Events, Competitions, Workshops, Lectures & Networking

Our Innovation & Entrepreneurship programming is focused on enabling the entrepreneurial vision of our students, campus constituents, and broader community. If there is programming you would like to see or suggest, please reach out to us.  

Has the event you're looking for already passed? Couldn't make it to one of our events, or just want to relive the highlights? Check our the library of past events here!

Workshops, Panels & Speakers

 

 

  • March 5, 2026 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Innovation HUB (Innovation HUB - HUM125) - Pitch Decks 101, Sybil Yang - Whether you're getting ready for the SFSU Innovation Pitch Competition, or on your way to pitch angel and seed investors, we can all use a little guidance and feedback on our pitch decks. Come join us for an in-person working session, where we will go over the fundamentals of how to build our your pitch deck, how to tell your innovation story, and workshop your specific pitch deck. Ask questions, get advice, and work with other, like-minded entrepreneurs! Hosted by the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative in the Lam Family College of Business, in conjunction with the SFSU Chapter of the Association for Computer Machinery (ACM). 

 

 

 

 

  • December 4, 2025 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. (Innocation HUB - HUM125) - Demo Day 2025! Come celebrate and learn more about the student entrerpreneurs at San Francisco State. Our student entrepreneurs come from all majors and it's taken a lot dedication and persistance
    for them to  rise above the noise and clutter of their respective industries. Demo Day is about meeting the entrepreneurs, interacting with demonstrations of their actual products and services, and supporting them in the next phases of their businesses. DemoDay 2025 will showcase Katelyn Ho (MKTG '24) of Broxi AI, an AI agent platform that has already signed several large profile clients, and Amylah Charles (BECA & Africana Studies), founder of CurlyCrownz Haircare , a natural hair care product company. 

 

 

  • November 12, 2025  4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. (Innovation HUB - HUM125) -  Legal Implications of Artificial Intelligence Technologies with Mark Ciotola, JD & MBA - Does your business idea use AI? Or are you an content creator and unsure about the legal implications of algorithms using your content, or whether your use of AI models expose you to content usage claims by their original creators? This is new territory for entrepreneurs, and it's best to know what major legal issues may exist with your use and exposure to AI. 

 

  • October 28, 2025  4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. (Innovation HUB - HUM125) -  Copyrights & Trademark Fundamentals for Startups with Mark Ciotola, JD & MBA - Learn about techniques to search for trademarks and copyrights, and the process and possibilities of protecting your brand, content and copy. 

 

  • October 2, 2025  4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. (Innovation HUB - HUM125) -  Small Business Law with Mark Ciotola, JD & MBA - Have you always wanted to start your own business, but just never knew where or how to start? Are you unsure about what it takes to start selling goods or services professionally, and as a business of your own? Whether you're just curious about what it takes to go on the entrepreneurial path and start a business of your own, or if you already have a side-gig or hobby that you want to formalize into a full-fledged business, please join us for an online workshop on how to start your own small business. 

 

  • April 23, 2025  - SparkSF x SWE Woman Founder & Investor Panel - In a collaboration between SparkSF and the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) at SFSU, this event invited a panel female entrepreneurs Katelyn Ho (BS, Marketing 2024); SFSU Assistant Professor and At Your Service founder, Dr. Sanika Doolani; and serial founder and angel investor, Nancy Hayes. 

     

  • February 5, 2025 - Go to Market Strategies for Early Stage Business - How do you go to market with your newly created product? What does it take to get your first paying customer? The workshop is designed to help the startup that is ready to launch their first product or service. Hosted by the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative in the Lam Family College of Business.

 

  • November 20, 2024 - Pitch Decks 101, Sybil Yang - Whether you're getting ready for the SFSU Innovation Pitch Competition, or on your way to pitch angel and seed investors, we can all use a little guidance and feedback on our pitch decks. Come join us for an in-person working session, where we will go over the fundamentals of how to build our your pitch deck, how to tell your innovation story, and workshop your specific pitch deck. Ask questions, get advice, and work with other, like-minded entrepreneurs! Hosted by the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative in the Lam Family College of Business, in conjunction with the SFSU Chapter of the Association for Computer Machinery (ACM). 

