Volume 16 | April 2021
Startup Monterey Bay Online Tech Meetup
Tuesday, April 13, 2021
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Startup Monterey Bay Tech Meetup is the place to go to meet aspiring entrepreneurs, get news about what’s happening with local startups, get help, and get inspired! This month’s tech meetup will focus on clean energy. Guest speakers Jason Sedano, Rene Mendez, Amy Gross, Anthony Ng, Helle Peterson, and Ashley Gauer, will give us their updates and insights from this exciting industry!
Startup Challenge is going 100% virtual...and you're invited!
May 7, 2021 - 2-6 PM PDT
May 7, 2021 - 2-6 PM PDT
The Institute of Innovation and Economic Development is pleased to announce Startup Challenge Monterey Bay’s first ever 100% VIRTUAL finale, free and open to the public Friday, May 7, 2021. Discover new startups at our online Venture Showcase, watch the Otter Tank pitch competition, and stick around to meet the winners of the Venture, Social Venture, Main Street, and Student divisions!
It’s been a long year for everyone, with new business owners facing unique challenges — all the more reason to support local startups in their quest for innovation and development! RSVP and learn more at
https://startupchallengemb.com/
And hot off the press:
CARES grant invests $750K in CSUMB efforts to help small businesses recover from pandemic
The investment will strengthen the ability of iiED’s Startup Launchpad, an initiative supporting entrepreneurs in Monterey Bay and San Benito counties, to provide support to minority-led businesses that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Startup Launchpad will provide technical assistance to affected businesses in the form of collaborative programs, training, and educational events. Read more here.
Watch on demand: IP Presentation by Pat Reilly
Reputation, trademarks, and innovations are the most valuable assets of most startups. Some of these assets are protected by Common Law and most are best protected by US Federal registrations, e.g., copyright, patents, and trademark.
In this session, Patrick Reilly of IP Society gave an overview of various steps of intellectual property strategy in the context of a new venture’s budgetary priorities.
This includes:
- IP Rights are a social contract
- IP Species (Trademark, Trade Dress, Trade Secrets, Patents, Copyright)
- IT-enabled Inventions
- PCT Patent Timeline, Application Checklists
CSUMB’s College of Business student team makes one of the top 25 finalists at national e-Fest competition
College of Business students Brittany Ramirez, Jennifer Magaña-Alfaro, Emanuel Montoya, and Rogelio Mata took their Fall 2020 Entrepreneurship class project, SCOUTS, the next step toward creating a real business. They submitted a video pitch of their business idea to e-Fest, a national competition for student entrepreneurs with over $200,000 in prize money. After reviewing over 100 submissions from 59 colleges and universities across the United States, expert judges selected SCOUTS, as one of 25 finalists.
Their startup idea is an online platform that connects aspiring soccer players with rising or existing soccer teams. Their opening-round pitch is posted to the e-Fest site along with other finalists.
This is the first time CSUMB undergraduate students have competed in this national entrepreneurship competition. Dr. Jenny Kuan identified this opportunity for the College of Business’s Institute for Innovation and Economic Development (iiED) to promote student exposure to entrepreneurship beyond the classroom. The iiED is coordinating entries to the competition for CSUMB students.
iiED Featured Intern: Nina Cornelius
The iiED has a very active intern program for CSUMB students studying in various majors. These interns get valuable work experience in event production, marketing, project management, video production, print and web design, research, and instructional design work as they help us with our programs and events. Each month we will focus on one of our outstanding student interns.
This month’s featured intern is Nina Cornelius. She has been working with the iiED since January of 2020 as an Event Management Intern and as the Tech Meetup Coordinator, working behind the scenes to deliver successful and cohesive events. Currently, Nina is in her final stretch at CSU Monterey Bay as she will be graduating with Magna Cum Laude Honors in May of this year with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration concentrating in Entrepreneurship, and a minor in Spanish Language and Culture. For her Capstone, she is working with the unique co-packing and fresh produce jam company, Terroir in a Jar, which is a company that has been featured at an iiED Startup Monterey Bay Tech Meetup as well as has competed in Startup Challenge Monterey Bay last year. In addition to working with the iiED, Nina is a Peer Mentor and Student Assistant for TRIO Student Support Services where she supports first generation, low-income students, and students with disabilities through mentoring, cultural enrichment activities, and so much more. Nina was appointed to the Dean’s Student Advisory Council for the College of Business at CSU Monterey Bay, as well as is the President of the Entrepreneurship Club.
Her plans are to finish the year off strong, graduate and apply her many skills in collaborating, event planning, and student support and advocacy to instill confidence in, provide resources and outlets, and bring awareness to social issues within marginalized communities. She may even become a founder of her own startup business connecting social justice with event planning where each event has a purpose and each attendee can make an impact. You can learn more about Nina on her LinkedIn page here.
GetVirtual program helps small businesses during pandemic
GetVirtual is in its second semester here at CSUMB! The program has been a great success here in Monterey Bay. Students are helping local businesses affected by COVID-19 by enhancing their online presence. It provides off-the-shelf software implementation including website development or redesign, e-commerce and delivery services, online marketing and support. The student services are free and businesses pay for software and other hard costs.
Entrepreneur Toby Corey and educator Nada Miljkovic are two principles behind the program. The CSUMB campus contacts are Institute for Innovation and Economic Development (iiED) executive director Brad Barbeau and its economic development, funding and grants director Dan Ripke. “The iiED is an early partner with the Get Virtual program,” said Ripke. “Dr. Brad Barbeau has been working with Toby to expand the concept here at CSUMB, and serves on the board. CSUMB has the largest program.”
The Service Learning Institute and the iiED collaborated in the pilot program. Forty-eight CSUMB students have volunteered 550 hours of community service, serving a total of 56 small businesses. Testimonials from the businesses helped by the program attest to the efficacy of the program.
Help Invest in Tomorrow’s Regional Entrepreneurs!
The best way to support tomorrow’s entrepreneurs is to invest in iiED programs to support our regional entrepreneurs. Follow the link below to make your contribution today.
The Institute for Innovation and Economic Development, California State University, Monterey Bay,
Seaside, CA 93955, United States