Events

Series Overview

Each year, the Smith Center organizes an event series with the UP! Club, where student entrepreneurs are mentored to create the perfect pitch for their startup. Students attend a series of workshops to develop their ideas and prepare to present to a panel of judges made up of VCs, entrepreneurs, CEOs, and industry leaders for a chance to win $10,000 in prizes.*

*Subject to CBE approval and not a cash prize.

Get Ready for Innovation Festival 2025!

Thursday, May 8th | 12:30 PM 鈥� 8:30 PM

Hosted at 麻豆蜜桃AV

In partnership with the Hayward Chamber of Commerce and 麻豆蜜桃AV SBDC

Join us for a full day of inspiration, innovation, and impact at one of the Bay Area’s most dynamic entrepreneurship events! Whether you're a student with a bold idea, an entrepreneur ready to pitch, or a professional eager to connect with tomorrow’s changemakers — this is the event for you.

What's in Store:

Opening Plenary: Technology & Leadership
Kick off the festival with a high-energy keynote on how innovation and leadership are evolving in today's tech-driven world.

Fireside Chats: Future Trends in Key Industries
Gain insider insights from industry leaders as they discuss the future of

Retail: Where commerce meets experience
Food: Innovations reshaping how we eat
Manufacturing: From automation to sustainability

Why Attend?

Sprouts Exclusive Session + Mini-Pitch Slam
Cheer on student food entrepreneurs as they pitch their product ideas for a chance to win a spot on the shelves at Sprouts Farmers Market!

Startup Pitch Competition
Watch emerging founders showcase their ventures in front of judges, mentors, and investors. The stakes? Prizes, exposure, and potential partnerships!

Award Ceremony & Alumni Networking Reception
Celebrate the most innovative ideas of the day and connect with our growing community of alumni, founders, and thought leaders in a relaxed, engaging setting.

Discover cutting-edge innovations and startups
Gain inspiration from real-world success stories
Expand your network with founders, professionals, and investors
Explore ways to get involved in the entrepreneurial ecosystem

Don’t miss your chance to be a part of this exciting journey toward the future of innovation! Whether you're looking to pitch, learn, hire, or invest—Innovation Festival 2025 is the place to be.

Let’s shape the future — together!

Start-It UP! Success Story

I can confidently say that the Smith Center's Start-It-Up! Series and pitch competition changed my life. Half a year prior to this Series, with the help of a team, I designed a card game that expands emotional intelligence, soft skills, and improves the quality of in-person communication. Playtesters loved it and there was a need for it in this world, but I didn't establish any plans to bring it to market because there was nothing giving me that direction and push. Then came the Start-It-Up! competition.

The Start-It-Up! Series gave me the opportunity to turn a passion project of mine into a career upon graduation. Participating in the workshops and winning second place in the competition fueled my ambition to dedicate my all to this product. I received fantastic mentorship from the Smith Center directors, Christian Roessler and Izzet Darendeli, and advisor Tim Wat. They genuinely cared about the success of our startup idea and provided constructive, practical feedback.

The workshops guide you in developing a business around your idea through an accelerated process which is challenging yet rewarding. We accomplished so much in such a short amount of time. The opportunity to conquer a challenge like this simply isn't possible in a typical classroom setting. The pitch competition was the highlight of my student experiene.

Sophia (Romanov) Weissman, CEO of Jest

Past Finalists

Start-It-UP! offers students at Cal State 麻豆蜜桃AV a place to collaborate, innovate and support each other's aspirations; whether that is creating their own start-up or working with a team to realize theirs.

Read the full story.