The Brink SBDC

🚨Attention startup founders! This is your reminder to apply to the SDSU 2025 San Diego Angel Conference (SDAC). Submit your application and fee by TODAY to secure your spot—you can still make edits afterward! 🚨 Over the course of 12 weeks, investors will evaluate applications and select finalists to pitch at the San Diego Angel Conference on June 5. The winner will receive an angel-backed investment and gain access to a powerful investor network, fostering a vibrant innovation ecosystem that supports both investors and entrepreneurs in achieving success. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/geX9WfEJ #SDAC2025 #StartupFunding #SanDiegoStartups San Diego & Imperial SBDC Network, Natalia Pence, Esq.,Jerice O'Malley, Maisha Cobb, PhD, MBA, Pankaj Kedia, Martin Gleeson PhD., Bobby Edelman, Amy Duncan, Dr. Jo Polich, Matt Hutton, PE, PMP, Randy Schreckhise, Silvia Mah PhD, MBA, Benton Moore, Ohad Tzur, Jay Kunin, Gerry Widmer, Prasad Sunkara, Ph. D, Jonathan Irwin, MBA

🌟 Celebrating a year of impact! In 2024, Connect helped drive innovation in San Diego through funding, mentorship, and strategic connections. The numbers tell a powerful story—check out the 2024 Impact Report to see the progress we’ve made together. 🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/g8y28dVF

Investor relations are key to raising capital and building lasting partnerships. 🔑 Join Brink Advisor Silvia Mah PhD, MBA, for this workshop focused on building connections with investors. Adopting a more strategic approach to investor relations practices can support a healthier and more prosperous investor-relations pathway. In this workshop, you’ll explore 10 best practices for developing an impactful approach to investor relations in a constructive and supportive environment. Register today: https://lnkd.in/eveDmkmb #InvestorRelations #StartupGrowth #TheBrinkSBDC San Diego & Imperial SBDC Network, Natalia Pence, Esq.,Jerice O'Malley, Maisha Cobb, PhD, MBA, Pankaj Kedia, Martin Gleeson PhD., Bobby Edelman, Amy Duncan, Dr. Jo Polich, Matt Hutton, PE, PMP, Randy Schreckhise, Silvia Mah PhD, MBA, Benton Moore, Ohad Tzur, Jay Kunin, Gerry Widmer, Prasad Sunkara, Ph. D, Jonathan Irwin, MBA

Join us for our popular Pitch Deconstruction event where #entrepreneurs can practice their pitch and get feedback from San Diego Angel Conference investors. Come prepared to present a 1-min pitch on stage. The top 3-5 presenters will move on to do a 3 minute pitch (with slides), and get direct feedback from SDAC investors. Don’t miss it! Register today at: https://lnkd.in/eUW8WTd7 San Diego & Imperial SBDC Network, Natalia Pence, Esq.,Jerice O'Malley, Maisha Cobb, PhD, MBA, Pankaj Kedia, Martin Gleeson PhD., Bobby Edelman, Amy Duncan, Dr. Jo Polich, Matt Hutton, PE, PMP, Randy Schreckhise, Silvia Mah PhD, MBA, Benton Moore, Ohad Tzur, Jay Kunin, Gerry Widmer, Prasad Sunkara, Ph. D, Jonathan Irwin, MBA

🚨Only THREE days left to apply to the SDSU 2025 San Diego Angel Conference (SDAC). Submit your application and fee by February 27th to secure your spot—you can still make edits afterward! Don’t miss your chance to pitch your startup, connect with investors, and compete for $200K+ in funding!*🚨 SDAC bridges the gap between fundable startups and accredited angel investors. Over 12 weeks, investors will review applications, selecting the most promising startups to advance. Finalists will pitch live at the San Diego Angel Conference on June 5, where one winner will secure an angel-backed investment and gain access to a powerful investor network. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain exposure and take your startup to the next level!  Apply to SDAC here: https://lnkd.in/geX9WfEJ *Actual amount invested depends on the total dollars raised. Historically investors have exceeded both the investment amount and the number of companies funded. San Diego & Imperial SBDC Network, Natalia Pence, Esq.,Jerice O'Malley, Maisha Cobb, PhD, MBA, Pankaj Kedia, Martin Gleeson PhD., Bobby Edelman, Amy Duncan, Dr. Jo Polich, Matt Hutton, PE, PMP, Randy Schreckhise, Silvia Mah PhD, MBA, Benton Moore, Ohad Tzur, Jay Kunin, Gerry Widmer, Prasad Sunkara, Ph. D, Jonathan Irwin, MBA

Thanks to everyone who attended our last Brink Pitch Prep for SDAC session, Traction, Funding Sources, and Finding Investors. Silvia Mah PhD, MBA covered finding and engaging investors, while Benton Moore covered how to demonstrate traction in a pitch deck to investors. Make sure to register for our final Pitch Prep for SDAC session, Pitch Deconstruction. This session is a pitch practice event for anyone preparing to raise funds with angel investors. Any founder can do a 1-minute  pitch where you can pitch your startup in front of judges and investors. The top 3-4 presenters will then do a 3 minute pitch with slides, where we will then dive deeper into each presentation. Register today at: https://lnkd.in/eUW8WTd7 San Diego & Imperial SBDC Network, Natalia Pence, Esq.,Jerice O'Malley, Maisha Cobb, PhD, MBA, Pankaj Kedia, Martin Gleeson PhD., Bobby Edelman, Amy Duncan, Dr. Jo Polich, Matt Hutton, PE, PMP, Randy Schreckhise, Ohad Tzur, Jay Kunin, Gerry Widmer, Prasad Sunkara, Ph. D, Jonathan Irwin, MBA

