Sold out Sunstone panel launched week of founder focused events featuring industry, local government

Sunstone Management today announced the successful conclusion of the first ever Irvine Tech Week. The five-day event, which Sunstone sponsored, brought together representatives from startups, accelerators, venture capital firms, and city government to celebrate the growing entrepreneurial community in Irvine.

Irvine Tech Week featured 16 events taking place on March 22 – 26. Sunstone kicked off the week with a sold out “Early-Stage Founders Panel: Navigating the Road to Capital, Growth & Beyond.” Moderator Vivian Shimoyama led the panel, which included Chris Wagner (Current Surgical); Ethan Glass (Ocra), Leanne Linsky (Plauzzable), and Bill Beverley (Evolectric). Speakers addressed their experiences leading new startups, navigating public-private partnerships, as well as how the closure of Silicon Valley Bank might impact their industry.

Andrea White-Kjoss (Long Beach Accelerator) and Michelle Wang (Lair East Labs) also shared how partnerships and accelerators can enrich the community.

“Our first inaugural Irvine Tech Week was a phenomenal success! Irvine truly is the premiere location for entrepreneurs and investors looking to shape the future and engage in the founder and creator economy,” said Irvine Vice Mayor Tammy Kim. “Irvine Tech Week's incredible success is proof that our local economy is ready to serve as a regional hub for invention and entrepreneurship.”

“As the most active early-stage venture capital investor in Irvine in 2022, Sunstone was thrilled to support such a fantastic initiative,” said John Keisler, CEO and Managing Partner of Sunstone Management. “Irvine Tech Week arrived at a crucial time for the startup and tech industries, with coming together as a community more important than ever.”

Other Irvine Tech Week sessions included educational workshops, networking opportunities, and pitch events such as Startup Game Changer hosted by Sunstone partner Startup Steroid. At Sunday’s Wrap-Up Celebration, the top three winners of Techstars Startup Weekend presented their ideas to a panel, which Sunstone was honored to be invited to judge.

Irvine Tech Week was created through a collaborative partnership with local startup-focused organizations including the City of Irvine, PeopleSpace, University of California, Irvine and Sunstone Management.

About Sunstone Management

Sunstone Management is a diversified private capital sponsor firm located in Southern California that invests in diverse early-stage technology entrepreneurs who seek to build great companies. We believe in the aspirational power of the American economy to attract and inspire investors and entrepreneurs from throughout the world. We deliver new and exciting opportunities for economic growth through the creation of innovative public-private partnerships, and our unique experience across government, education, and private sectors. Identified by Financial Times as one of America’s Fastest Growing Companies three years in a row.

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