UC Riverside Hosts Third Annual SoCal OASIS® Pitch Challenge, Awarding $102,500 in Non-Dilutive Funding to Sustainability-Driven Startups
RIVERSIDE, CA (December 11th, 2025) – The University of California, Riverside’s Office of Technology Partnerships (OTP) hosted the third annual SoCal OASIS® Pitch Challenge on December 10, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, corporate leaders, and community partners to spotlight innovation emerging from Inland Southern California. From a competitive pool of 46 applicant companies, six finalists were selected to compete for $100,000 in cash awards, made possible through support from The James Irvine Foundation and U.S. Bank.
For the first time, OTP also hosted its inaugural Technology Showcase, where 24 startups – including the program’s semifinalists – connected with investors, corporate sponsors, and regional stakeholders, strengthening pathways for collaboration, partnership development, and commercialization.
The event drew an audience of more than 170 attendees, underscoring the growing momentum of the region’s innovation ecosystem and its emergence as a destination for startups trailblazing solutions in sustainability, clean technology, health, and environmental resilience.
The annual SoCal OASIS® Pitch Challenge is a flagship initiative of UC Riverside’s SoCal OASIS® regional economic development strategy, designed to support the growth of innovative companies and accelerate the development of a robust, inclusive innovation ecosystem across Inland Southern California.
“SoCal OASIS is exactly the kind of ecosystem Riverside needs to flourish economically,” said Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson. “It allows innovation, mentorship, and entrepreneurship to come together and turn bold ideas into real-world solutions. Serving as a judge for this year’s pitch competition validated for me that this initiative is filling a much-needed gap in our region and that the next generation of breakthroughs can start right in Riverside.”
The Pitch Challenge drew strong civic and state leadership support, including Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson; Councilmember Steven Robillard, representing Ward 3 of the Riverside City Council; Dr. Ana Lasso from the Department of General Services; and Elmy Bermejo, Director of the California Office of the Small Business Advocate. Their participation underscored the City and State’s shared commitment to entrepreneurship and innovation-driven economic growth.
Ahead of the finals, OTP hosted a Company Showcase featuring 18 companies, successfully connecting startups with industry leaders, corporate executives, investors, and regional stakeholders. The showcase fostered conversations around partnerships, pilots, and commercialization pathways.
Participating companies included all six finalists, along with Indrio Technologies, 4th State Energies, Apsidal, HexHomes, Nema-Tox Solutions, Remote Epigenetics, SensoryGen, and Super Foam, among others.
“This is the first time that we have the opportunity to showcase 24 companies of our current portfolio of more than 130 innovative startups, a fraction of the rich portfolio of companies that the mentors from our EPIC SBDC program are currently supporting,” added Dr. Ochoa. “That level of connection is critical to translating sustainability innovation into real-world impact.”
Collectively, the participating companies reflect a growing concentration of sustainability-driven innovation emerging from Inland Southern California, positioning the region as an increasingly important hub for impact-focused entrepreneurship.
The 2025 SoCal OASIS® Pitch Challenge attracted a strong pool of applicants developing innovative solutions across clean energy, healthcare, agriculture, environmental remediation, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing.
From an initial application pool of 46 companies, 20 startups were selected to participate in a two-session pitch development workshop led by serial technology entrepreneur Gioia Messinger, focused on refining elevator pitches and pitch decks. Following the workshops, 13 semifinalist companies with the most promising solutions were invited to present their full pitch decks during an intensive, full-day session, where they received in-depth feedback from the EPIC SBDC mentoring team.
Based on pitch performance, regional impact, proposed use of funds, and the innovative nature of each solution, six finalist companies were selected to present live at the SoCal OASIS® Pitch Challenge Finals.
The finalist cohort reflected the breadth of innovation emerging across Inland Southern California. Belleteva advanced for its development of eco-friendly, plant-derived biopesticides designed to protect citrus and other crops while reducing reliance on conventional chemical treatments. Sujen International LLC was selected for its MicroCube®-based WindWall® technology, which enables distributed micro-wind energy generation in environments where traditional renewable solutions are not feasible.
Also advancing to the finals was TollR Air, which is developing a first-of-its-kind therapeutic to treat pulmonary inflammation caused by exposure to environmental toxins and non-allergic asthma. Transcend Health was selected for its technology-driven approach to improving preventative care, data integration, and clinical outreach for first responders and workforce populations.
Rounding out the finalist group were Vala, an AI-powered platform streamlining veterans’ disability claims for VA attorneys and accredited agents, and Water Illumination, whose next-generation vacuum-UV water treatment systems destroy PFAS “forever chemicals” and other emerging contaminants without the use of added chemicals.
Following live pitches and deliberation by the judging panel, Belleteva was awarded first place and $70,000 in non-dilutive funding for its eco-friendly, plant-derived biopesticides. TollR Air earned second place and $20,000 for its work developing a novel therapeutic to address pulmonary inflammation caused by environmental toxins, and also received the People’s Choice Award, taking home an additional $2,500 based on audience voting. Water Illumination was awarded third place and $10,000 for its next-generation water treatment technology designed to destroy PFAS and other emerging contaminants.
All awards were provided as non-dilutive funding to support continued product development, validation, and commercialization.
"Belleteva will utilize the award to launch preliminary field evaluations and to optimize our antimicrobial peptide delivery systems,” said Isgouhi Kaloshian, CEO of Belleteva. “Support from the SoCal OASIS Initiative accelerates our path toward real-world deployment by strengthening the technical groundwork necessary for large-scale testing. This partnership is a vital step in our mission to provide growers with sustainable, high-efficacy citrus protection against citrus greening disease.”
Finalists were evaluated by a distinguished panel of judges representing leadership across biopharmaceuticals, venture capital, government, finance, and economic development. Judges included Wajdie Ahmad, biopharmaceutical executive, entrepreneur, investor, and UC Riverside alumnus; Elmy Bermejo, former Regional Administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration and Director of the California Office of the Small Business Advocate; Kimberly Davis King, Business Advisor and Investor at Broadway Angels, Heli Castaneda, Business Access Advisor for U.S. Bank focused on expanding equitable access to capital; Dr. Stephen Flaim, veteran biotechnology executive and former chair of Tech Coast Angels; and Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson, Mayor of the City of Riverside and a longtime champion of sustainability-driven economic development.
The event also featured keynote remarks from Mohammed Hikmet, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of HMI Technologies Group and Ohmio, and Ali Sahabi, Chief Operating Officer of Optimum Seismic, who shared perspectives on sustainable mobility, resilient infrastructure, and community-centered innovation.
The 2025 SoCal OASIS® Pitch Challenge was made possible with support from The James Irvine Foundation and U.S. Bank, reinforcing the importance of equitable access to capital for emerging founders.
About the Office of Technology Partnerships and SoCal OASIS®
UC Riverside’s Office of Technology Partnerships advances innovation and entrepreneurship by supporting faculty, students, and community entrepreneurs through commercialization, mentorship, and ecosystem-building initiatives. The SoCal OASIS® Initiative strengthens regional pathways for startups advancing sustainability, social inclusion, and economic opportunity across Inland Southern California.