     

  • November 15, 2024 - Founders' Panel, SparkSF - Come learn about the entrepreneurial journey and hear about how three entrepreneurs made their way to exits! 5:00PM - 6:30PM in LIB121. [Photos]

 

 

  • March 21, 2024 - Intellectual Property Law Workshop, Mark Ciotola - Learn about how to protect your creative works and inventions while navigating the existing jungle of intellectual property (IP). Learn about major forms of intellectual property such as trademarks, copyrights, patents and trade secrets. Also learn about licensing agreements to use and give permission to use your IP. Finally, you will also learn basic techniques to search for trademarks, copyrights and patents and have an opportunity to try that out yourself.

 

  • March 6, 2024 - Pitch Decks 101, Sybil Yang - Whether you're getting ready for the SFSU Innovation Pitch Competition, or one your way to pitch angel and seed investors, we can all use a little guidance and feedback on our pitch decks. Come join us for an in-person working session, where we will go over the fundamentals of how to build our your pitch deck, how to tell your innovation story, and workshop your specific pitch deck. Ask questions, get advice, and work with other, like-minded entrepreneurs! Hosted by the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative in the Lam Family College of Business, in conjunction with the SFSU Chapter of the Association for Computer Machinery (ACM). 

 

  • February 19, 2024 - Choosing a Business Model, Sybil Yang - Do you have an idea, but struggle with how that idea might be commercialized and turned into an actual business? This workshop was conducted in conjunction with the SFSU chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery. 

 

  • October 4, 2023 - Small Business Startup Workshop, Mark Ciotola - Have you always wanted to start your own business, but just never knew where or how to start? Are you unsure about what it takes to start selling goods or services professionally, and as a business of your own? Whether you're just curious about what it takes to go on the entrepreneurial path and start a business of your own, or if you already have a side-gig or hobby that you want to formalize into a full-fledged business, please join us for an online workshop on how to start your own small business.
  • April 7, 2023 - How to Present to Investors with Angel Investor, Nancy Hayes - Do you have the perfect idea but need some guidance on how to articulate and present that idea to potential investors? Whether you're presenting to and audience, friends & family, angels, banks or venture capitalists get to know the keys to presenting to investors.

    Nancy Hayes has been an active angel investor since 2014 and has a portfolio of more than 25 companies. She serves as a mentor to entrepreneurs, with a particular focus on women entrepreneurs and founders of color, by providing feedback on strategy, advising them on presenting to investors and providing introductions where appropriate. Nancy is a frequent guest speaker, panelist, and judge at pitch events. She also provides training for those who are considering becoming angel/venture investors.

 

  • March 17, 2023 -  Computer Science Collaboration: Figma for Presentations - A more technical and hands-on workshop hosted by the Computer Science department on how to use Figma to design product prototypes and presentation slides. Level-up your deck! 

 

  • March 3, 2023 -  Pitch Decks 101: Tell & Sell Your Idea - Do you have an innovation or business idea and need help explaining and selling that idea to others? Investors, partners, advisors, suppliers, beta partners - is everyone asking to see your pitch deck, but you don't have one? Are you asking yourself, "What's a pitch deck? Do I need one?!" This workshop is designed to help you plan and build out a pitch deck - a short, presentation deck that articulates your idea, sells its purpose, tells your story, and excite audiences. This is a great way to prep for the University-wide Pitch Competition as well.

 

Pitch Competitions

INNOVATION PITCH COMPETITION

This is the annual pitch competition for the entire San Francisco State campus. Open to all student programs, graduate and undergraduate. 

  • 2025: 
    1. DayfAI - Anas Farhan (CS)
    2. SaiNT- Chowdhury Mohammad Yeethhaf (FIN)
    3. HouseSync - Swastik Narayan Amatya (CS)
  • 2024: 
    1. Potion Slingers - Matteo Fasano (BECA), Denzill Loe (CS '23)
    2. AccoAI - Alex Loughry (CS)
    3.  
  • 2023: 
    1. Green Solutions - Heven Kibreab (IBUS '23)
    2. Green Collar Workwear - Dillon Cowell (ADM '23)
    3. CurlyCrownz Haircare - Amylah Charles (BECA) 
  • 2022: 
    1. StomaMate - Scott Drapeau (MFA '22)
    2. Wise Assistant - Angelou (MKTG)
    3. Baked! - Angelina Healy (MSA '23), Bianca (MSA'23) 
  • 2021:
    1. Lupini Milk Co.- Hope Flores, Pandora Sutherland, Rhythm Kaur, Lajja Shah, 
    2. Localized - Leeban Farah (MSQE), Drake Walker (MSQE)
    3. Adrenalyn - Shaeylnne Smith (BSBA '22), Chayanee (Nim) Jantaradaval (IBUS), Alexandria Nesbeth (ME and Kinesiology), Chiselle Co (Visual Communications & MKTG), Allen Sales (MGMT), Samia Siddiqui (IBUS and ADM)
  • 2020:
    1. Simba Police - Jugal Bhatt (CS), Sheaddha Upadhyay (MSBA), Kunal Shah (CS)
    2. Koob - Luke Del Aduila, Bryan Parji-Zborowski (MKTG), Kimberly Flores (MGMT), Soheil Ansari (CS)
    3. VAEA - Muath Alkathiri (ISYS '20), Victor Ngoon (DS '20)
  • 2019: 
    1. DePose - Andrea Rodriquez, 
    2. Smart Leggings - Erik Fernandez (MKTG)