Attention all startup founders! 📣 only ONE week left to apply to the SDSU 2025 San Diego Angel Conference (SDAC). Submit your application and fee by February 27th to secure your spot—you can still make edits afterward! SDAC is dedicated to empowering angel investors through comprehensive training, growth opportunities, networking, and investment in promising startups. The finalists will present at the San Diego Angel Conference on June 5, where the winner receives an angel-backed investment and access to dozens of investors throughout the program. Need guidance in perfecting your pitch? The Brink SBDC offers Brink Pitch Prep for SDAC, a weekly series of workshops designed to help entrepreneurs prepare for the SDAC competition. Register for our next session, Pitch Deconstruction. Register for this free event using this link: https://lnkd.in/eUW8WTd7 Apply to SDAC here: https://lnkd.in/geX9WfEJ #SDAC2025 #StartupSuccess #TheBrinkSBDC San Diego & Imperial SBDC Network, Natalia Pence, Esq.,Jerice O'Malley, Maisha Cobb, PhD, MBA, Pankaj Kedia, Martin Gleeson PhD., Bobby Edelman, Amy Duncan, Dr. Jo Polich, Matt Hutton, PE, PMP, Randy Schreckhise, Silvia Mah PhD, MBA, Benton Moore, Ohad Tzur, Jay Kunin, Gerry Widmer, Prasad Sunkara, Ph. D, Jonathan Irwin, MBA

A pitch practice event for anyone preparing to raise funds with angel investors - come prepared to pitch!  We will have 1-minute rounds where you can pitch your startup in front of judges and investors. The top 3-4 presenters will then do a 3 minute pitch (with slides), where we will then dive deeper into each presentation. This is learn-by-doing at its best, register today at: https://lnkd.in/eUW8WTd7 San Diego & Imperial SBDC Network, Natalia Pence, Esq.,Jerice O'Malley, Maisha Cobb, PhD, MBA, Pankaj Kedia, Martin Gleeson PhD., Bobby Edelman, Amy Duncan, Dr. Jo Polich, Matt Hutton, PE, PMP, Randy Schreckhise, Silvia Mah PhD, MBA, Benton Moore, Ohad Tzur, Jay Kunin, Gerry Widmer, Prasad Sunkara, Ph. D, Jonathan Irwin, MBA

Join us on February 26th for our Pitch Deconstruction event! Pitch Deconstruction is a popular Brink event that allows entrepreneurs to practice their pitch in front of an audience and hear feedback and advice from SDAC investors. Here’s how it works: Founders line up and present their 1-minute pitch to SDAC investors and the audience. SDAC investors give overall feedback and all attendees vote on their favorites. The presenters with the top 3-5 votes come back and deliver a 3-minute pitch with slides and where they get 1:1 feedback from SDAC investors that we all can learn from. Come prepared to pitch! Register today at: https://lnkd.in/eUW8WTd7 San Diego & Imperial SBDC Network, Jonathan Irwin, MBA, Natalia Pence, Esq.,Jerice O'Malley, Maisha Cobb, PhD, MBA, Pankaj Kedia, Martin Gleeson PhD., Bobby Edelman, Amy Duncan, Dr. Jo Polich, Matt Hutton, PE, PMP, Randy Schreckhise, Silvia Mah PhD, MBA, Benton Moore, Ohad Tzur, Jay Kunin, Gerry Widmer, Prasad Sunkara, Ph. D S'Marie Young, CPCC Amit Agarwal, Jad Duncan, Kit Ryan, Tracy Stevens, Cathy Pucher, Hans Baumgartner

Congratulations to Nina P., founder of Solime Royal Hair, on her feature in NBC 7 San Diego and the launch of her small business dedicated to supporting fellow veterans. Inspired by the needs of her comrades, Pinidi started her business to provide high-quality hair care products that weren’t readily available on base or during deployment. At the The Brink SBDC, hosted by the University of San Diego, we are proud to have supported Pinidi through our programs such as Lean Essentials Sprint, an accelerator designed to help founders work through key components of launching and scaling a successful business. A special shoutout to Diana Barbiani at North San Diego SBDC for her dedicated mentorship and guidance in helping Nina bring her vision to life. Barbiani helping Pinidi gave her the chance to share untapped grants, permitting and planning resources. “I like to say she's my fairy godmother in the business,” Pinidi said about Barbiani. We are honored to be a part of Pinidi’s success and look forward to seeing her business thrive. “The SBDC has invaluable resources. I was looking for an advisor at The Brink SBDC because I am a student at USD and the Brink has a space within the Knauss Business School. I was connected to Jonathan Irwin, MBA to get some help with trademarking and learn how to sell on military installations. Jonathan connected me to a business law specialist who gave me an overview of the process for registering my brand. Jonathan also highly encouraged me to speak with Diana as he said she is the expert on doing business on military installations. I took his advice and now, my brand is in the process of being registered with the USPTO (thanks to USD Legal Clinic) and I have been doing pop-ups at the Navy Exchange. The Brink SBDC has several programs with a team of professionals who genuinely care about small business owners and making a difference in the community.” — Nina Pinidi Read more about Pinidi’s inspiring story here: https://lnkd.in/eKS64wn9 #SolimeRoyalHair #SanDiegoStartups #StartupSupport San Diego & Imperial SBDC Network, Natalia Pence, Esq.,Jerice O'Malley, Maisha Cobb, PhD, MBA, Pankaj Kedia, Martin Gleeson PhD., Bobby Edelman, Amy Duncan, Dr. Jo Polich, Matt Hutton, PE, PMP, Randy Schreckhise, Silvia Mah PhD, MBA, Benton Moore, Ohad Tzur, Jay Kunin, Gerry Widmer, Prasad Sunkara, Ph. D