Monthly Innovation Office Hours
Join Us on the First Wednesday of Every Month at 1PM PDT
Are you a creative and disruptive innovator with groundbreaking ideas but unsure how to turn them into a successful business? Join our monthly Innovation Office Hours to gain the tools and knowledge to navigate the entrepreneurial journey, regardless of where you are in your journey. Get all your questions answered by an industry expert!
Open to all community members of the Inland Southern California region and UCR staff, faculty and students.
*Note: Due to scheduling conflicts, the upcoming February 12th 2026 Office Hour will be taking place on the second Thursday instead of the first Wednesday of this month.
Office Hour Highlights
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Exclusive Expertise: Get expert insights on starting a spin-out company, followed by 15 minutes of Q&A tailored to your needs.
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Venture Capital Essentials: Understand the stages of equity investment, the value VCs bring, and how to engage and negotiate with them.
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Finding the Right Investor: Discover strategies to identify the right investors based on your business stage, sector, and location.
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The Pitch and Beyond: Learn how to deliver a compelling pitch, manage term sheets, and grow your company post-investment.
This Month's Expert: Scott Brovsky
Scott Brovsky mentors and raises equity capital for tech startups from UC Riverside Riverside, Southern California, and the Western US. He focuses on the Climate tech, AI, Life Science, and Agtech verticals.
He has been working with the University of California Riverside mentoring entrepreneurs and tech startups since January 2017. He has helped raise over $45M in early stage equity capital for the startups that he mentors. In addition to his work with UCR, Scott is Co-Founder of the preclinical biotech startup ASC Bio. ASC Bio has developed a tissue engineered cartilage implant that will prevent the progression of osteoarthritis.
Scott has been a Founder or Founding Executive of five other tech startups including the VC funded mobile games studio Muti Labs, the Temecula based sports tech company NZN Labs/LIT Pro and he had some beginners luck selling his first company Industrial Strength Network (an early interactive agency) to frog design in 1998. Seeing the early promise of the iPhone and App Store, he put his own capital to work as an angel investor in independent mobile games while at Brovsky Capital. In addition, as a brand marketing executive, Scott has a successful track record in defining, launching, and driving revenue for major video game franchises such as The Avengers, Turok, Kingdom Hearts and Medal of Honor for leading entertainment companies like Disney/Marvel, Electronic Arts and Take-Two Interactive.
Who Should Attend
Open to all community members of the Inland Southern California region and UCR staff, faculty and students who are interested in transforming their research or innovative ideas into start-ups and learning the fundamentals of engaging with the industry, academia, or venture capital community.
Save Your Spot
Space is limited! Register now to reserve your spot and gain invaluable insights on launching your start-up.
Startup Success Stories
Edge Sound Research – From Idea to $2.4 Million in Funding
Edge Sound Research, founded by UCR alumni Ethan Castro and Valtteri Salomaki, is revolutionizing the live event experience with their cutting-edge ResonX technology. By attaching their proprietary transducer to premium seating at sporting venues, Edge Sound Research allows fans to not just hear sound, but feel it—transforming live events into immersive experiences. Their technology is already in use by two NBA teams, the Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers.
But their journey began long before they secured over $2.4 million in venture capital funding. In fact, the concept for Edge Sound Research first took root during UC Riverside's Spring 2020 INNOVAR program, where they applied the Lean Launchpad methodology to validate their initial idea. Through customer interviews and market research, they discovered how to align their technology with real-world demand, solidifying the foundation for future commercialization. The support, mentorship, and real-world market validation they received through INNOVAR set them on the path to success, helping to refine their innovation and business strategy.
Today, after going through the NSF I-Corps, Techstars Accelerator, and receiving over 32 investor introductions through EPIC SBDC, Edge Sound Research is a prime example of how UCR's support can help transform ideas into industry-leading companies.
StarNav Becomes a Critical Partner for the Department of Defense
StarNav, a trailblazing company in advanced navigation technology, is now working closely with the Department of Defense (DoD) to provide innovative Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) solutions. StarNav’s cutting-edge technology, designed to operate independently of traditional GPS, plays a critical role in defense operations, especially in environments where GPS signals are unreliable or compromised.
The foundation of StarNav’s success can be traced back to their participation in our Fall 2020 INNOVAR program. During the program, CEO Dr. Joshua Morales honed the company’s core technology and market strategy through INNOVAR’s Lean Launchpad methodology. The customer validation process allowed StarNav to identify key market gaps and tailor its technology to meet the needs of sectors like defense.
After completing INNOVAR, StarNav continued its rapid growth, benefiting from mentorship and resources provided by EPIC SBDC and the ExCITE incubator. This positioned StarNav to secure key partnerships, including their recent work with the DoD. Their proprietary Xona PULSAR™ receiver is now helping to ensure secure navigation for defense applications, ranging from unmanned aerial systems to satellite orbit determination.