Entrepreneurship Initiatives
Fiscal Year 2024-2025
Dear Donor,
We are deeply grateful for the generous support from our advisory board, donors, and extended community.
This year brought exciting growth across SDSU’s entrepreneurship programs. The ZIP Launchpad supported over 60 student-, staf-, and faculty-led teams and had startups compete in fve competitions across the U.S. With donor support, we expanded the ZIP Launchpad H.G. Fenton Idea Lab for Rapid Prototyping and awarded nearly $30,000 in seed funding to twelve promising teams.
The Lavin Entrepreneurship Program expanded access to students at all academic levels, creating a dynamic cohort of 29 students. Highlights included expert-led sessions on AI, visits to Qualcomm, and meaningful mentorship opportunities. Our interns also played key roles in major initiatives like the California Entrepreneurship Educators Conference (CEEC) and the San Diego Angel Conference (SDAC).
Across both programs, we emphasized building the entrepreneurial mindset and saw students grow into founders, innovators, and leaders. Philanthropy drives this impact—thank you for making it possible
Cathy Pucher Executive Director, Entrepreneurship Initiatives
Propelling the SDSU Community Forward
Alex and Amy DeNoble FCB Entrepreneurship Bequest
The Fowler College of Business received a generous bequest to establish an endowed scholarship to support student scholarships in entrepreneurship.
Zahn Innovation Launchpad
Corporate donations to the ZIP Launchpad general and educational opportunity program fund supported student fellowships. This support provides stipends to frst generation college students to receive exposure to entrepreneurship through shadowing our E-Track program.
Aztec Cooperative Fund
Generous donors came together in support of the Aztec Cooperative Fund to provide paid internships for student interns for ZIP Launchpad teams.
Thriving in the Aztec Experience
Sandy
Basaka, Class of 2026
Class Level: Undergraduate Student
College: Fowler College of Business
Major: Finance
The ZIP Launchpad is flled with mentors and professionals whose mission is to support SDSU students through their entrepreneurial journeys. They don’t hand you the "right" path—there is no single, right path. Instead, they give you the tools, advice, knowledge, and encouragement to help you carve your own.
That’s what makes ZIP Launchpad so special. They know that entrepreneurship isn’t about following a blueprint—it’s about solving problems, facing uncertainty, and growing through every decision. They meet you where you are, help you frame the challenges you're facing, and give you the resources to fgure out your next move.
What I truly admire about ZIP staf is how much they care. Their drive to support student entrepreneurs goes beyond just giving advice. They cheer for you, push you, and celebrate every win with you. They became some of my biggest supporters.
To everyone at ZIP Launchpad and to all my mentors, thank you. You’ve helped shape my business, UniExchange, into what it is today, and I’m forever grateful to be part of this amazing community.
[ZIP Launchpad meets] you where you are, help you frame the challenges you're facing, and give you the resources to fgure out your next move.
Michael Hayes, Class of 2026
Class Level: Undergraduate Student College: College of Sciences
Major: Computer Science
As computer science students, we are hyper-focused on creating a foundational, technical understanding of code and design structures in our classes. The traditional academic lens empowers us to be strong programmers who use code to solve technical problems.
The HG Fenton Lab has empowered me to be an efective software engineer who considers user-centered design and can manage multiple developers working together.
Additionally, collaborating with a cohort of multidisciplinary interns allows me to learn how both a graphic designer and an engineer approach a problem. By iterating quickly and prototyping diferent projects, I’ve learned that the user beneft of a feature is a stronger indicator of engineering competency than the feature’s programmatic complexity.
On campus, I am involved in the eLeet Coders club and The Daily Aztec student newspaper, and I hope to integrate my creative and technical interests in a career as a software engineer.
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The HG Fenton Lab has empowered me to be an efective software engineer who considers user-centered design and can manage multiple developers working together.
Kira Rittmuller, Class of 2028
Class
Level: Undergraduate Student College: Fowler College of Business
Major: Management
During the fall semester, I explored the world of venture capital through weekly meetings for the Venture Capital Investment Competition, taught by Robert Schulte—an inspiring entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and teacher.
I'm also a member of the Lavin Entrepreneurship Program, where I’ve gained entrepreneurial skills, received career guidance from mentors, participated in the Social Venture Challenge, and learned about ZIP Launchpad’s seed fund. One mentor even helped me launch my jewelry business, MiLa Jewelry, by guiding me through getting a seller’s permit and handling logistics.
As an intern with Lavin, I help manage logistics, plan events, and support the San Diego Angel Conference. Both my internship and the Lavin Program have given me incredible opportunities to connect with entrepreneurs, startups, and professionals in my feld. The Center has truly transformed my SDSU experience and accelerated my career. As a business management major focused on entrepreneurship, I’m so grateful to have this resource on campus!
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The [Lavin Entrepreneurship Center] has truly transformed my SDSU experience and accelerated my career.
Celebrating Shared Success
Recent Rankings
U.S. News & World Report ranks SDSU's entrepreneurship program 14th among public universities and 35th overall.
Statistics of Interest
San Diego State University has been nationally recognized as one of the top institutions for entrepreneurial education, with the Lavin Entrepreneurship Center consistently ranked among the leading university-based entrepreneurship programs in the country.
Startups & Funding: ZIP Launchpad has launched 42 startups, raising $72M+, generating $45M revenue, and securing $111K in awards last year. A total of 528 startup teams have come through the program.
Internships: 60+ student interns are hired each year via the Aztec Cooperative Fund to assist startups and operations.
Events: Hosted 11 public startup education events, including 5 alumni Startup Stories talks. Applications: Over 150 applications received; 30+ teams accepted. College of Sciences applications increased by 5%.
Recent Highlights
This spring, SDSU Entrepreneurship Initiatives held the 3rd annual 2025 SDSU Social Venture Challenge presented by Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation, a cross-campus competition tackling food security. Eight interdisciplinary teams from fve Southern California colleges pitched innovative solutions to improve regional food access.
Our new presenting sponsor supported both the competition and Brightside, a foodsecurity-focused startup led by Fowler College of Business faculty member and Zahn Professor of Innovation Dr. Iana Castro, deepening their investment in sustainable, community-driven solutions.
The $15,000 grand prize went to Grown-Home from San Diego Miramar College, led by Eddie Zaldivar and his daughter Marie. Their app connects MEHKO owners, backyard growers, and small food entrepreneurs with consumers.
In total, more than $35,000 in prizes and support were awarded, thanks to Sprouts, the Fowler College of Business, and the Division of Research and Innovation. Finalists also received follow-up mentorship to scale their ventures.
SDSU teams excelled. Second Course, led by Daniel Self and Gavin Bartow, won third place ($5,000) for an app redistributing leftover campus food to fght hunger and waste. Vital Tidal, led by Jesse Baker and Stacey Lehrer, earned the Greatest Social Impact Award ($3,000) for a nutrient-dense meal replacement shake.
Iana Castro, Ph.D.
Title: Professor, Marketing Department College: Fowler College of Business Achievement: Dr. Iana Castro was named SDSU's Zahn Professor of Creativity and Innovation.
The award provides two years of support to enhance innovation and entrepreneurship eforts by creating new learning opportunities for students across all majors.
In this role, she brought food security topics to over 30 classrooms in Fall 2024.
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Congratulations to Dr. Iana Castro, SDSU’s Zahn Professor of Creativity and Innovation—empowering students across disciplines and bringing food security education to over 30 classrooms!