Sunstone Innovation Challenge
Take the Sunstone Innovation Challenge
The Sunstone Innovation Challenge at CSULB is coming back for 2021-2022. The Sunstone Innovation Challenge 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.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS OF THE 2022 SUNSTONE INNOVATION CHALLENGE!
Read the press release here.
1ST PLACE: Proto-Lin Violins- Team Lead: Ryon Adams, COTA
Across all cultures, music is a constant. It is a means of gathering, of emotional release, and a mode of expression unmatched in possibility. Among the artistic benefits, music provides cognitive positives. Regardless of age, there are always benefits to mental health when picking up a new instrument. Proto-Lin takes this challenge as an opportunity to design for broader appeal, minimizing the barrier of entry for new musicians. This involves rethinking centuries-old design and updating for modern mass manufacturing techniques like injection molding.
RUNNER-UP: The NIL Collective- Team: Lauren Fitzgerald, Scott Tomlinson, Anthony Angeles, Apostle Enterprise Lab team, COB
With the recent passage of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) legislation, college athletes have been presented with an incredible opportunity to monetize their personal brands. The NIL Collective offers solutions to all of these market segments. We are a trusted marketing and branding agency created “by students and for students,'' dedicated to helping female college athletes brand themselves by providing the tools, resources, and expertise necessary to ensure their future success.
HONORABLE MENTION: PAVANAS- Team Lead: Komal Gada, COE
At PAVANAS, we help our customers increase their Annual Energy Production (AEP) and reduce overall maintenance expenditures with a cost-effective, custom-built tape. We use Computational Fluid Dynamic based analysis methods to generate the most effective sizing of our proprietary Vortex Generators.
HONORABLE MENTION: Unstockable- Team Lead: Elizabeth Masso, MBA Student, COB
The team is developing an app in the FinTech space that will focus on financial literacy. The target is 18- to 30-year-old individuals.
Your 2022 Judge Panel
Joe Platnick
Joe is a Southern California-based Angel investor and Director Emeritus of the Pasadena Angels, one of the largest angel groups in the US that provides long-term human and financial capital to early-stage technology companies. Founded in 2000, Pasadena Angels has provided over $80 million of early stage capital to over 200 companies. He is also a Board member for Systems Technology Inc., a research and engineering consulting company that provides advanced products and services to the military, aerospace and healthcare industries.
Prior to Systems Technology Joe was the CEO of FutureBound, an educational video game developer founded at the University of Southern California focused on developing college readiness and access skills for underserved middle- and high-school youth. He was also a Partner with Pan Pacific Capital Ltd. With offices in New Zealand, Singapore, Australia, Taiwan and the US, the firm provides Venture Capital financing for the Digital Media, Life Sciences and Cleantech/Renewables sectors.
Joe’s career has included executive, board, and sales/marketing management positions with Fortune 500 and startup companies and has been a frequent lecturer/speaker and blogger on entrepreneurship for many local and international organizations and events.
Alan Pullman
Alan Pullman, AIA, is Senior Principal and Founder of Studio One Eleven, helping lead the design and integration of the firm’s architecture and urban design work. He is a licensed architect with over 30 years of experience working with cities, communities and private interests to improve the quality of our urban environment. Alan is responsible for guiding Studio One Eleven’s overall strategy, as well as leadership on select projects. These include strategic plans for Downtown Long Beach, Sherman Way in Los Angeles, Lomita and The City of Carson, community-driven streetscape improvements in the greater Los Angeles area, and innovative urban interventions that focus on sustainable mobility and quality of life.
Alan is a registered architect in California and a member of the American Institute of Architects and the Urban Land Institute, where he serves on Urban Revitalization Council. He holds a position as board member and chair of the Economic Development Committee for the Downtown Long Beach Business Improvement District. A native of New York, Alan was awarded his Bachelor of Architecture degree from Syracuse University and Master of Science, with
Vivian Shimoyama
Vivian Shimoyama has directed initiatives for public, non-profit, and private sector organizations setting strategic vision, and managing organization growth which resulted in economic impact. She is a serial entrepreneur, recognized small business expert, and advocated for thousands of small business owners through local, state, national and international initiatives. Recently she built and directed the team for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses SoCal Region. Dedicated to communities, economic development and economic equity her service includes:
Honored by the U.S. Congress and U.S. Small Business Administration with the National Women in Business Advocate Award
Long Beach Economic Development Commission, Vice Chair
National Women’s Business Council, Served as a federal appointee and adviser to the President & U.S. Congress
Long Beach Accelerator Board; Vice Chair
California Small Business Association and CA Education Foundation, Board member
Long Beach Center for Economic Inclusion, Founding Board
2021-2022 Schedule
- Letter-of-intent submission (submit to innovate@csulb.edu) – soft deadline October 1st
- Mentor Assignment – October
- Business Plan Submission – Monday, February 14th
- Semifinalist Announced – Friday, March 4th
- Semifinalist Teams Pitch – Thursday, March 10th
- Revised Business Plans Submitted – Friday, March 18th
- Finalist Announced – Friday, April 1st
- Finalist Pitch Event – Thursday, April 14th
*subject to change
Congratulations to Past Winning Teams
2020-2021: Two startups, Vitalink and Unwind (pictured, below) landed first and second place in 2020-2021 Sunstone Innovation Challenge. Read more HERE.
