Irvine Inspired: Part 7 - Innovation & Entrepreneurism

Irvine Inspired pa r t 7 : e n t r e p r e n e u r i s m

A 10-part series celebrating the people and milestones in and around Great Park Neighborhoods as the community celebrates its 10th anniversary.

Irvine: A Hub for Jobs, Innovation and Entrepreneurism When Solis Park resident Robert Schafnitz was

dad’s brokerage and the insurance industry — until

growing up in Fullerton, his mom taught him a

he received a call from Farmers Insurance. With an

valuable lesson about entrepreneurism at age 9.

open mind and knowledge to support it, he decided to

Schafnitz didn’t get an allowance like some of his friends. His mom told him he had to work for it – and

pursue a career as an agent. Schafnitz now owns his own agency close to home.

that’s exactly what he did. It started with a paper

As a member of the Business Connect Club at Great

route. Then two… and three…seven days a week. On

Park Neighborhoods and through networking with

Saturdays, he rode his bike to his mom’s nail and

neighbors, he has since helped his community — and

beauty supply store to stock shelves and learn how a

many others regionally — find peace of mind with

business operates. He also learned valuable lessons

respect to their homes, cars, businesses and lives in

from his father, who had a very large insurance

general.

brokerage for more than 50 years.

“What keeps me going is how I feel when I help

His experience in the Navy after high school

someone and they are happy,” Schafnitz said. “I’ve

sharpened his self-discipline and work ethic even

learned over the decades how to be a problem solver

further. After leaving the military, he worked in the

and put the customer first in any business venture I

bicycle, mortgage and real estate industries.

chose to be involved in.”

Wanting to carve out a career path of his own instead

Schafnitz is an example of the talented workforce and

of working for his dad, he gravitated away from his

entrepreneurial culture that exists in Irvine.

Irvine’s

innovation ecosystem

Technology jobs are particularly abundant. The city

is supported by the Samueli Family Foundation, is

boasts more than 900 technology firms ranging

harnessing data and technology to create a healthier

from medical, biochemical, medical device, energy,

population. He is grateful for the diversity of people

fiber communications, cybersecurity, and advanced

and opportunities that exist in Irvine.

manufacturing.

“I am a first-generation immigrant and living in Irvine

Cadence Park resident Zeeshan Subzwari, who directs

and working in Orange County have certainly helped

a healthsocal.ai initiative that is led by Octane and

me achieve the American dream,” Subzwari said.

a haven for residents One of the more recent and continually

edge of Great Park Neighborhoods. The

evolving additions to Irvine’s reputation

land parcels — adjacent to FivePoint

as a job center is FivePoint Gateway, a

Gateway, Bake Parkway and the 5

four-building business and healthcare

freeway — represent what has become

hub near the Great Park and Irvine

a rare find within Irvine: entitled and

Transportation Center.

ready-to-develop commercial and

Located at the intersection of Barranca

industrial land for businesses looking

and Alton Parkways, FivePoint Gateway

to expand their operations in a highly-

is home to Broadcom, homebuilder

desirable location.

Lennar, and others. It also is the county

A grocery-anchored retail center off

headquarters to City of Hope Orange

Great Park Boulevard and Bosque was

County Lennar Foundation Cancer

also approved in November 2023. Once

Center, which is currently building an

completed, the neighborhood-serving

accompanying hospital dedicated solely

center will be a welcomed amenity and

to treating cancer that is planned to

another source of new jobs.

open in the coming years.

The city’s longstanding economic

To further serve the city’s employment

vitality, influx of high-growth industries,

base, FivePoint’s joint venture (Heritage

and low levels of unemployment are

Fields El Toro, LLC) recently received

just a few reasons why residents have

approvals for commercial land

chosen Irvine — and specifically Great

development along the southeastern

Park Neighborhoods — as their home.

The rise of an economic powerhouse Once considered a bedroom community of Los Angeles, Irvine now stands on its own as a major employment center and economic powerhouse within Southern California.

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, approximately 270,000 people work in Irvine and more than 22,000 companies have a business license in the city. Top global companies in a variety of industries have a presence in Irvine, including Google, Apple, Broadcom, Blizzard Entertainment, Johnson & Johnson, Edwards Lifesciences, Taco Bell, and Rivian.

The city’s largest employer, University of California, Irvine, was founded even before the incorporation of the City of Irvine itself. In total, there are more than 15 colleges, universities, and professional training and trades programs based in the city. All are important employers and feeders of new generations of talent into the local workforce.

“Irvine now stands on its own as a major employment center and economic powerhouse within Southern California.”

fun fact Irvine is home to offices of nearly half of the top 100 publicly traded U.S. companies.