2025 RCCD Alumnus of the Year: Joshua Morales, Founder of StarNav
Pioneering GPS-Independent Navigation Technology from the Heart of Riverside
The Office of Technology Partnerships proudly recognizes Dr. Joshua Morales, founder and CEO of StarNav, as the 2025 EPIC Alumnus of the Year for Riverside Community College District.
A resident company at UCR’s ExCITE Incubator, Joshua exemplifies the impact of university-supported entrepreneurship. Through EPIC’s guidance and the collaborative environment at ExCITE, he refined StarNav’s business strategy and positioned the company for rapid growth within the aerospace and defense sectors.
StarNav develops advanced positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) technology that converts ambient radio signals, including cellular, television, and satellite transmissions—into reliable navigation data, even in environments where GPS is unavailable or compromised. This innovation provides critical resilience for autonomous systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, and defense applications, helping to secure navigation in urban, remote, or GPS-denied environments.
In 2025, StarNav also secured $2 million in SBIR funding through the SpaceWERX AltPNT Challenge, distinguishing itself as one of only 20 companies selected out of 122 national proposals. This milestone marks a major step forward in StarNav’s mission to revolutionize navigation for the next generation of aerospace and mobility technologies.
Joshua continues to mentor local founders and remains an active part of UCR’s innovation ecosystem—embodying the spirit of entrepreneurship and collaboration that defines the EPIC community.
Congratulations to Dr. Joshua Morales and the StarNav team on this well-deserved recognition!