Two startup companies took home $10,000 each from the Sunstone Community Fund and a year of sponsored lab space at University Lab Partners (ULP) after winning the 3rd annual Orange County pitch competition, Pitch. Launch. Grow. (PLG) on August 23 at the University of California, Irvine, Beall Applied Innovation.
Sunstone Management was a co-sponsor of Pitch. Launch. Grow. Through its donor-advised fund, Sunstone Community Fund (SCF). The pitch competition was organized by University Lab Partners. Startups competing in two tracks, life science and medical technologies, presented their pitches to a panel of industry judges and an audience of other founders, investors and accelerator members.
The winners were Vena Vitals in medical technology and CytoRecovery in life science. Vena Vitals is working on a noninvasive blood pressure monitoring system while CytoRecovery works on cell sorting and recovery.
Keynote speaker Charla Triplett, Venture Partner @ Suncoast Ventures and Managing Director @ Launch Oregon, said that support for early-stage founders, including resources like those found at ULP and SCF, are critical to success. She added that partnerships are key, urging founders to pay it forward, be part of a community and share lessons learned.
ULP is a premier, nonprofit, wet lab incubator located in Orange County, CA. ULP operates 2 facilities in Irvine and Aliso Viejo, CA. ULP offers highly-equipped wet lab facilities along with the benefits of peer-to-peer interactions among a life science-focused entrepreneurial community.
“We’re proud to partner with ULP,” said John Keisler, Sunstone Management CEO and managing partner. “Our goals are completely aligned – to support early-stage founders, helping them succeed and grow. We look forward to continuing this collaboration in the future.”
In addition to providing the prize money for the pitch contest, Sunstone hosted a practice pitch session on July 26 at the company’s new presentation space, part of its headquarters in the Airport Tower in Irvine.
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About Sunstone Community Fund The Sunstone Community Fund is a key component of the Sunstone Management vision to advance public benefit programs that support the development of inclusive and vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystems. SCF is a Donor-Advised Fund managed by the National Philanthropic Trust. Your donation supports entrepreneurship and the future of the American economy. Donate Now!