Welcome back to the Sunstone Way, and many thanks to all of you who participated in the Irvine Tech Day and the Irvine Dream Run. You made the events great successes.
Speaking of successes, we are well into graduation season, with our universities leading the way.
Public Policy Experts
All the pomp and circumstance begin at the University of Southern California, where the Price School of Public Policy conducts its commencement this Friday, May 15. I had the privilege to participate in that ceremony a year or two ago – okay, a decade or two ago – when I received my master’s degree from that prestigious program.
Sunstone was at the USC campus three weeks ago, hosting the Sunstone Economic Development Challenge at USC Price final pitch contest. This challenge began in 2023, organized by Sunstone Cities and supported by the Sunstone Community Fund.
There were six teams of graduate students this year working with six municipalities – five cities and one county. The big winner was Team Riverside, which took home the $5,000 prize for their work to create a workforce development pipeline to support innovative businesses, including an emphasis on Aerospace Medicine.
Team San Bernardino, working with San Bernardino County to upgrade the main corridor through the town of Bloomington, won the second place prize of $3,000. Team Lake Elsinore was third with their plan to revitalize the commercial business community. Other teams worked with and represented the cities of Mission Viejo, Sutter Creek and West Covina.
Long Beach Pitch
As part of the California State University, Long Beach, commencement, the School of Business students will be receiving their diplomas on Monday, May 18. CSULB and its Institute for Innovation & Entrepreneurship was one of Sunstone’s first partnerships with a university program, so we are particularly interested in the young innovators there.
We were in the room on April 21 when the 14th annual pitch contest now called the Sunstone Innovation Challenge took place. We’ve sponsored the challenge since 2020 with prize money and support.
In Track 1, where teams are near startup stage, an AI-powered tool to provide real-time physiological insights about food ingredients, took home the top prize of $15,000. Upgraded, a research tool for students applying to universities, was second and won $10,000, and two honorable mentions won $5,000 each. In Track 2, where business ideas are being fleshed out, four teams won a total of $3,500. Each team in both tracks showed promise for future growth, according to the judge panels.
Sunstone’s reach extends through the entire California State University system. Last week, startup teams from some of the 23 CSU campuses gathered on the CSU Northridge campus for a showcase and pitch competition – the Sunstone CSU Startup Launch – that provides $200,000 in seed funding.
Still to Come
At UC Irvine, students are still hard at work, with graduation scheduled in mid-June. Students at the UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business will receive diplomas – both bachelor’s and master’s degrees – on June 14.
Before then, the amazing Stella Zhang New Venture Competition will take place, with teams mentored at the Beall Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship competing in a pitch competition for a whopping $100,000 in prize money. As you likely know, Stella Zhang is a founding partner of Sunstone Management and the Chief Operating Officer at our sister company, American Lending Center.
Teams compete in one of five tracks after spending much of the year with mentors refining their business models, and attending workshops through the Beall Center. Stella Zhang, who received her MBA from the Paul Merage School of Business and was named a distinguished alumna there in 2025, will be on hand to present the traditional giant checks.
All About the Future
It is more than a cliché that these student entrepreneurs are our future – it is a fact. We consider it an obligation to support them, guide them and promote them. That takes the shape of backing the university programs providing the necessary training as well as sponsorship of these pitch contests.
Our future success depends on their future success. Their success stories are our success stories. That’s the Sunstone Way!
They are all Sunstones. Remember to always be a Sunstone, too!
John Keisler
CEO & Managing Partner
Sunstone
To receive a copy of this blog each week, sign up at the link.
And check out the P3 Builder newsletter here.
Have a comment about this topic, or want to suggest topics for future blogs? Click here.
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