An AI-powered personal counselor for community college students looking to transfer to four-year universities took home the Grand Prize Thursday, May 21, at the 22nd annual Stella Zhang New Venture Competition at UC Irvine’s Beall Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
The win for the Pipeline team came with a $20,000 grand prize. The team had already won $10,000 for taking first place in the Consumer Services track.
Thursday’s grand finale featured pitches from the first and second place finishers in five business tracks. Each team had 3 minutes to present their product, then were questioned by a panel of five judges for another 5 minutes.
While those presentations – in front of a full auditorium at the Paul Merage School of Business – carried significant weight, the teams also were judged on their business plan’s desirability, viability, feasibility and memorability. The night was the culmination of a full school year’s work.
“Entrepreneurship is a process, not an ah-ha moment,” said School of Business Dean Ian Williamson in his welcome remarks. “I remember standing here at the October kickoff… This is more than a competition for prizes. It is the opportunity to gain professional experience in the business of entrepreneurship.”
Concept papers from 160 teams were submitted to begin the process. Judges whittled that number down to 54 semi-finalists, who made individual pitches to a panel of judges in each of the five tracks. The top two teams in each track were chosen to pitch at the Grand Finale.
Each track winner won $10,000; the runner-up won $5,000. The runner-up in the Grand Finale – NeuroStrat – won another $5,000, and an Audience Favorite – Rest Wing got an extra $1,000.
Here are the winners in each track:
Business Products & Services – First, Simly, an AI-native simulated electronic health record for medical training. Second, Abner Computing, an AI inference platform to route requests across GPU providers in real time.
Consumer Services – First, Pipeline, an AI-powered transfer planning platform specifically for community college students heading to four-year schools. Second, CuraVoice, an AI-powered voice simulation platform to help pharmacists and other healthcare students practice bedside communication skills.
Consumer Products – First, Rest Wing, an ergonomic headrest attachment to reduce nec strain during long car rides. Second, PAQQ, a smart bag and app system using RFID tracking to help users pack smarter and avoid forgetting essentials.
Life Sciences – First, LAMON, an AI-powered platform for early detection and analysis of neurodegenerative diseases using speech analysis. Second, NeuroStrat, which uses cognitive games to identify Alzheimer’s risk level to accelerate early intervention.
Social Enterprise/Sustainability – First, BrickCycle, creating interlocking construction bricks from recycled plastic, glass, and seashell waste. Second, Ascend First, an AI-powered platform for personalized transfer plans and more for community college students.
Professor Imran Currim, director of the Beall Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, congratulated the auditorium full of student entrepreneurs, their coaches and mentors for their hard work, noting that the wave of the future is people looking to work for themselves, not for large corporations. Then he announced that Stella Zhang had committed to sponsor the New Venture Competition for another five years, through 2031.
Zhang is chief operating officer of American Lending Center Holdings, Inc., and founding partner of Sunstone Investment Group, with her husband John Shen. She received a Master of Business Administration degree in 2005 from the UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business, was named the distinguished alumna there in 2023 and provided the commencement address to the 2025 graduating class.
Zhang first sponsored the New Venture Competition in 2022, when it was named after her.
“It’s great to see this room filled up with energy and passion,” Zhang said before presenting checks to the winners. “This competition is not just about the prize money. It is an opportunity, and a learning experience. I hope that one day your brilliant idea will change our lives!”
For more information about the Stella Zhang New Venture Competition visit the website. American Lending Center and Sunstone Investment Group are both headquartered in Irvine. Go to americanlendingcenter.com or sunstoneinvestment.com for more information.
About Sunstone
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.
About American Lending Center Holdings Inc.
American Lending Center Holdings Inc. (ALC) is a mission-driven, private, non-bank lender committed to expanding access to capital, creating jobs, and driving sustainable economic growth across the United States. As a federally designated EB-5 regional center, ALC partners with investors to revitalize communities, create jobs, and finance sustainable projects that strengthen local economies—especially in underserved areas.
ALC is dedicated to advancing innovation and sustainability by supporting startups and projects in sectors including renewable energy, agriculture, and rural healthcare. At ALC, we believe in building stronger communities by fostering entrepreneurship, leveraging global investment, and creating opportunities that empower future generations.