Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Splash Technologies has been selected as a Top 4 Finalist in the Sacramento Kings Capitalize startup competition! Our automated pool-chemical monitoring platform has been recognized for its potential to revolutionize the pool maintenance industry. Fan voting is open and runs through April 9, 2025. Your support can help us secure the $10,000 top prize to further develop our technology (specifically hardware development and marketing material). Cast your vote for Splash Technologies by visiting the Capitalize: Tech voting page. https://lnkd.in/gnhn5qY8 Thank you for your continued support and make sure to vote for Splash Technologies! Gabriel Sigala Rain Sun Jeremy R. Sam Louderback Thomas Wicklund Omri Steinberg-Tatman Dalton Stierli Dara Yazdani

We are excited to announce our Circular Economy Innovation Competition Finalists! We have nine finalists ready to take the stage and compete for $20K in cash awards from the Western Placer Waste Management Authority as well as in-kind support from Mike Brown, CEO of Impact Grove Corporation. Our Finalists: - Biochosen: turns organic waste into biodegradable and compostable packaging materials. (Mohammad Tajparast) - TerraNova Bio: is revolutionizing polyurethane (PUR) recycling with a sustainable solution. (Jacob Somera) - Ecofirebuster: is a next-generation, biodegradable wildfire retardant that leverages nanotechnology and circular economy principles by integrating waste-derived biochar and eco-friendly biopolymers. (Lakpa Sherpa) - ENTEIN Alternative: grows high quality black soldier fly larvae as animal feed and pet food protein supplements. (William Burns) - EcoAct Tanzania: Developed a chemical free technology to convert ocean waste plastics and post-consumer packaging waste into quality sustainable materials for furniture, building and construction applications (Christian M.) - CRDC GLOBAL: is changing the destiny of hard-to-recycle plastic waste in North America with RESIN8™ recycled content, a new category of green building materials that lightens the environmental footprint of plastic disposal, so people and planet can prosper. (Ross Gibby) - Nexstera Tech: the future of unified waste intelligence. With AI-driven detection, we cut contamination, prevent overfill, and ensure enforcement where it matters. (Penny Lane Case) - Lorna M Designs: transforms reclaimed textiles like jeans, tablecloths, and bicycle inner tubes into stylish, functional fashion bags and clothing. (Lorna Miser) - FLUID: transforms through innovative systems, we repurpose textiles into pet beds, donate usable items, and responsibly dispose of waste, reducing landfill impact and fostering sustainable habits. (Teresa Delgado) Join us on April 16th to hear them pitch and compete for the prize money: https://lnkd.in/g6UUfMBR #circulareconomy #innovation #repurposevalue #wastetovalue Sacramento Entrepreneurial Growth Alliance Greater Sacramento Economic Council StartupSac CleanStart Growth Factory FourthWave.io Emily Hoffman Cameron R. Law Arlene J. Miranda Laura Good Thomas Hall Gary Simon Ryan Todd Laura Gonzalez Ospina Joshua Maddox Meg Arnold Cheryl Beninga Holly Tiche Carlos Nevarez Samantha Blackburn Lisa Hammersley Rafael A.C.D. Gacel-Sinclair

As we close out the final day of Q1 2025, we are excited about all the amazing work that has taken place to start the year but are even more thrilled about what is to come. Be sure to check out this week's e-newsletter where we highlight all of the #startup and small business happenings in the Greater Sacramento region. We are geared up for the launch of: - The Startup Board Development Series led by Kim Box - starting on April 8th running each Tuesday from 11:30 am to 1 pm - Circular Economy Innovation Competition - Join us to see our 8 finalists pitch on April 16th to compete for $20K from the Western Placer Waste Management Authority - We are excited to offer a new workshop led by Mike Brown on Making Your Company a Magnet for A-Players - session will take place on May 9th through Zoom #startup #startupresources #ecosystem #entrepreneurship

