Lavin Entrepreneurship Center

What is the Lavin Entrepreneurship Center?

The Lavin Entrepreneurship Center at San Diego State University serves our students, worldwide entrepreneurship researchers, and community mentors through its entrepreneurial programming, competitions, events, conferences, and more.

SDSU and the Lavin Entrepreneurship Center have been recognized for having one of the best entrepreneurial programs in the United States by both Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine. In 2018, the Lavin Center was honored with the Nasdaq Center of Entrepreneurial Excellence award by the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurial Centers (GCEC).

The Lavin Entrepreneurship Center's diverse activities include:

Lavin Entrepreneurship Program – an extracurricular, weekly program designed for SDSU undergraduate and graduate students with an interest in entrepreneurship. Through hands-on experiences, participants are introduced to the entrepreneurial ecosystem and receive career mentoring. Applications open in late spring for the following fall.

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VCIC – Venture Capital Investment Competition is an extracurricular weekly program for SDSU undergraduate investor-curious students to learn about all facets of being an investor. Application opens in the late spring for the following fall. Top 6 selected to compete in a national competition. 

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CERP– The California Entrepreneurship Research and Pedagogy Conference unites top entrepreneurship educators, researchers, and center staff to exchange insights and foster the development of outstanding entrepreneurship programs. Since its inception, the conference has drawn a diverse range of academic professionals from around the world for a few days of productive discussions and collaborative opportunities.

Social Venture Challenge - a Southern California by-invitation wide competition hosted by SDSU focused on solving big problems with innovative solutions held annually in the spring. 
Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation Grand Prize 
(Awarded $15,000)
Grown-Home | San Diego Miramar College- Eddie Zaldivar, Jocelyne Zaldivar
Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation Second Place 
(Awarded  $7,500)
Power Pops | Point Loma Nazarene University- Valentina Montes, Natalie Landes, Micah Robyn
Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation Third Place 
(Awarded $5,000)
Second Course | SDSU- Daniel Self, Gavin Bartow
Greatest Social Impact 
(Awarded $3,000)
Vital Tidal | SDSU- Jesse Baker, Stacey Lehrer
Audience Vote 
(Awarded $2,500)
S'POOY | San Diego Miramar College- Diana Hartwig-Arce, Till Hartwig-Arce 
Best Presentation 
(Awarded $2,000)
S'POOY | San Diego Miramar College- Diana Hartwig-Arce, Till Hartwig-Arce

Read the SVC Recap Article

Apply for Lavin! Application Open 4/1-6/15/25

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CERP 2026

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Tiffany created a gamechanger for all those tired of blistered feet!

Success at LavinTiffany GilCEO/Founder of Shezza SocksIf it wasn't for the Lavin Program, I probably wouldn't have my business that I have today. It was where I made a lot of great friends, connections, and was definitely a highlight of my time at SDSU.Shezza Socks

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Email us at [email protected]