college, competitors this year included students from several CSUN colleges — the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the College of Science and Mathematics, and the Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication in the finals.

“It’s definitely a proud moment to see students from across the campus take up the mantle of entrepreneurship,” Subramaniam said. “I continue to be impressed by the level of creativity and collaboration of students with different disciplines to establish these business ventures.”

Emerging from more than 40 initial applications, boiled down to 20 semi-finalists; this year’s finalists included Bumé, a mobile app that connects diners and shoppers to local street vendors; NAPKN, an online platform that encourages independent music creation; Dr. Nugget Games, a company whose game lineup features the canine-inspired board game, “Corgi Butt;” and Gym Bro Heroes, a fitness-tracking app that makes reaching workout goals feel like an interactive video game.

“Our students have been putting a lot of work into their new venture ideas, and the competition has been incredibly tough,” said CSUN Entrepreneurship Program Director Ryan Holbrook. “Just reaching this point in the competition is a huge accomplishment to be celebrated.”

Each team delivered a five- to seven-minute pitch, followed by a Q&A with the  judges, who asked students more about aspects of their business such as costs, customer acquisition strategies, profit models and more. On the panel of judges were Gail Becker, founder and CEO of healthy food company CAULIPOWER; Rick Friedman, founder and CEO of boutique law firm NovusGC; Jang Lee ’97 (Accounting Theory and Practice), partner at finance consulting firm Upround Partners; and Lydia Shayne, founder of Los Angeles-based bakery DeLuscious Cookies & Milk.

A Zoom group photo of participants, judges, and Nazarian College faculty, staff and administrators participating in the 2021 Bull Ring New Venture Competition.
A Zoom group photo of participants, judges, and Nazarian College faculty, staff and administrators participating in the 2021 Bull Ring New Venture Competition.

Astorga explained the physics of the Synergy Active Aero like this: When a car moves, air moves from front to back of the vehicle like water moves down stream. Every vehicle has a different shape, therefore the angle and behavior of the air as it reaches the rear of the car is slightly different for every car. These differences in airflow traditionally require a model-specific rear wing design which is designed to interface well with the type of airflow that will come from the front of the car.

However, Synergy Active Aero’s wing senses the airflow it’s receiving and adjusts its shape accordingly, meaning it can be mounted on multiple cars but still deliver the same performance, Astorga said.

Astorga said he and Aquino applied what they learned in CSUN’s mechanical engineering program as they designed their invention. He noted their experience in CSUN’s Formula SAE racing team, in which Aquino tried his hand at similar technology.

The Synergy duo said their product is currently in the design phase. And with the help of their $5,000 Bull Ring grand prize, they hope to establish design patents, manufacture and distribute inventory, market and promote their product, continue building their company, and spread their unique idea globally.

After all the finalists’ pitches, the CSUN Bull Ring opened the floor to special guests, Granada Hills Charter High School students and fall enrollees Junicarl Ferido and Yvette Tran, who pitched their own venture, Project Envo, a nonprofit dedicated to educating the community on climate change.

“While there’s no replacing the magic of in-person events, there were definitely elements of the virtual format that worked really well,” Holbrook said. “The mentoring, workshops and office hours all translated well virtually, as did the energy of the student pitches and judge Q&A. Overall, we were very happy with the event and particularly excited for the teams to continue moving their new ventures forward.”

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Alum's Monitoring Device Could Help Fire Departments Battle Wildfires

In Alumni
Portrait of Matt Smalley ’19 (MBA)

Portrait of Matt Smalley ’19 (MBA)
Matt Smalley ’19 (MBA).

A team led by recent CSUN graduate Matt Smalley ’19 (MBA) pitched its fire-monitoring system to a panel of investors and entrepreneurial leaders at the 2020 First Look SoCal Innovation Showcase.

Smalley’s team, Delphire, is developing a system that includes video, infrared cameras and other monitoring capabilities, which first responders could deploy along fire perimeters to provide real-time monitoring of conditions. The devices, which the team has dubbed “oracles,” would continuously monitor an area better than human scouts on foot, and provide a closer look at on-the-ground conditions than is currently provided by drones, which also can’t be deployed while aircraft are being used to fight fires.

Local fire departments and other protection agencies could quickly distribute the oracles to areas where a fire has started. The information could help firefighters track locations where, for example, the wind shifts and causes the fire to spread to a new spot.

“We can fight fire with information,” Smalley said. “The main benefit is that it allows them to contain fires more easily. It gives them more up-to-date information, so that the fire, if it gets through a firebreak or a spot fire pops up, they can deal with it immediately.”

Each oracle would cost around $3,500, and could be effective with about two placed per perimeter mile. Smalley estimated roughly 60 would be need for a 30,000-acre fire, for a one-time cost of about $210,000.

