Stella Zhang NVC Grand Finale Program

20 23

Grand Finale Program

The Beall Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship shapes the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators. We offer hands-on experience and an immediately useful education about the process and importance of entrepreneurial enterprises.

OUR MISSION

WA hub of activity, education, networking, and practical experience, our center is a driving force for discussion and study of current entrepreneurial and innovation issues. With our deep connections and strong partnerships within the greater entrepreneurial community, we are a global leader in practice and output as we continue to encourage new ideas and inspired invention.

STELLA ZHANG NEW VENTURE COMPETITION

Form a team, launch a startup, and potentially fund a business idea all within seven months in our annual competition! Open to all UCI students, staff members, and researchers along with community members, teams compete for $100,000 in cash prizes plus in-kind prizes!

Program Schedule

8:00 |

Pitches Part 1

10 Minute Break

Pitches Part 2

10 Minute Intermission

Finalists

Business Products & Services

Upgrade old cars into a safer ride with an affordable, sleek and easy-to-install radar and camera safety kit, providing 360-degree protection for the driver.

Coach: Enzo Ma

A generative AI scheduling platform curated to aid students with time management, meet deadlines, prepare for exams and have time for yourself.

Coach: S. Ron Alikani

Consumer Products

A universal seat belt aid, and our mission is to empower individuals of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to buckle themselves in with safety and dignity.

Coach: Xandra Laskowski

A multiway configurable leash system to make walking pets more effortless and providing multi-pet walkers with a tangle-free experience

Coach: Ernie Rapp

Consumer Services

This is the restaurant discovery app of the new generation, and offers integrated marketing solutions for restaurants with our self-generated traffic

Coach: David Pyrzenski

A specialty food marketplace centered around short form video Our mission is to bring these stories to life and embrace different traditions across the world through short form video and interactive media.

Coach: Enzo Ma

Life Sciences

Robust pipeline of novel, mechanism-based therapeutics target early stages of agerelated or inherited retinal disease, wherein lies the greatest opportunity to preserve vision

Coach: Richard Henson

AA comfortable, easy-to-use product that expedites vaginal healing by directly targeting damaged tissue.

Coach: Derek Dashti

Social Enterprise

An innovative shower system that saves 5% of household water while providing the instant hot water consumers need for their morning shower

Coach: Jerry Kornblau

PProviding affordable and sustainable housing for lower-income and unhoused families with Accessory Dwelling Units.

Coach: Caleb Finn

Meet the Judges

Rodrigo Mahs

Rodrigo is a highly experienced professional with over 20 years of international experience in developing and leading global solutions

He has worked with renowned organizations such as Apple, Coca-Cola, NASA, and the United Nations, collaborating with CEOs, entrepreneurs, scientists, and government leaders Rodrigo's expertise lies in areas such as economic development, venture capital, corporate innovation, and organizational strategy. He is trilingual, holds a Juris Doctorate degree, and has a strong background in academia and executive positions at prestigious institutions like UCLA Anderson School of Management and the Center for Creative Leadership

Michelle Khine

Michelle Khine, Ph.D., is a distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering at UC Irvine. She serves as the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education and the Samueli Scholar for Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute. Michelle is renowned for her work in innovation and entrepreneurship, founding multiple start-up companies and receiving prestigious awards such as the TR35 Award and recognition from Forbes and Fast Company Magazine She is a Fellow of AIMBE and the National Academy of Inventors.

Ken Neeld

Ken Neeld is the founder, President, and CEO of Delphi Display Systems, a leading manufacturer of digital video display systems for outdoor digital signage Ken has a background in engineering, having worked on Department of Defense contracts, and holds multiple U.S. Patents in high-performance parallel computing and signal processing. He is actively involved in professional organizations and serves on the Deans Leadership Circle Executive Committee for the University of California, Irvine Paul Merage School of Business.

Karin Koch

Karin Koch is an experienced leader in public service, specializing in local government administration and social entrepreneurship She began her career as a child welfare social worker and later transitioned into managing economic and workforce development programs for the County of Orange. After 11 years in public service, she joined the Beall Family Foundation as the Managing Director of University Lab Partners, where she focuses on developing community programming and philanthropic outreach for the first non-profit life sciences wet-lab incubator in Orange County, California.

Isabelle Bart

Isabelle Bart is the founder of Impact Innovator, dedicated to empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds to create impactful enterprises. Previously, she held positions such as Director of the SBDC at UC Irvine Beall Applied Innovation, managing director for Academies for Social Entrepreneurship, and Executive Director of RevHub OC Isabelle is also a member of Catalyst 2030, a global group focused on achieving the United Nations' 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Meet the Speakers

Ian Williamson

Ian O. Williamson is the current dean of The UCI Paul Merage School of Business, having been appointed in 2021 With a background in human resource management, he is a globally recognized expert in the field and has conducted research on talent pipelines and their impact on organizational and community outcomes. His work has been published in leading academic journals and he has received several awards for his research and contributions to business education, including recognition for his efforts to enhance diversity in academia and the business world.

Imran Currim

Imran Currim is the Faculty Director at the Beall Center and a renowned expert in product and service design and marketing He has made significant contributions to marketing theory, methodology, and practice, receiving prestigious awards such as the American Marketing Association William O'Dell Award and the Marketing Science Institute Robert D Buzzell Award Currim has extensive experience in academia and industry, having taught at various universities and consulted for over 100 companies.

David Ochi

David Ochi is an experienced entrepreneur who has started numerous companies in diverse industries over the span of 30 years He has received recognition for his entrepreneurial concepts, including the 2011 Green For All Entrepreneurial Concept Award. David has held various positions in academia, including founding the ANTrepreneur Center at the University of California, Irvine, and currently serves as the Executive Director of the Innovation Incubator at California State University Dominguez Hills, focusing on promoting entrepreneurship in disadvantaged communities.

Larry Wilk

Larry Wilk had a successful 26-year career at The Walt Disney Company, where he held various leadership roles He was responsible for global supply chain and project planning, overseeing operations in 60 countries and launching operations in Brazil, Russia, India, and China. He also played a key role in the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure After retiring from Disney, Larry became involved with the Beall Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship and serves as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the Center for Applied Innovation at UCI.

Dan Jenkins

Dan Jenkins, from Logitech, brought the original color digital camera to market and launched numerous technologies in his 40-year tech career He played a pivotal role in the PC revolution and expanded Logitech globally, tripling storefront presence and increasing revenue from $180M to over $700M. Dan's expertise spans sales, marketing, operations, and management, gained from his work at 3 public companies and 13 startups. He is involved with UCI's Applied Innovation as a founding EiR and serves on the selection committee at EvoNexus. Additionally, he co-chairs UCI's New Venture Competition, mentoring budding entrepreneurs

Thankyoutoour sponsorsandsupporters

The Beall Family

Stella Zhang

Ken & Carla Neeld Jeff Freud

Shalabh Gupta

Alfred Somekh

Ahmed Zobi

Johnson Chuang

Fiza & Mansoor Shah

Dr. Emanuel Shaoulian

Jenn Huynh

David Ochi

Dan Jenkins

Larry Wilk