Welcome back to The Sunstone Way.
Last month, I had the chance to interview my longtime friend Vivian Shimoyama, the board president and director of the Long Beach Accelerator. It was part of our P3 Strategy Series, and the afternoon took place in front of a standing-room-only crowd at the Sunstone Stage presentation area.
It was a great primer on what the Long Beach Accelerator (LBA) has accomplished since it was formed in 2019. Maybe more importantly, it provided a look at what the future holds, including Long Beach Tech Week later this month (Sept. 23-25).
Why Tech Week?
We live in a high-tech world, so it might seem a bit redundant to dedicate a week to tech. Au contraire! (I learned that on our recent family trip to Europe.)
Providing support to entrepreneurs innovating in tech fields is core to the Sunstone Way, and is the primary reason the Long Beach Accelerator was created. Sunstone founder John Shen, California State University, Long Beach’s Institute for Innovation & Entrepreneurship director Wade Martin and I knew in 2018 that Long Beach had what it takes to be a leader in technology innovation with the boost an accelerator could provide.
I’m pleased to report that our dreams came true. From the first group of startups in 2021 through the sixth batch of entrepreneurs, we saw cutting-edge ideas promoted by a diverse, multi-talented group of driven individuals. Many are still pushing forward with their business ideas.
Last year’s first-ever LBA Investors & Founders Summit providing both validation of work already done and momentum for the future. (Did I mention that John Shen was given an award as Investor of the Year by the LBA?) The insights provided by venture capital investors and founders with multiple startups under their belts were as satisfying as the banquet luncheon at the Queen Mary!
A Focused Future
We (I’m still on the LBA board) are laser-focused on helping startups ready to help the Long Beach community advance, and that means a specific category of business emphasis in the next couple of cohorts. With the Port of Long Beach and nearby Port of Los Angeles central to our economy, bringing even more high-tech approaches to transportation, logistic and the supply chain would be a next step. Clean energy generation and distribution will follow closely behind.
This is how we can help our city reach its potential. This will continue the creation of a community of entrepreneurs. The community will profit from the public-private partnerships we are creating.
What’s Happening Now
This first Long Beach Tech Week will incorporate the second annual Investors & Founders Summit, with a day of networking and connections highlighted by awards luncheon. Attendees will get the chance to hear from some visionary investors as well.
That’s on Friday, Sept. 25. On Thursday, Sept. 24, attention turns to the higher education arena of entrepreneurship with the IIE-CSU Demo Day in the center of downtown. This will offer an up-close look at emerging ventures from across the state university system, with live pitches from alumni and faculty-led teams of founders.
It all starts on Wednesday, Sept. 23, with the Kickoff Reception at, fittingly, Ampaire. Ampaire uses cutting-edge technology to provide hybrid electric propulsion for aircraft of many shapes and sizes. A highlight of the evening will be a fireside chat hosted by Long Beach Deputy Mayor Lucius Martin with a group of CEOs from Space Beach companies.
To find out more about all these events and Long Beach Tech Week, go to longbeachtechweek.com.
I hope you will register to come to all of the events during Long Beach Tech Week, or at least one or two. It is a virtual guarantee that you will learn something, connect with potential partners and help the entrepreneurial community of Long Beach grow.
That, after all, is the Sunstone Way. And remember, always be a Sunstone!
John Keisler
CEO & Managing Partner
Sunstone Management, Inc.
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©Sunstone Management, Inc. 2025