The First Look SoCal Innovation Showcase, sponsored by the Los Angeles Venture Association, is an annual event that celebrates the early-stage teams commercializing tech and life science breakthroughs. Participating in the showcase after an application process was another measure of success for Delphire, which participated in the 2020 Bull Ring New Venture Competition, hosted by CSUN’s David Nazarian College of Business and Economics.

A historic fire season in California and throughout the West has underscored the potential benefits of the Delphire system, Smalley said. In 2020, there have been more than 8,000 wildfires that have burned more than 3.7 million acres in California, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Since August 15, there have been 26 fatalities and more than 6,600 structures destroyed.

The idea for the device, originally developed by Smalley’s younger sister, Olivia, during a school robotics competition, has been patented for wildfire surveillance. The team also includes Gilberto DeSalvo, a CalTech graduate, and Daniel Ring, a software engineer. The Delphire team soon will seek investors to help develop a prototype, Smalley said.

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CSUN President and Nazarian College Dean Named Among L.A.'s Most Influential People

In Community
Photo portrait Erika D. Beck, CSUN President

Photo portrait Erika D. Beck, CSUN President
CSUN President Erika D. Beck

CSUN President Erika D. Beck and Chandra Subramaniam, dean of CSUN’s David Nazarian College of Business and Economics, have been recognized in the Los Angeles Business Journal LA500 edition. The magazine list highlights the area’s most influential and impactful executives.

The Los Angeles Business Journal acknowledged Beck’s efforts to launch the Global Hispanic Serving Institution Equity Innovation Hub that will prepare historically underserved students for jobs in the tech sector. “The work we are doing here will empower previously underrepresented students to take on jobs in STEM and the creative and tech economy,” said Beck. “We’re thrilled to create opportunities for a brighter, more equitable future for our students.”

Groundbreaking for the Equity Innovation Hub (EIH) is scheduled for spring 2023.

Subramaniam was recognized for supporting and raising the national profile of the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics.

The magazine noted the college’s top-20 ranking on University HQ’s list of Best California MBA Schools and Programs. University HQ is an online college resource for students that ranks various aspects of universities.

Photo portrait Chandra Subramaniam
Chandra Subramaniam, dean, David Nazarian College of Business and Economics

“It is an honor to be part of the LA500,” said Subramaniam. “The recognition of our high-quality programs is due in no small part to the extraordinary achievements of our students and our alumni who excel in C-suites and drive the economic workforce in Los Angeles and all over the world.”

The college offers a broad range of programs, including undergraduate degrees in accountancy, business law, economics, finance, global supply chain management, information systems, management, and marketing, and operations management.

A highlight of the Nazarian College Entrepreneurship Program is the annual Bull Ring New Venture Competition — that encourages students to develop and pitch their own innovations and awards monetary prizes to the winners.

This is the 7th annual LA500 list — and CSUN leaders have been named in many of them. This is Beck’s second time on the list since taking office at CSUN in January 2021. Subramaniam has been noted 5 times in the special issue.

 

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CSUN Students to Take On Venture Competition For Prizes Totaling Over $100,000

In Media Releases

CSUN students are boldly going where no one has gone before — the CSU Venture Competition, a regional collaboration developed in part by the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics. Photo by marchmeena29, IStock.
CSUN students are boldly going where no one has gone before — the CSU Venture Competition, a regional collaboration developed in part by the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics. Photo by marchmeena29, iStock.

For the first time, students at California State University, Northridge are boldly going where no one has gone before — the CSU Venture Competition, a regional collaboration developed in part by CSUN’s David Nazarian College of Business and Economics.

The competition, which takes place Friday, May 6,  is in its first year and is the brainchild of Tim Tiemann, managing director of the CSUN Innovation Incubator at the Nazarian College, and Cal State Long Beach professor Wade Martin.

CSUN offers students many options to develop their startup skills — including a new entrepreneurship minor, the Innovation Corps Customer Discovery Program, CSUN Innovation Incubator, and Summer Accelerator for developing prototypes, and pitch completions such as the Bull Ring New Venture Competition — but the CSU Venture competition provides a larger, more competitive pool, with students from six California State University campuses vying for prizes totaling $130,000, Tiemann said.

“As universities, we are wonderful at teaching skills, but especially when it comes to starting your own business,” said Tiemann. “Whether it’s a full-time gig or a side hustle, you’ll benefit from guidance outside of the classroom and opportunities to compete against other high-caliber startups.”

The CSU Venture competition is now in the launch phase, with the best teams from CSUN, Cal State Long Beach, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Cal State Los Angeles, Cal Poly Pomona, and Cal State Fullerton participating. Tiemann said the competition will expand statewide within the CSU system next year, as Northern California schools have made commitments to host.

