The Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE) at Cal State San Bernardino will test the minds of the university community at the 5th annual CSUSB Innovation Challenge. Teams will combine their knowledge and ideas to solve real problems. The event will feature finalist teams presenting their next big business plans in pursuit of the $20,000 in prize money.

Now is the time to get your ideas in the running for the 2022 CSUSB Innovation Challenge and the chance to compete for that $20,000 in cash prize at the main event on May 5. CSUSB students, staff and faculty are eligible to enter for the chance to compete. Your team can be comprised of anyone from the CSUSB community.

Not totally sure about what’s involved? Then attend an information session on either April 5 or 6 for the CSUSB 2022 Open Pitch Nights to learn more.

If you are planning to compete, then follow these two steps:

  • Submit your INTENT TO COMPETE entry form online by midnight April 10 with your business idea (in 50 words or less) for consideration.
  • Start building your team and your plan of attack, or register to join a team (see below). Then engage and network by joining the Innovation Challenge Facebook Group page.

You can still compete if you don’t have an idea – IECE can help you find a team. Each competing team must have a current CSUSB student as a qualified team member and a minimum of two colleges and/or divisions represented. This can include any student, faculty and/or staff of CSUSB in order to be eligible.

If you have an interest in competing on a team, please visit the Register to Join an Innovation Challenge Team so IECE can connect you with an appropriate team for consideration – idea generators may be looking for qualified and interested teammates to build their team.

More about IECE

Beyond this event, entrepreneurship is growing on campus. The IECE has continued creating new programs such as the Even YOU can build an APP Workshop Series and the UpStarters Discovery Camp, for any college-bound high schoolers.

Additionally, IECE has reached out across campus to help facilitate entrepreneurship and innovation through the Entrepreneurship Faculty Fellows, a yearlong program where faculty from diverse backgrounds such as art, kinesiology, psychology and theater arts work on projects that weave entrepreneurial concepts into their teaching, curriculum and research. The most recent success yielded is the Arts in Entrepreneurship minor program that has already gained significant student interest that desire to diversify their education.

For any questions related to the CSUSB Innovation Challenge, contact Stacey Allis at (909) 537-3217 or at stacey.allis@csusb.edu. Also visit the CSUSB Innovation Challenge homepage.