Pitch Irvine: Semi-Final with Mentor Mixer
Come see what the next generation of founders is building in Irvine and Orange County.
Irvine Tech Day brings together bold startups, student innovators, and fresh ideas — all in one place. Whether you’re building, exploring, or just curious about the startup scene, this is where you plug in, meet your people, and get inspired.
🚀 Now live: Pitch Irvine — our first-ever community pitch competition
This is your shot to pitch in front of real investors, founders, and operators.
Selected teams across four tracks will compete in the Semi-Finals on May 8, with top teams advancing to the Grand Finale that same day.
Competition Tracks:
✅ Applied AI
✅ Healthcare Innovation
✅ Energy & Mobility
✅ DTC & Commerce
💡 Each track winner will receive a $1,000 prize, and all participants will be eligible for the People’s Choice Award, offering an additional opportunity to win $1,000 through audience voting.
📅 Timeline
Apr 10 — Applications open
Apr 24 — Applications close
May 1 — Semi-finalists announced
May 8 — Pitch Day (Semi-Finals + Grand Final)
Agenda:
12:00 – 1:00 PM — Mentor Mixer (Downstairs Courtyard)
Connect 1:1 with experienced mentors, investors, and operators organized by track — Applied AI, Healthcare Innovation, Energy & Mobility, and DTC & Commerce.
1:00 PM — Welcome & Introductions (Sunstone Stage, Upstairs)
1:00 – 2:17 PM — Semi-Finals Session 1: Applied AI & Healthcare Innovation
2:17 – 2:30 PM — Break & Networking
2:30 – 3:39 PM — Semi-Finals Session 2: Energy & Mobility & DTC & Commerce
3:39 – 3:49 PM — Judge Deliberation
3:50 PM — 8 Finalists Announced (2 per track)
Each team: 5 min pitch + 3 min Q&A in front of a live panel of expert judges.
Judge information:
Jerry Heikens Executive Director, TiE Los Angeles & TiE Los Angeles Angels
Jerry brings a rare blend of venture capital, entrepreneurship, and pitch strategy expertise. As Executive Director of TiE LA and an EIR at Chapman University, he specializes in helping early-stage founders communicate their value and build authentic investor relationships.
Anthony Young Angel Investor & Venture Capitalist
Anthony is a serial entrepreneur and early-stage investor with a sharp eye for emerging technologies across biotech, deep tech, proptech, and beyond. He focuses on visionary founders with the potential to redefine industries.
Isabelle Bart Founder, Impact Innovator | Startup Advisor
Isabelle has spent 20+ years helping impact-driven startups commercialize and scale. With deep experience across climate tech, sustainability, and the blue economy, she brings expertise in customer discovery, go-to-market strategy, and fundraising.
Cervantes Lee Faculty Director, Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Cal Poly Pomona
Cervantes brings academic and private sector firepower — including $100B+ acquisition experience — to the judging panel. He specializes in hospitality, restaurant, and real estate entrepreneurship.
Dan Fang Partner, Scaled Science Partners
Dr. Dan Fang brings a rare hybrid of scientific research, venture investing, and company building. With a PhD in electrochemistry from USC and an MBA from UCLA, she helps deep tech founders translate breakthrough science into scalable businesses across healthcare, energy, and advanced materials.
🌐 Learn more: irvinetechday.org
🙏 Special thanks to the UCI ANTrepreneur Center for their partnership and support.
If you’re building something — or thinking about it — this is where you show up.
Let’s move Irvine innovation forward — together.
Sunstone Management is an investment firm based in Irvine, California. We back founders and connect them with capital, customers, and public–private partners through programs like Sunstone Stage Connects and other ecosystem initiatives.
UC Irvine ANTrepreneur Center
As UC Irvine’s primary hub for entrepreneurial education, the center equips undergraduates with the skills, mindset, and resources to launch startups, grow professionally, and lead with purpose. Since its founding in 2014, the ANTrepreneur Center has provided hands-on programs, personalized mentorship, and access to cutting-edge campus resources—transforming students into the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders.
Disclaimer: This communication, the event, the presenters and all topics discussed herein and at the events discussed in this communication are for educational purposes only. No investment is being solicited and no investment advice is provided herein or will be provided at those events. For our registered investment adviser Sunstone Advisors, LLC, please visit www.sunstoneadvisor.com.