School of Entrepreneurship Student Teams Win Top Prize at Sunstone CSU Startup Launch Competition
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SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - Californer -- The School of Entrepreneurship from the Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration at the California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) is pleased to announce two student teams placed first in the Product Track 1 and Product Track 2 categories at the Sunstone CSU Startup Launch Competition hosted by the San Jose State University. Each team received $25,000 in prize money provided by Sunstone Management.

Team AxoTech, led by Lizette Velasquez and Gustavo Cruz is developing an innovative Handheld Chemical Sensor company that specializes in the development and deployment of advanced AI and Machine Learning technologies to address the growing concerns around hazardous substances, particularly Fentanyl. By partnering with the United States Naval Surface Warfare Center, Corona Division's advanced measurement technology, AxoTech aims to produce portable and user-friendly devices that offer exceptional accuracy in detecting fentanyl and other chemicals.

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"Like many entrepreneurship journeys, my student experience in the program has been a roller coaster but with huge success and learning experiences," said Gustavo Cruz. "In my time being a graduate student at the School of Entrepreneurship, particularly in the tech transfer class and its fellowship program, I've learned so much about becoming an entrepreneur, from networking with top individuals in their fields to developing ideas and forming meetings to connect with experienced professionals. The Sunstone competition was a cherry on top and made a huge impact in not only getting our business AxoTech out there but sharing the experience with our students! It was an amazing feeling working together with undergraduate and graduate students to experience this competition journey! We are ecstatic to also come in 1st place for CSUSB!!"

The second team, Solubrin, led by Edward E. Timmons IV, partnered with Loma Linda Medical University on a new type of blood coagulation test. This new test will quickly identify blood clots and improve patient outcomes. Currently, there lacks a test on the market that can determine if clotting has been activated within someone, and to what extent.

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"I see this as a pivotal point for CSUSB's School of Entrepreneurship. The Entrepreneurship Program has been around for over 20+ years and this is the first time that CSUSB participated in a CSU systemwide Student Pitch competition with two projects that were founded as spin off student ventures from the Technology Commercialization Class in the Masters of Science in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program," said Ed Timmons IV.

The Sunstone CSU Startup Launch Competition offers student entrepreneurs and teams the opportunity to pitch their startup in competition for the largest prize pool specifically for collegiate founded ventures among California State University (CSU) campuses and beyond.

To learn more about IECE and all of the programs available visit, entre.csusb.edu (https://entre.csusb.edu/index.php).