With $4,000 in cash prizes up for grabs, the annual Bronco Startup Challenge (BSC), a signature polytechnic experience at Cal Poly ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½, returned this April with an inspiring evening of entrepreneurial passion, creative vision, and community spirit.
Since its inception, BSC has offered a dynamic platform for students and alumni to explore the full startup lifecycle—from idea development to business planning and product prototyping. The year-long program includes a series of workshops, networking opportunities, and business pitch competitions both on and off campus.
Organized by the and the Student Innovation Idea Lab (SIIL), this year’s pitch competition brought together students, alumni, faculty, and industry professionals to celebrate the power of student innovation.
“Welcome to the Bronco Startup Challenge,” opened Winter Pickett (’25, management and human resources), president of CEO. “This is a signature polytechnic experience that we have every single year here at Cal Poly ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½. Our mission is to help build a vibrant community that welcomes students from all majors and backgrounds to develop essential business skills.”
Held in collaboration with SIIL and sponsored by , this year’s BSC pitch night awarded $4,000 in prizes—thanks to a $2,000 match donation by Royal Industrial Solutions. The evening kicked off with remarks from Pickett, followed by a keynote speech from mechanical engineering alumna Isabel Gutierrez (’19, mechanical engineering), founder and CEO of Vistendo Inc., a preventive health startup for athletes.
Gutierrez captivated the audience with a story of resilience, risk-taking, and growth. “Entrepreneurs all have what I like to call butterfly moments,” Gutierrez said. “There are these tiny, almost forgettable choices or encounters. The idea that something as small as a butterfly flapping its wings can lead to a chain of events that causes a hurricane halfway across the world. A butterfly moment doesn’t announce itself. It just changes our way. It shapes who we become.”
Following the keynote, five student teams took the stage to pitch their startups in front of a live audience and a panel of distinguished judges. Each team had five minutes to deliver their business idea and respond to questions. After careful deliberation, the judges announced the winners:
- 🥇 1st Place: Sarsens – A technologically advanced waste disposal system
- 🥈 2nd Place: Sensory Friendly Experiences – Equipping hotels with curriculum, resources, and suggestions for guests in need
- 🎖️ 3rd Place: Express-O-Prints – Revolutionizing 24-hour print services and deliverables
- 🎊 Runner-Ups: Child Check-In & Fizsion – Apple Miso Fizz – An advanced family check-in system for resorts and travel accommodations, and a new beverage aimed at bridging culture through food and drink options, respectively
The highly esteemed judging panel included CPP alum, Clark D. Rucker (’83, engineering; ’23, doctorate in science), Jared Ceja, MBA, CASP, Chief Executive Officer at Cal Poly ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ Foundation, Inc., Michael Bolden, Manager, Royal Industrial Solutions, and Monique Robles, President and CEO of the ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ Chamber of Commerce.
“We’re especially grateful for Royal Industrial Solutions for matching our prize funds dollar-for-dollar, and to SIIL for their partnership in bringing this event to life,” concluded Pickett.
The success of the night was a testament to months of dedication from the CEO E-Board, and from CEO’s advisor Nastaran Simarasl, associate professor of Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship and SIIL’s Faculty Fellow, recently named as the recipient of the CBA Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award. “This is by far the most well-attended entrepreneurship competition at CPP in the last few years! My team and I are so glad that our months of planning for this event paid off!” exclaimed Simarasl, whose guidance and commitment have been instrumental in shaping CEO into the vibrant student-led community it is today.
With more than $30,000 in rewards given to student entrepreneurs since 2012, the Bronco Startup Challenge continues to fulfill its mission of empowering the next generation of business leaders. Through real-world experience, mentorship, and meaningful community partnerships, BSC remains a cornerstone of entrepreneurial learning at Cal Poly ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½.