▶️ Office Hours Replay w/ Co-Founders of TLVA — Josh David Miller & Cameron R. Law — Pivots, Pitfalls & What to Do Next You ran the experiments... The data’s back... Now what? In this week’s Traction Lab Office Hours, they talked through one of the most misunderstood parts of startup life: #pivots. Not the buzzwordy kind — the real, messy kind that happens when traction slips and something has to change. We covered: 🔄 The 3 types of pivots (minor, major, existential) 🧭 How to know which one you’re actually making 🧠 Why most founders botch the story when talking to investors 🚧 What to do when an experiment flops ⚠️ The silent danger of stacking small pivots that quietly derail your startup If you’re navigating a tough call or questioning your current direction — this one’s worth the listen. 🎥 Catch the replay here: https://lnkd.in/gF8wkcv3 📅 Join live every Friday at noon PT on Substack #startups #traction #pivot #founders #startupstrategy #earlystage #productmarketfit #TLVA #officehours Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship The Right Box StartupSac Startup Challenge Growth Factory Sacramento Entrepreneurship Academy Startup Grind Sacramento MedStart Startup Folsom Zero to Traction

Are Your Startup Metrics Telling You the Truth—or Just Lying to Make You Feel Better? In the latest Zero to Traction episode, Josh David Miller and Cameron R. Law ask the tough question: Are you measuring real traction—or just vanity metrics wrapped in glitter glue and good intentions? From 3,000-person waitlists to Product Hunt upvotes and MOUs with BigCo logos, we break down the most common "metrics" founders brag about—and why they often don’t mean what you think they do. A few truths they unpack in the blog: 📉 A massive waitlist doesn’t matter if no one’s actually paying. 🚫 Upvotes ≠ users. Product Hunt isn’t a growth strategy. 💼 An MOU with a big enterprise? Might just be corporate cosplay. #startups #zerototraction #vanitymetrics #founderadvice #productmarketfit #earlystagefounders #growthstrategy https://lnkd.in/gZ5tFS4K

🎉 Drumroll, please! We’re thrilled to announce the Top 25 Finalist Teams for e-Fest® - Home of The Schulze Entrepreneurship Challenge® 2025 — selected from nearly 200 submissions across North America! These talented undergraduate entrepreneurs will head to Minneapolis April 24–26 to pitch for a share of $220,000 in cash prizes, plus two new $5,000 awards recognizing Impact and Market Readiness. 🚀 From AI‑powered smart glasses to eco‑friendly innovations and life‑changing medical devices, these student startups are redefining what’s possible. We couldn’t be prouder of every team for their creativity, grit, and dedication to solving real‑world problems. 👏 👉 Join us in congratulating the Top 25 Finalists and cheering them on as they compete for the top prize! Drop a 👏 in the comments, share this post, and follow e-Fest® - Home of The Schulze Entrepreneurship Challenge® on LinkedIn for live updates, winner announcements, and inspiring stories from the competition floor. Aldental BiliRoo BRCĒ DisposeOil Eluth emPATCH Granite State Systems Helwa Fragrance LENSAI LetAllGirls LockGuard Métopi Morph Labs MY SALON Suite Pathway Oncology PlayVision QTex AI Inc. SentrySight SparkFluence Splash Technologies SurfStick LLC Sync Labs Technotonin TouchStone #eFest2025 #StudentEntrepreneurs #Innovation #PitchCompetition #Entrepreneurship https://lnkd.in/g_xkPN29

We are thrilled to present the Startup Board Development Series – a 3-part workshop designed to help founders like YOU leverage the value of startup and advisory boards throughout your entrepreneurial journey. Led by Kim Box, accomplished Independent Board Director and Carlsen Center Advisory Board Member, this hands-on series will demystify board structures, mechanics, and strategies for engagement at every stage — from seed to scale to exit. 📅 Workshop Schedule: ✅ April 8 – Board Overview Learn the role of boards at different stages (Seed, Growth, Series A+, Acquisition/IPO) and how to build the right one for your venture. ✅ April 15 – Board Mechanics Master the ins and outs of effective board operations — cadence, agendas, communications, and decision-making strategy. ✅ April 22 – Founder & Board Member Panel Hear firsthand from seasoned founders and board members about what works, what doesn’t, and how to build a high-impact board. 🎤 About the Speaker: Kim Box From VP at HP to CEO scaling a healthcare startup by 500%, Kim brings a wealth of board experience and operational leadership. Currently serving on public boards (NASDAQ: AMRB & MGRC), she’s an expert in digital transformation, governance, and scaling high-growth companies. Register Here: https://lnkd.in/gcC8uvcX #boards #boarddevelopment #advisoryboards #startups #governance #advisorysupport StartupSac Traction Lab Venture Accelerator Sacramento Metro Chamber Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce California Capital Financial Development Corporation Sacramento Valley SBDC Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce NAWBO Sacramento Valley Chapter FourthWave.io Growth Factory CleanStart AgStart Sacramento Entrepreneurial Growth Alliance Sacramento Entrepreneurship Academy Veteran Entrepreneur Tribe of Sacramento (VETS)

