Cal Poly Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Did you know Grinds Coffee Pouches started at Cal Poly? 💡 Co-founder Pat Pezet and his teammate Matt Canepa first pitched their idea at iQ — and won. This EntrepreneurTip Tuesday, hear from Pat on why making mistakes is essential to learning from them. 🚀

Finals week is here, Mustangs. You made it. 🐎📚 Between the long study sessions and the heat this week, don’t forget to take care of yourself! Find a cool, quiet place where you can focus, recharge, and power through those last finals. We’re cheering you on. 💛

Got an idea you’ve been building at Cal Poly? 🚀 iQ is your chance to turn that idea into a real venture, with up to $15K in prize funding! ⏳ Don’t wait — applications close TONIGHT, March 13 at 11:59 p.m. Apply here: bit.ly/40fqGRV

🚨 Innovation Quest applications are DUE TOMORROW! 🚨 This is your last chance to compete for up to $15K in funding, gain mentorship and turn your idea into real momentum. 🚀Take the leap and submit before 11:59 p.m. tomorrow, March 13th. ⏳ Apply today: bit.ly/40fqGRV

An evening of community and support of innovation on the Central Coast. ✨ Thank you to Bill and Francie Doak for hosting supporters and local leaders at their home to celebrate new investments in entrepreneurship! 🚀

Kevin Rice (Ag Business ’07) met his future business partner during WOW Week — and that friendship turned into Hathway, a digital agency later acquired in 2021. 🤝 Read the full spotlight to see how Cal Poly helped shape their path: alumni.calpoly.edu/news/wow-learn…

⏳ ONE WEEK left to apply to Innovation Quest. ⏳ Compete for up to $30K in funding, gain mentorship and join a community of student founders ready to turn ideas into action. 🚀 Don’t miss your chance! Apply today: bit.ly/40fqGRV

Ready to define your future? ✨ Join the Cal Poly Women in Business Association for the 11th annual Defining Her Future Conference. 📅 March 6 | ⏰ 8 AM–3 PM | PAC Grab your ticket today: eventbrite.com/e/defining-her…

This month, the CIE is proud to celebrate Black History Month by spotlighting incredible Black-owned businesses right here in San Luis Obispo County. 🤎 ✨ Read more: cie.calpoly.edu/celebrate-blac…

What a weekend at Builder Bootcamp! 🔥 Huge shoutout to everyone who participated and helped make the weekend a success. 👏 Learn more about Builder Bootcamp and the participants here: cie.calpoly.edu/news/builder-b…

Join us and the CIE SBDC for AngelCon 2026 to watch six tech-driven startups pitch for life-changing equity funding. 🚀 🎟️ Early Bird pricing ends March 3, with in-person tickets at $65 and virtual tickets at just $10. Get tickets today: angelcon2026.eventbrite.com/?aff=CIEsocial

For many people with food allergies, eating out can feel unsafe. That’s what inspired three founders to build SafePlate Technologies, restoring trust in the food supply chain. 🍽️ Read more: cie.calpoly.edu/safeplate-tech…

Today’s EntrepreneurTIP Tuesday comes from former Accelerator participant Eli Lazar (Business Administration ’25). Through his experience in the program, Eli learned that growth in entrepreneurship often starts with humility, being willing to ask questions and stay open-minded.🚀

This week, Dr. Umut Toker and 20 @calpolyCAED architecture students toured our new space at 1144 Chorro and met with CIE Incubator teams to explore what makes an effective innovation space. Thank you to Dr. Toker and his students for the thoughtful exchange!

Did you know that Swanton Pacific Ranch is 3,200 acres large?! 👀 As a nonprofit, we are proud to support more than 300 campus programs, just like this one 🐴 Want to learn more about this program? See the link below! spranch.calpoly.edu #CalPolyPartners #CalPolyCafes

iQ 2026 is underway! 🚀 As we kick off the next chapter of iQ, take a look back at the 20-year legacy that built it. 🔗 Read the story: magazine.calpoly.edu/winter-2026/wh… 🔗 Learn more about iQ 2026: bit.ly/3LDJRkE

💬 Words of Wisdom Wednesday 💬 👠 Haley Pavone, founder of Pashion Footwear and the 2017 Innovation Quest winner, reflects on how iQ helped turn her idea—the world’s first fully convertible heel-to-flat shoe—into a real company. Learn more here: bit.ly/3LDJRkE

Huge congrats to Incubator team GreenSight Tech on winning $40K from The Westly Prize! 🎉 GreenSight is redefining electronics recycling with AI-powered automation that helps facilities make smarter, faster routing decisions, maximizing recovery value while reducing e-waste.

🚨 TOMORROW! 🚨 Our final iQ info session is happening in just ONE day. 📅 Tuesday, February 3 🕕 6–7 p.m. 📍 Fisher Science (33, 286) Hear how past finalist Devscribe used iQ to grow their idea.💻 💡 Learn more: bit.ly/3LDJRkE

We heard 2016 is trending again, so let's rewind. 📸 This is what building the future looked like 10 years ago (and we're still at it 😉). A lot has changed in ten years, but our mission to support student innovators has stayed the same. 💡