We’re excited to announce the Lightning Talk Speakers that will be sharing a quick run-down of their organization and how they directly support founders and entrepreneurs in our startup ecosystem. From educational institutions to alternative venture firms, to pitch practice and incubators. Learn about local resource partners that are here to help founders thrive.
Give a warm welcome to our Lightning Talk Speakers:
Tre Braquet, Chief Brand & Engagement Officer, at Connect
Connect is a premier non-profit organization in San Diego, founded in 1985 by UC San Diego, that fosters a top-tier innovation ecosystem. It supports technology and life science companies with mentorship, capital access, and networking, aiming to build a global innovation hub. Connect is part of the SBDC network.
Karen Bryant, Hospitality & Community Engagement Manager at BBB
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) Serving the Pacific Southwest (including San Diego) is a non-profit organization that fosters an ethical marketplace by connecting consumers with trustworthy businesses. It provides accredited business reviews, dispute resolution, scam tracking, and educational resources. The San Diego office offers local business support, networking, and the “Ignite” innovation space.
Breann Branch, Southern California Outreach Coordinator, Qualcomm: The Inventor’s Patent Academy (TIPA), Adjunct Professor & Researcher, College of Innovation – Professional & Graduate Studies
Presented by Invent Together, The Inventor’s Patent Academy is a free e-learning course created to help people understand patenting and intellectual property (IP), and to equip them to apply for their own patents. It also explores some of the challenges that inventors – particularly women, people of color, individuals with lower incomes, people with disabilities, and other historically underrepresented inventors – may face and provides tools to overcome them.
Ryan Kuder, Founder at Founders & Co.
Founders & Co. is a private, membership-based community in North County San Diego (Encinitas) designed for entrepreneurs, investors, and startup professionals to connect, collaborate, and build. Launched by former Techstars Director Ryan Kuder, it serves as a “clubhouse” for local founders to network and grow.
Shane Moise, Founding Director at UC San Diego Horizon & Assistant Director of Entrepreneurship
The UC San Diego Office of Innovation and Commercialization (OIC) drives social and economic prosperity by accelerating the transformation of campus research into real-world impact. It supports students, faculty, and staff in developing a diverse entrepreneurial culture, managing intellectual property, and fostering industry partnerships to bring innovations to market.
Alexandra Renée Poelstra, Chapter Director at Startup Grind
Startup Grind San Diego is the local chapter of the world’s largest community for entrepreneurs, designed to educate, inspire, and connect founders. Part of a global network powered by Google for Entrepreneurs, it hosts regular events to foster innovation, provide mentorship, and support the local San Diego startup ecosystem.
Cathy Pucher, Executive Director of Entrepreneurship Initiatives, SDSU
The SDSU Lavin Entrepreneurship Center, located in San Diego, is a top-ranked, award-winning hub providing students, faculty, and entrepreneurs with resources to launch businesses, including a one-year program, mentorship, workshops, and seed funding. Situated in the Engineering and Interdisciplinary Sciences complex, it fosters innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and real-world skills.
Aras Sheikhi, CEO at Janus Innovation Hub
Janus Innovation Hub in San Diego, founded in 2024, is a startup incubator specializing in supporting first-generation, immigrant, and underrepresented founders to build scalable, investor-ready ventures. They provide tailored mentorship, market entry, and funding access for sectors like AI, healthtech, and social enterprise, including specific programs for neurotech.
Steve Sivitz, Mentor, Chair of Community Engagement at SCORE
SCORE San Diego is a nonprofit organization and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) partner providing free, confidential business mentoring and low-cost workshops to entrepreneurs and small business owners in San Diego and Imperial Counties. Supported by over 90 experienced volunteers, it helps businesses with planning, marketing, and growth through in-person, email, or video sessions.
Andy White, Founder at Buyback Ventures
BuyBack Ventures is a San Diego-based, specialized investment firm created by Keshif Ventures and Crescent Ridge Ventures that offers a “reverse venture” funding model for bootstrapped, profitable, or capital-efficient businesses. It allows founders to use profits to buy back equity, aiming for 98% ownership, with investments typically ranging from $50,000 to $500,000.
Join us for 1st Mondays on March 2nd at Kiln Rancho Bernardo!
Meet these lightning talk speakers and the organizations they represent at the 1st Mondays – Startup Ecosystem Showcase presented by ADP at Kiln Rancho Bernardo. Enjoy an evening of networking, startup expos, and a chance to connect with some amazing founders in the community.