Excited to share my experience with the Startup Challenge run by Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship ! Joined the team Box Loop Throughout this challenge, I conducted extensive marketing research through customer interviews, gaining valuable insights into how to pivot business ideas effectively. This hands-on experience helped me refine hypotheses, assess market demand, and strategize next steps for growth. One of the most rewarding parts was creating a comprehensive presentation, where I communicated key takeaways, major pivots, and what areas needed further exploration. This challenge reinforced the importance of adaptability, customer feedback, and data-driven decision-making in entrepreneurship. Grateful for the opportunity to collaborate, learn, and sharpen my skills in business innovation along with marketing. Looking forward to applying these insights to future projects! Lastly would love to thank my team along with everyone involved with the event Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship from hosts, coaches, mentors, and more for this amazing 48 hour opportunity! #StartupChallenge #MarketingResearch #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #BusinessGrowth

Another weekend of learning startups by actually building one in the books! We were thrilled to have some many entrepreneurs plug into our Spring Startup Challenge! Over the weekend we had 75+ entrepreneurs engage the weekend and advance 19 startups. We were proud to see existing startups make massive pivots, identify key pricing signals, and gain new UI/UX insights to advance further product development. In addition to this we loved seeing new teams form and see these teams go from idea to validation with actual pre-orders. It is always validation at a weekend of #traction to see teams make forward progress and get customers to pay in less than 48 hours. Congratulations to our Winners! Traction Cohort 1st Place - Purple Door Finders 2nd Place - Storiel AI Student Traction Cohort 1st Place - Rescue Eats 2nd Place - NutraCompass Catalyst 1st Place - Victory Garden 2nd Place - ZAZ LABS Thank you to our organizer team: Josh David Miller, Laura Good, Arlene J. Miranda, and Cameron R. Law for stewarding this weekend of building and creating an environment that fostered forward progress and a willingness to be uncomfortable. We are also grateful for our coaches: Brian K. Gladden, Jessie Becker Alexander, Marc Krichman, Brian Hoblit, and Kyle Kaneshiro. Additionally, we appreciate our volunteers: Sukhamrit Kaur Khehra, Gabriel O., Chris Anderson, Anne Bradley, Theresa Abah, and Celina Kim. We hope you all plug in to our next Startup Challenge which will be taking place the week of Sept. 26th through 30th! #StartupChallenge #startups #build #launch #customerdiscovery

New Episode Drop: Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall - If your metrics only look good in soft lighting and a flattering filter… you might be startup catfishing. 🐟💄 In this spicy new episode of Zero to Traction, Josh David Miller (JDM), Cameron R. Law, and your favorite digital co-host Cass stand in front of the proverbial mirror and ask the hard question: 👉 Are your metrics reflecting real traction — or just glitter-glued delusions? 🎧 Listen if you’ve ever asked yourself... ✅ Is a 3,000-person waitlist traction or a dream? ✅ Does a Product Hunt launch signal product-market fit or just great theater? ✅ Are those MOUs momentum — or mirages? ✅ Can I actually repeat this? Because traction isn’t about the biggest number on your slide deck — it’s about repeatable, behavior-driven signals that actually lead to growth. 💬 Cass said it best: “If your startup metrics were dating profiles, half of them would just say ‘loves long walks on the beach’ with a blurry photo from 2016.” 😬 Also inside: 📝 Cameron considers starting a support group for underused Remarkables 💫 JDM tries not to use glittery metaphors ⚡️ Cass comes in extra spicy 📢 Founder Love: A Startup Challenge participant texted us during this recording: “This was another breakthrough for me.” Another. Freaking. Breakthrough. That’s what we live for. 👀 Give it a listen — and if it hits, share it with a founder who’s ready to see their business clearly. 🎙️ https://lnkd.in/gzibT_jC 🔁 Repost to help us grow the pod ❤️ Follow Zero to Traction for more honest founder truths #ZeroToTraction #StartupTraction #Founders #StartupMetrics #NoMoreVanityMetrics #Podcast #ProductMarketFit #StartupTips #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #FounderJourney Carlsen Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship Traction Lab Venture Accelerator The Right Box StartupSac Startup Grind Sacramento