Conrey Center for Entrepreneurship

12/11/2025

We just uploaded a new CSUF Startup Incubator workshop with Justin Sanders, Esq., Managing Partner at Master Key IP, and it’s one of the clearest breakdowns you’ll hear on:

• What you can actually patent
• How the first-to-file system works
• Why public disclosure can kill your patent rights
• Whether a provisional patent makes sense (and how to prepare one)
• How NDAs, contracts, and entity formation affect IP ownership
• What founders often get wrong in early legal decisions

If you want a practical, founder-friendly explanation of how to protect your invention before going to market, watch the full session here: https://youtu.be/-0S35ikX6nE?si=C1lEYK5PPRrLHv8s

Resources from the talk are included in the video description.

This is a strong one for early-stage founders, engineers, and anyone building tech who wants to avoid expensive IP mistakes. If you know someone working on a new product, feel free to pass it along.

Justin Sanders – Master Key IPPatent law firm specializing in startups and emerging technologies:https://www.masterkeyip.com/home.phpConnect with Justin on L...

12/09/2025

The Conrey Center for Entrepreneurship at Cal State Fullerton has just released a complete, free Social Entrepreneurship Course — now available on YouTube.

This seven-module series is designed for students, early-stage founders, and anyone interested in building ventures that blend profit with purpose.

Topics include:
• Understanding social enterprise
• Identifying meaningful social problems
• Designing and validating solutions
• Funding strategies
• Launching and scaling a mission-driven organization
• Managing the emotional realities of entrepreneurship and staying motivated

The course is taught by Victor Macias, a serial entrepreneur, Shark Tank alum, and CSUF Startup Incubator mentor, who shares practical strategies, tools, and real experiences from more than 15 years in the field.

All modules are free and include worksheets, frameworks, and actionable exercises.

Watch the full course here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIRXQq2vU8W36zOdzczacZTU8EmJmnbUz&si=JCCNAv9GnA-tVKFR

If you or someone you know is building an impact-focused venture, this is a great place to start.

12/03/2025

Patent Filing Considerations and Preparing Your Own Provisional Application with Justin Sanders, Esq.💡🔒
Tomorrow, Dec 3 from noon to 1pm Pacific on Zoom
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/patent-filing-considerations-and-preparing-your-own-provisional-application-tickets-1783227945789?aff=oddtdtcreator

If you’re building a product or technology, you need to know how to protect it. Tomorrow’s workshop breaks down the essentials of patent filing and shows you how to prepare your own provisional application without wasting time or money.

Justin Sanders, Managing Partner at Master Key IP, will cover:
• How to know if your idea is patentable
• Common mistakes founders make
• What a strong provisional application actually includes
• How to safeguard your IP before you launch

If you’re an entrepreneur, inventor, small business owner, or student working on something new, this hour will save you headaches later.

Hosted by the CSUF Startup Incubator

Register now to gain insights that can save you time, money, and your intellectual property.

11/20/2025

In this CSUF Startup Talk, Christopher K. Lee, MPH explores one of the most overlooked truths in entrepreneurship: your credibility determines the quality of your opportunities.

He explains:
Why attention must be earned, not requested
How credible recommendations and endorsements carry more weight than general praise
Why founders should take both praise and criticism “with a grain of salt,” especially from investors outside their domain
How substance—traction, users, revenue, progress—beats showmanship every time
How to build authentic bonds that lead to customers, investors, partners, and long-term collaborators

This talk offers a practical, human-centered approach to networking that helps founders build relationships based on trust, value, and credibility — not volume.

Chris' Book: https://www.amazon.com/Five-Elements-Professional-Networking/dp/1636987095LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisleemph/Substack: https://ch...

11/19/2025

We added a highlight video and pictures to our Titan Fast Pitch Finals 2025 Wrap Up! Take a look.

https://csuftitanfastpitch.com/past-events/celebrating-the-2025-titan-fast-pitch-finals/

11/18/2025

11/17/2025

The Key Elements of Professional Networking for Entrepreneurs
📅 Wednesday, November 19 | 🕛 12:00–1:00 PM (Pacific)
💻 Online via Zoom | 🎟️ Free to attend

Your success as a startup founder depends on who you know—and how you build relationships.

Join us for this week’s CSUF Startup Incubator Speaker Series event featuring Christopher K. Lee, MPH, author of The Five Elements of Professional Networking. Chris will share practical strategies for networking with purpose—so you can attract investors, customers, mentors, and collaborators more effectively.

You’ll learn how to:
✅ Identify the relationships that matter most for your growth
✅ Network intentionally and efficiently
✅ Strengthen connections that lead to opportunity
✅ Build long-term trust with investors and partners

Chris brings a unique perspective as both a lecturer at UCLA and a startup scout for GoAhead Ventures, combining deep experience in strategy, mentorship, and relationship-building.

