Alan Llavore | Office of Marketing and Communications | (909) 537-5007 | allavore@csusb.edu
Cal State San Bernardino’s Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE) recently hosted two events celebrating student entrepreneurs and business owners in the community.
On Nov. 14, the annual Garner Holt Student Fast Pitch Competition, which took place in Redlands, drew a crowd of approximately 200 attendees, including students, faculty and community supporters. This annual event provided a platform for aspiring student entrepreneurs to present their business ideas in a 90-second pitch format, judged on preparation, poise, and professionalism.
The competition featured a keynote speech by Garner Holt, the founder of Garner Holt Productions, a global leader in animatronics manufacturing. Holt shared his journey as an entrepreneur, inspiring attendees to pursue their dreams with determination.
Ahmed Burgos, an alternate semi-finalist, was a standout of the evening. When two semi-finalists were unable to participate, Burgos seized the opportunity to present his pitch and went on to win the People’s Choice Award, sponsored by the San Bernardino County Economic Development Agency.
Mike Stull, founding organizer of the event and director of IECE and CSUSB’s School of Entrepreneurship, emphasized the event's significance.
“The Garner Holt Fast Pitch Competition is an incredibly impactful experience for our students because it gives them an opportunity to apply their entrepreneurial learning in real time,” Stull said. “Through the process, they learn the skill of pitching a startup concept and hone their venture based on feedback from entrepreneurs and investors.”
A week later, on Nov. 22, five finalists from the Garner Holt Fast Pitch Competition had the honor of presenting their pitches at the annual Spirit of the Entrepreneur Awards Gala at the Riverside Convention Center. This black-tie event, dubbed "the Oscars of Local Business," brought together over 850 business and community leaders to celebrate entrepreneurship in the Inland Empire.
The five student finalists who showcased their ventures at the awards gala were Alexis Luna (venture: Skill Swipe), Amanda Spencer (venture: Shopee), Analis Mustelier (venture: Safe Maps), Brianna Lee (venture: Campus Cravings) and Miguel Macias (venture: Opposite). The competition's top three prizes were awarded to:
- 1st Place: Alexis Luna, Skill Swipe
- 2nd Place: Analis Mustelier, Safe Maps
- 3rd Place: Brianna Lee, Campus Cravings
The gala also celebrated local entrepreneurs across various industries, recognizing their contributions to the region’s economic growth.
Stull, who also serves as the founding organizer of the gala, remarked, “The aim of the gala is to put the economic heroes of our region — innovative and risk-taking entrepreneurs — center-stage, to be recognized and celebrated.”
