Engage with the Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at CSULB and find out if you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur. Our mission is to provide FREE programming and guidance for innovators and entrepreneurs that leads to success.
Apostle Incubator
Every Tuesday night from 7-9pm we hold the Apostle Incubator. An Incubator is a collaborative support system that incubates your ideas and prepares you to launch your business. We invite guest speakers from the community, mentor attendees, and provide opportunities for networking. It’s open to the campus and Long Beach community. Best of all, it’s free!
Innovation Hour
Every month, we host local entrepreneurs to discuss hot topics in entrepreneurship for one hour. Some of our previous topics include: support for undocumented entrepreneurs, how to generate wealth and well-being through cooperatives, how to profit from your passion, how to get a job in the gig economy, how to protect your intellectual property, and much more. Innovation Hour is co-sponsored by ASI and also free!
Behind the Screens
Behind the Screens is an annual fall symposium that explores the dark side of technology. It includes a design sprint to imagine an improved future for those made most vulnerable due to technology. Previous topics included domestic violence and technology, online dating and deception, and the digital divide.
Sunstone Innovation Challenge
Did you know there is an annual business plan competition at CSULB where student teams develop an innovative product, service, or technology and compete for $50,000 cash prize and in-kind services?! You could be our next winner. Visit the Sunstone Innovation Challenge website and come to the Apostle Incubator to get your idea “competition ready”.
Pitchfest
Let’s say you’re not ready to compete in the Sunstone Innovation Challenge, but you have a great idea that needs a little cash to get off the ground. Compete in our Apostle Incubator PitchFest, an annual spring competition where student teams with innovative products, services, or technology compete for cash. It’s not $50,000 but it will definitely get you started. Many teams who win Pitchfest go on to be finalists in the Innovation Challenge.
Apostle Enterprise Lab
If you live and breathe business then apply for a year-long course sequence to study entrepreneurship from idea to launch to execution. The Apostle Enterprise Lab is open to students of all majors. It’s an entrepreneurship in the wild experience where you learn marketing and management, engage with local entrepreneurs, and practice your pitching skills all while crafting a professional and competitive business plan.
Beach Bootcamp
If your schedule is packed with classes during the semester, but you want to know more about business, sign up for our Beach Bootcamp, an annual 6-week summer workshop series for students and community members to develop business plans.
We’ve got your entrepreneurship goals covered at IIE. We look forward to meeting you and your business ideas soon. Check out our links or email [email protected] for more information.