Innovation Challenge

Take the Sunstone Innovation Challenge

The Sunstone Innovation Challenge at CSULB is an annual campus-wide business plan competition. We are looking for diverse teams to develop, promote and launch sustainable, entrepreneurial and innovative business ideas through the presentation of a well-crafted business plan that address the core concepts of Desirability, Viability, and Feasibility. The winning team receives support for their business, including $15,000 in seed funding, and space, marketing, legal and accounting services totaling up to $35,000. 

Interested in competing in the Innovation Challenge? Email us at Innovate@csulb.edu

Information Meetings

Sept. 8: Team Building
Oct 2: Q&A Sessions
Oct. 12: LOI Due
Oct. 23: Mentors Assigned
Nov. 3: Speed Dating
Feb. 15: Business Plan Due (First round)
March 1: Semifinalists Announced
March 11: Semifinalist Pitch Event
March 15: Revised Business Plans Due
March 26: Finalists Announced
April 8: Finalist Pitches

Apostle Incubator Meetings

Sept. 8: Ideation & Speed Dating, Dean Heiss
Sept. 15: Building Your Team, Jeff Bently
Sept. 22: Developing an MVP, Scott Wayman & Hans Yang
Sept. 29: Business Model Canvas I, Dean Heiss & Wade Martin
Oct. 6: Business Model Canvas II, Dean Heiss & Wade Martin
Oct. 13: Business Plan Structure & Liveplan Intro, Wade Martin & Liveplan Support
Oct. 20: Design Thinking Workshop, Steve Boyer & Wesley Woelfel
Oct. 27: Sustainability Thinnking Workshop, Ebony Utley
Nov. 3: Speed Dating, IC Team
Nov. 10: Market Research, Amara Omoregie & Ingrid Martin
Nov. 17: Business Financials, Pia Gupta & Sean Heiss
Nov. 24: Virtual Networking Strategies, Rachel Hastings
Dec. 1: Business Ethics, Bruce Weinstein
Dec. 8: Wellness & Focus over Holidays, Pamela Buckner

Congratulations to the Winning Teams

PeriDeals founders

Two startups, PeriDeals (pictured, right) and White Rabbit, beat out over 40 teams to land first and second place in the 2020 Sunstone Innovation Challenge. Read about other winning teams.

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