Welcome back to the Sunstone Way.
I am not a great home handyman, but I do love to discover new tools and new ways to get things done. It’s hard to beat the satisfaction of a properly squared-up picture thanks to the new laser level that works so well, or the non-leaking sprinkler head I’ve found at the garden store.
I’ve been experiencing that kind of satisfaction as I watch our new Sunstone Venture and Innovation Center get stronger and more creative, seemingly by the day. This Center has quickly become one our most-used tools.
Versatility
Continuing the tool metaphor for a bit, I really get a kick out of the Swiss Army knife approach, where one tool is capable of accomplishing many different things. And we are discovering more things the Venture and Innovation Center can do all the time.
Making connections – bringing parts together – is one thing the Center is very good at. Our mission says it all. “To serve as a long-term platform for capital formation, ecosystem building, and founder empowerment in Southern California.”
And the team has already taken that approach farther than we had hoped. In addition to attending multiple events hosted by a wide range of venture, entrepreneurial and innovation organizations, the Center has grown the weekly Sunstone Stage Connects series into a must-be-there event.
Connections Key
As is the case with all of the things the components of Sunstone Investment Group do, making connections is at the center of the Center. As a founder-first effort, the Center team focuses on putting founders in the same room with investors.
This benefits those looking for investment in their businesses, and fulfills one of our primary goals – attracting institutional and private capital into the region. This in turn helps develop scalable, durable companies.
We don’t discount the importance of networking between founders, either. The chance to bounce ideas off other like-minded entrepreneurs is important because it can spark new ideas and new approaches.
P3 Possibilities
Activating government, university, and regional economic-development resources across the city, county, and state levels to support innovation is one of the basic pillars of operation for the Venture and Innovation Center. A key to that process is our working relationship with the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), a clearing house for many governmental assistance programs, particularly for small businesses.
We can also connect founders to the Small Business Administration’s local offices, and to the great resources found in the universities and colleges of California. These connections can make the difference between success and failure for a startup company.
Signature Event
We call it Sunstone Stage Connects. Every Friday afternoon, the Venture and Innovation Center team invites two startups to explain their innovative approach to business. Other founders, investors and service providers come to Sunstone’s Irvine headquarters to learn more and make new connections.
Experts in the ecosystem also are invited to share their knowledge. For example, we were honored recently to host Cervantes Lee, Dr., co-founder and Executive Director of the Global Innovation Institute, who shared his tips on scaling companies, navigating capital markets and building with long-term discipline. His introduction to the Nasdaq Milestone Makers and Nasdaq Accelerator was especially exciting to the attendees.
Connect to SVIC
I know you’re excited to be a part of the great programs put together by the Sunstone Venture and Innovation Center. The best place to connect is on the LinkedIn page, found here. Be sure to follow us so you don’t miss anything!
From my vantage point, it is clear that the Sunstone Venture and Innovation Center is focused on its goal of bringing together founders, investors, and ecosystem partners to make our community an even better, more vibrant place. And that, most assuredly, is the Sunstone Way!
Remember, always be a Sunstone.
John Keisler
CEO & Managing Partner
Sunstone
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Sunstone Investment Group, headquartered in Southern California, is the holding company for the Sunstone family of entities, including: Sunstone Investment Management Services, responsible for administrative services; Sunstone Advisors, an SEC-registered investment adviser, which oversees Sunstone Venture Partners LLC, a private capital fund manager; Sunstone Cities, a government economic development consulting firm; and Sunstone Community Fund, a charitable organization that supports entrepreneurship. Sunstone is dedicated to enriching lives through investment, entrepreneurship, and community. Email us at contact@sunstoneinvestment.com.
©Sunstone, 2026