🔗 Register now: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-key-elements-of-professional-networking-for-entrepreneurs-tickets-1830069149089?aff=oddtdtcreator

Your success as a startup founder depends on who you know and how you build relationships, learn how to network with purpose!

11/07/2025

💡 Unlock Workforce Funding for Small Businesses

Did you know there are public programs that can help your business hire, train, and retain employees—while saving money?

In this talk from the CSUF Startup Incubator Speaker Series, Cameron Cook from Coast Forward explains how to take advantage of workforce development programs, tax credits, and training reimbursements that can help your business grow without giving up equity or taking on loans.

Learn how to:
👉 Get connected to wage reimbursement and training programs
👉 Partner with colleges and workforce boards
👉 Simplify the process of applying and staying compliant

🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube:

Unlock Workforce Funding for Small BusinessesSpeaker: Cameron Cook, Founder & Managing Director of Coast Forwardhttps://linktr.ee/coastforwardHosted by: CSUF...

11/07/2025

The 2025 Titan Fast Pitch Finals brought together more than 300 students to share their big ideas in 90-second pitches at the Titan Student Union.

Congratulations to all participants, mentors, judges, and winners for an incredible day of innovation.

Read more: https://csuftitanfastpitch.com/past-events/celebrating-the-2025-titan-fast-pitch-finals/

This past Saturday, the Titan Student Union was filled with energy and innovation as more than 300 students from middle school, high school, and college competed in the 2025 Titan Fast Pitch Finals.

11/03/2025

Unlocking Workforce Funding for Small Businesses with Cameron Cook, Ed.D.

📅 Wednesday, November 5 | 🕛 12:00–1:00 PM Pacific | 💻 Zoom | 🎟️ Free

Hiring and retaining good people is one of the biggest challenges for small businesses and startups.

But here’s what many don’t know: there are publicly funded workforce programs that can help—offering wage reimbursements, paid internships, on-the-job training, and even tax credits to support your team’s growth.

Join Cameron Cook, Founder and Managing Director of Coast Forward, for a free CSUF Startup Incubator Speaker Series talk on how to tap into these resources and make hiring simpler, faster, and more cost-effective.

You’ll learn how to:
✅ Access local and state funding for hiring and training
✅ Navigate eligibility and compliance requirements
✅ Partner with workforce boards and colleges
✅ Simplify the hiring process through Coast Forward’s services

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, startup founder, or small business owner, this session will give you actionable insights into programs already designed to help your business thrive.

🔗 Register now: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/unlocking-workforce-funding-for-small-businesses-tickets-1824671524649?aff=oddtdtcreator

Learn how to tap into local and federal workforce programs that help small businesses hire, train, and retain employees—while saving money.

08/23/2025

🚀 How Woo Kim Turned a CSUF Engineering Degree into a Digital Networking Startup

Paper business cards are fading fast. Enter Lynkme Cards—a digital business card startup created by Woo Kim, a Cal State Fullerton Electrical Engineering alumnus who turned a simple question into a thriving business:

👉 Why are we still handing out paper cards in a digital world?

From Student to Startup Founder
While studying at CSUF, Woo noticed the inefficiency of paper cards. His curiosity led to a prototype—and later to the CSUF Startup Incubator, where mentors like Professor John Bradley Jackson, Phillip Stinis, and Atul Teckchandani encouraged him to test his idea. Competing in Titan Fast Pitch 2022, Woo’s concept earned 2nd place in the university division, validating the opportunity.

Building LynkMe
LynkMe smart cards let professionals share contact details instantly via NFC + QR, storing info directly into phones and CRMs. No reprints. No lost contacts. Always up to date.

Key features include:
✔️ Auto lead capture + CRM integrations (Google Sheets, 150+ CRMs via Zapier)
✔️ Analytics dashboards to track engagement
✔️ Eco-friendly alternative to 10B+ paper cards printed annually
✔️ Personalized branding + multimedia

Growth & Impact
What started in Woo’s apartment is now a team of 8, with five-figure monthly revenues and adoption across real estate and professional services. Realtors, in particular, value the efficiency of integrated lead management.

Lessons Learned
Woo’s journey offers key takeaways for founders:
Listen to customers—real feedback drives real innovation
Be adaptable—pivot and iterate quickly
Leverage mentorship—seek experienced advisors
Stay persistent—solve problems and deliver value

The Future
With plans to scale beyond real estate, Woo is on a mission to make networking smarter, greener, and more effective.

🔗 Learn more: www.lynkmesmartcards.com

Read the whole article by Curtis Chan at https://csufentrepreneurship.com/how-woo-kim-a-csuf-electrical-engineering-alumnus-created-lynkme-a-startup-digital-business-card-success-story/

By Curtis Chan Origins: From Engineer to Entrepreneur Woo Kim’s journey begins at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF), where he pursued a degree in Electrical Engineering. While his roots were firmly in technology, Woo’s curiosity led him to explore the intersection of engineering and ...