The sponsor of the inaugural competition is Sunstone Management Inc., which has provided a five-year endowment for prize money and operations. The competition is split into three categories: products, services, and social entrepreneurship, Tiemann said. The student teams must develop business ideas, whether they be traditional, online, or nonprofit ventures.

“The reason that we put social entrepreneurship front and center is we think it’s what distinguishes the CSU from a lot of other universities,” said Tiemann. “We have a lot of great students putting together ventures that aren’t necessarily profit-driven. But under the not-for-profit umbrella, they can still provide solutions for their customers, and we want to recognize that.”

The competition is scheduled to be held at Cal State Long Beach. For more information, email Tiemann at timothy.tiemann@csun.edu.

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Folklore (CSUN’s Version): Fall 2025 Classes You Might Not Know About

In Colleges
Drawing of a book with a fairytale coming out of it.

Each semester, CSUN has a wide variety of courses available, giving students the chance to tailor their education to their passions. This coming fall semester is no exception, with classes that cover some topics you might not expect. Here are a few offered for fall 2025 … Complete your general education requirements, have fun while meeting a unit requirement — or simply broaden your horizons.

Comics and Graphic Novels (English 333)

Display of a variety go comics by Jack Kirby.
(Photo by Lee Choo / CSUN)

In this course, students read and study a variety of different comic books and graphic novels, along with comic drawing activities that help students understand the process of making a comic book or a graphic novel. This 3-unit course fulfills the GE requirement of C2 Humanities. 

Cult Film and Television (Cinema and Television Arts 215)

Cinema blank screen and people in red chairs in the cinema hall. Blurred People silhouettes watching movie performance.
(Photo from iStock by igoriss.)

Students watch several films considered “cult classics,” where a film does not perform well when it’s first released but gains popularity later through a dedicated or niche fanbase. Students discuss and write about these films and why they believe the films initially failed — and how they later gained popularity. This 3-unit class fulfills the GE requirements of either C1 Arts or C2 Humanities. 

Forbidden Language (Swearing and Taboo Language) – (Linguistics 230

Swear word speech bubble set. Curse, rude, swear word for angry, bad, negative expression. Hand drawn doodle sketch style. Vector illustration.
(Photo from iStock by Polina Tomtosova.)

In this course, students learn about the history and meaning of swearing and other forms of profanity, along with how these words and social attitudes have evolved over the years. This 3-unit course fulfills the GE requirement for D1 Social Science. 

Introduction to Folklore (Anthropology 326)

Drawing of a book with a fairytale coming out of it.
(Photo from iStock by orensila.)

Students study various forms of folklore in the form of ballads, poems, fairy tales, jokes, festivities and more. They learn about the origin of these folk tales and traditions, how they’ve evolved throughout history and how they affect media today. This 3-unit course fulfills the GE requirement of C2 Humanities. A lower-division writing course is required to take this class. 

Physics of Music (Physics 305)

Sound wave rhythm background, technology concept, futuristic digital inn ovation background vector illustration.
(Photo from iStock by Pantan Kaman.)

In this online course, students learn about the science behind sound and music, by studying wave motions and the mechanics behind the construction of sound and musical tones. This course must be taken with Physics 305 Lab. These 4-unit courses fulfill the GE requirement of B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning.  

Los Angeles, Past, Present and Future (History 380)

Wide Shot of the the city of Los Angeles during a sunrise.
{Photo from iStock by frankpeters.)

Want to learn about the history, economic forces, and social and cultural shifts that have impacted L.A.? This course has you covered! Material also will cover the policies put in place to try to spread or limit developments over the years. This class features guest speakers, weekly discussions and field trips across the City of Angels. This course fulfills the GE requirement of D1 Social Sciences. A lower-division writing course is required to take this class. 

Podcast Storytelling (Journalism 495-POD)

Two young female podcasters are recording a podcast episode, engaging in a lively discussion and sharing their insights with their audience.
{Photo from iStock by Perawit Boonchu.)

Students learn about what goes into making a podcast, such as audio streaming, thumbnails and trailers, before working to make their own podcast with multiple installments. Upper-division standing is required to take this course. This 3-unit course will be available for graduate credit or as a journalism elective. Some knowledge of audio editing is encouraged.

Archery (Kinesiology 123A)

An archery target with three arrows within the bullseye range.
Photo from iStock by peterschreiber.media.

Students learn how to properly shoot a bow and arrow, through a number of hands-on experiences with targets. This 1-unit course is available for graduate credit. 

For more courses available for the fall 2025 semester, click here to search all available CSUN courses.  

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