October 10, 2019 — Seaside, CA
(Excerpt)
Annual event connects start-ups to investors but also attracts students and others who are curious about entrepreneurship
Now in its third year, the Startup Investment and Community Capital Expo may have just outgrown its home at the Monterey Bay Embassy Suites. Ballrooms, hallways, and lobbies were abuzz with over 200 people attending a variety of panels and presentations on September 27, 2019 in Seaside). The annual Expo, organized by CSUMB’s Institute for Innovation and Economic Development, tries to help local start-ups by connecting them to investors. But the annual event also attracts students and others who are curious about what entrepreneurship is all about.
As seasoned investor and keynote speaker Nick Zaldastani explained, start-ups begin with a problem and a solution. He exhorted entrepreneurs to stay focused, invoking an image of a dandelion growing through the pavement on an airport runway. One seemingly small, focused effort can disrupt a large, established system. In this day and age of fraudulent “unicorns ”– privately-held firms worth over a $1 billion — Zaldastani stressed that integrity and transparency are the most important things he looks for as an investor.
Read the entire article on Santa Cruz Tech Beat
