The Innovation & Entrepreneurship Programs at San Francisco State University (I&E @ SFSU) is housed in the Lam Family College of Business, but offers university-wide programming. We believe that our students and extended community fundamentally have the creativity, insight, and spirit to positively effect the world around them. Our mission is to foster an ecosystem that encourages and enables thoughtful innovation, and to facilitate and enable successful entrepreneurship across the entire University. At its core, I&E @ SFSU exists to find, nurture, and maximize the viability of student innovation and entrepreneurship.
I&E @ SFSU continues its mission through the development and ongoing delivery of programming designed for current students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members. Programs are designed to provide resources, mentorship, networking and opportunity to those that otherwise may not find access through traditional means.
Financial support for I&E @ SFSU events, symposia, competitions, the IncuGator, among other programs, is supported in part by the Lam-Larsen Fund for Global Innovation and MUFG Union Bank Foundation.
If you have questions, please reach out to us.
Program Components
The IncuGator - (Formerly known as the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Fellows Program) is SFSU's concept incubator and startup accelerator. Application and acceptance is on a rolling basis, and open to all currently registered SF State students. Participation is free.
Open Consultation Hours - We offer open consultation hours for students, staff, faculty, alumni, and the general community. If you have question, want to bounce ideas off someone, or just want to meet some like-minded innovators and entrepreneurs, we welcome you to drop by for open hours. Use the hours to get some work done, or to consult with an expert. Either way, no reservations are necessary, and there is always coffee and some of the best views of the campus.
- Spring 2023 Schedule:
- Fridays February 3, 2023 - May 12, 2023. 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- EXCEPT, closed:
- March 10 - JSHS Symposium
- March 24 - Spring Break
- Innovation Pitch Competition is an annual business pitch competition, open to all concepts where the founder and/or co-founder is a current SF State student.
- AY 22/23: Competition on April 28, 2023.
- Lam Family College of Business Pitch Contest is an annual pitch contest open to current Lam Family College of Business (LFCoB) undergraduate and graduate students with an innovative business idea or a startup.
- AY 22/23: Competition on February 10, 2023.
- CS Pitch Competition is new to 2023, and is a business pitch competition created in collaboration with the Computer Science department and the SFSU chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). Join the ACM Discord for more information. AY 22/23: Competition on April 8, 2023.
- CSU Startup Launch Competition is the California State University wide pitch competition. SFSU will be sending two (2) teams to compete against 17 other CSU campuses. AY 22/23: Competition on May 5th.
The Entrepreneurship Symposium is an annual conference founded with the mission to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit, develop entrepreneurial skills and strengthen the entrepreneurial network between SF State, our local communities, and all industries.
I&E @ SFSU is committed to fostering innovation and encouraging entrepreneurship in scalable, tradeable sectors. We are looking to partner with high schools in the Northern California area that want to develop or grow STEM research and innovation -focused programs, and are in need of resources.
Junior Sciences & Humanities Symposium
I&E @ SFSU is the Northern California Regional host of the Junior Sciences & Humanities Symposium (JSHS). JSHS is a national, high school STEM research competition, a program backed by the United States Tri-Services in an effort to develop domestic STEM talent.
We know that creativity and entrepreneurship does not stop outside the boarders of campus or after graduation. As The City’s University, we look to facilitate the entrepreneurial dreams of our broader communities by sharing our expertise and resources through a variety of events, programs, and other activities, including:
Upcoming Events
Past Events & Recordings Archive
If you've missed one of our events, or just want to take a trip in the way-back-machine, access the materials and archives of our past events.
Program Sponsors
MUFG Union Bank Foundation
The MUFG Union Bank Foundation, a nonprofit public benefit corporation, serves as an agent for charitable contributions made by MUFG Union Bank, N.A. Throughout its history, the Foundation has supported the bank's commitment to help meet the needs of the communities it serves.