LFCoB PITCH CONTEST 

This is an annual pitch competition just for students in the Lam Family College of Business. Both undergraduates and graduate program students are eligible to participate. The contest series was first launched in 2022.

ACM x Computer Science x LFCoB Pitch Competition 

The Lam Family College of Business has partnered with the San Francisco State University chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and the Computer Science Department to host the a pitch competition targeted at Computer Science majors. LFCoB resources provide the business backbone to the innovative hacks and builds from the SF State developer community.

  • 2025
    1. HouseSync - Swastik N. Amatya (Computer Science); Chun Heng Poon (Computer Science) 
    2. Laby - Odera Nwosu (Computer Science)
    3. Cardinal - Rehmat Gill (Computer Science)
  • 2024
    1. Align AI: Westly Cho, Natalie Yam
    2. FreshLens: Junghyun Song, Jinwon Choi, Ronald Tieu
    3. AccoAI: Alex Loughry
  • 2023 (Inaugural)

Symposiums

  • 6th Annual - 2023 - Entrepreneurship Enablers - How can we enable future entrepreneurs? We showcase people and organizations as they share how they think about, and put into action, the enabling of young entrepreneurs. PROGRAM ; VIDEO
  • 5th Annual - 2022 - Pay it Forward to Future Entrepreneurs - Our aim is to inspire our 2022 attendees to ‘pay it forward,’ and help enable the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship can be a powerful path to social mobility, and financial security and independence. PROGRAM; VIDEO
  • 4th Annual - 2021 - just-Innovation - 2021’s theme of “just-Innovation,” highlights how innovation and entrepreneurship can balance some of today’s toughest justice-based issues with the need for enterprises to be financially successful entities. PROGRAM ; VIDEO
  • 3rd Annual - 2020 - Designed for budding entrepreneurs and early-stage startup founders seeking to develop stronger entrepreneurial skills and to build their network. Participants who are able to bring intellectual rigor, curiosity, and the drive to go out and apply what they learn in this program will see a successful transformation of themselves by the end of this event. PROGRAM
  • 2nd Annual - 2019
  • 1st (Inaugural) - 2018
  • Demo Day 2026 - April 30, 2026 - If you are a currently registered SFSU student with an active startup, and are interested in demonstrating your product or service as a part of Demo Day, please reach out to sybil at sfsu dot edu by April 1, 2026. 

 

  • Demo Day 2025 - Katelyn Ho (MKTG '24), the founder of the no-code AI agent platform, BroxiAI and the travel application GuidenAI, will demonstrate the BroxiAI platform that has already receive backing by Nvidia Labs and Google. Katelyn was an I&E Incugator-backed founder.  Amylah Marie Charles (BECA) is a graduating senior who founded CurlyCrownz Haircare when she was 16 years old. In 2023, as a freshman at State, Amylah and CurlyCrownz won third place in the Innovation Pitch Competition. Amylah will demo the full line of hair care products that has taken then internet by storm! 

 

Other Events & Networking

The SFSU 3D printing club is headquartered in the I&E Innovation HUB MakerSpace in HUM125. The club meets every Friday from 4:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M. during the school year.

For more information about the organization, please visit https://sfsu.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/3dprintclub

President: Felipe Baltazat De Camargo (CoSE)

The SFSU chapter of the professional business fraternity, ΔΣΠ, is headquartered in the I&E Innovation HUB. The club holds its chapter meetings every Wednsday evenings starting at 7:00 p.m. during the school year.

For more information about the organization, please visit https://www.instagram.com/dspsfsu/

President: Dawson Wu (LFCoB & CoSE)