Welcome back to the Sunstone Way.
And welcome back to technology and innovation in Irvine. Next Thursday, May 7, will be the kickoff of Irvine Tech Day – which is on Friday, May 8.
I say welcome back because we were part of Irvine Tech Week in 2023 and 2024. Activities took a hiatus last year, but we’re baaack!
Innovative Irvine
Innovation and entrepreneurship long have been hallmarks of Irvine. The city has developed a strong reputation for breaking ground in the medical field, with multiple startups locating here and developing new treatments, physical device advances and more.
City leaders are building on that reputation, and expanding it, with Irvine’s new Economic Development Blueprint passed earlier this year. That plan includes creation of the Irvine Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which is being kickstarted by a $1 million federal grant.
Our founder John Shen has been a driving force behind the Irvine Innovation Center – he was an original member of the Irvine Innovation Council, after all, and helped with the concept both in thought and in sponsorship. John is a big supporter of Innovation Tech Day, too, and Sunstone’s sister company American Lending Center is on board as a sponsor.
City Hall and Sunstone
Activities on Tech Day will be split between the Irvine City Hall campus and Sunstone headquarters at Airport Tower. We’ll go into Council Chambers for a fireside chat, keynote address and two panels. Outside, there will be a pop-up market on the City Hall piazza and lobby featuring products from local startups.
A highlight of Irvine Tech Day will be Pitch Irvine, where some of the many founders in the area will make their pitch for investment and support. The competition will be conducted on four tracks of focus – Applied AI, Healthcare Innovation, Energy & Mobility, and DTC & Commerce.
That competition, which includes cash prizes, will start at Sunstone headquarters, likely at our Sunstone Stage presentation area. Investors and others interested in the pitches are welcome to attend for free with pre-registration.
All of the judges, founders and audience members will move back to City Hall for the Grand Finale. In addition to prizes determined by the judges in each of the tracks, there will be a People’s Choice Award.
Get Out and Run
In 2024, the second Irvine Tech Week culminated in the first Irvine Dream Run, presented by Sunstone Management and American Lending Center, and benefiting the nonprofit Sunstone Community Fund – which supports entrepreneurs and startups. That event continued in 2025 as a standalone, and grew considerably with a move to the Great Park near the Great Park Balloon.
We’re back again this year, and the 3rd Annual Irvine Dream Run promises to be the biggest yet. With three weeks to go, the more than 700 registrations had already far exceeded last year’s final tally of runners. There will be a 5K and a family-friendly (that means walkers and kids) 3K, along with an expo with food, vendors, entertainment and more.
Take Part
There’s still time to register for both the Irvine Tech Day activities and the Irvine Dream Run. This is a chance to see what the future could hold at Tech Day with a group of like-minded friends and peers – a chance you don’t want to miss. And how can you turn down a fun Saturday morning in the sun at the Great Park, again with friends and family?
These opportunities to learn, network and exercise – all for a good cause – are the essence of the Sunstone Way. I’ll see you there!
And 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
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