2019-2020: Two startups, PeriDeals (pictured, below) 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.
Past Dates & Judges
Important Dates 2020-2021
Feb. 15: Business Plan Due (First round)
March 1: Semifinalists Announced
March 15: Revised Business Plans Due
March 29: Finalists Announced
April 7 (4:30pm - 7:00pm): Finalist Pitches via Zoom
Apostle Incubator 2021 Meetings
Jan 26 – "Prototyping & Technology"
Feb 23 – "Sharing Ownership"
Mar 2 – "Social & Digital Marketing"
Mar 9 – "Branding"
Mar 16 – "Pitching your Business"
Mar 23 – "Intellectual Property Protection"
Apr 6 – "eCommerce Strategies"
Apr 13 – "Legal Structures"
Apr 20 – "PitchFest Competition"
Apr 27 – "LB Opportunities & Ecosystem Mixer"
May 4 – "Creating an Inclusive Culture"
May 11 – "Coaching & Wellness Revisited"
Dan Abir
Mr. Abir is an experienced Sales and Marketing Executive and has spent his 25-year career in various Sales, Marketing and Business development roles. Currently he is Director of Sales and Marketing at M4 Engineering and also a Mentor at Long Beach Accelerator. During his tenure at M4 and prior to that he has worked with many startups in Aerospace, Automotive, Renewable Energy and Biotechnology. In 2009 he founded Tribal Engineering a Premier Business Partner and reseller of various Engineering software tools. Mr. Abir has always been a proponent of STEM and is actively working with local High Schools and Universities supporting their Engineering and related clubs’ activities. He has also actively been involved in the International Masters in CAE program helping develop and promote the program both in the US and globally. Prior to joining M4, Mr. Abir was Director of Portfolio Marketing for Siemens PLM.
Sue Malone
Doug Patton
Doug Patton is a consummate inventor whose work has spanned over four decades, his efforts generating products in over 20 markets ranging from biomedical equipment to fragrance. He has garnered over 200 patents and design awards in having innovated for companies such as Apple, Microsoft, Mercedes-Benz, and Bausch & Lomb. Patton Design, his company, currently serves as the genesis of many products sold worldwide.
Doug is particularly proud of his time innovating solutions at the United States Patent Trademark Office; he also fondly remembers being the featured inventor in the ABC American Inventor series, in which he won the million-dollar prize through America’s vote. Though these efforts have created revolutionary innovation, when asked what his greatest invention is, Doug responds with an acknowledgment of the problem-solving process he created over decades spent learning the ins and outs of creativity, the result of Doug’s new book Conquering the Chaos of Creativity.
Joe Platnick
Joe is a Southern California-based Angel investor and Director Emeritus of the Pasadena Angels, one of the largest angel groups in the US that provides long-term human and financial capital to early-stage technology companies. Founded in 2000, Pasadena Angels has provided over $75 million of early stage capital to over 195 companies. He is also Executive Board member for Systems Technology Inc., a research and engineering consulting company that provides advanced products and services to the military and aerospace and healthcare industries.
Prior to Systems Technology Joe was the CEO of FutureBound, an educational video game developer founded at the University of Southern California focused on developing college readiness and access skills for underserved middle- and high-school youth. He was also a Partner with Pan Pacific Capital Ltd. With offices in New Zealand, Singapore, Australia, Taiwan and the US, the firm provides Venture Capital financing for the Digital Media, Life Sciences and Cleantech/Renewables sectors.
Joe’s career has included executive, board, and sales/marketing management positions with Fortune 500 and startup companies and has been a frequent lecturer/speaker and blogger on entrepreneurship for many local and international organizations and events.
Brenda Wunsch
Brenda has played a role in launching startups for the past 20 years leading initiatives for funding, business development, branding, staffing and sales, and marketing programs. Brenda began her career in advertising and marketing. In her 20s, she started an ad agency in Seattle, WA, and experienced such great success she opened a second office in Long Beach, CA.
Previously, Brenda was CEO of Sandpiper, Co-Founder & CEO of OnQ Corporation (Pet Central), OnQ Media now, and Ventura Marketing and Ventura Ventures. Her experience includes local, national, and international clients. She has also developed strong comprehensive marketing and branding services for Fortune 500 organizations such as the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, MGM, Silver Crest Entertainment, The Wall Street Journal, Service Corporation International, and others tech companies. She has been a CMO, CRO, President, and CEO.
Former President Critiquelt Inc., A local Long Beach Educational software company, sold to a public company.
Former Chief Revenue Officer Scoutbee, a company the raised 76M in 18 Months & 10M in sales.
Co-CEO SapphireRCMS LLC, A Local Long Beach Health Tech Saas software company
Board member of LBA, Board member CSULB IIE, LB economic development commissioner.