The CSUF Startup Incubator Speaker Series is closing out 2025 with an incredible lineup of experts ready to help entrepreneurs, small business owners, and students level up their game. Each event will take place on Wednesday at noon (Pacific) on Zoom, and all are free to attend.
Whether you want to grow your team, expand your network, or protect your ideas, these sessions are designed to give you practical tools and insider knowledge to move your business forward.
November 5 – Cameron Cook: Unlocking Workforce Funding for Small Businesses
Topic: How Small and Medium-Sized Businesses Can Leverage Workforce Development Funds to Hire the Workers They Need
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/unlocking-workforce-funding-for-small-businesses-tickets-1824671524649?aff=oddtdtcreator
Hiring great talent is one of the biggest challenges for any business—but what if there were public programs to help pay for it?
In this session, Cameron Cook, Founder and Managing Director of Coast Forward, will explain how small and medium-sized businesses can access workforce funding to hire, train, and retain employees. Participants will learn about wage reimbursements, paid internships, on-the-job training, and tax credits available through local and state programs.
Cameron’s organization, Coast Forward, connects small businesses in Orange County to these opportunities, helping them reduce hiring costs and navigate compliance requirements. A veteran leader in higher education and workforce development, Cameron has built multimillion-dollar programs that support veterans, adult learners, and career changers across Southern California.
November 19 – Christopher K. Lee: The Five Elements of Professional Networking
Topic: How Entrepreneurs Can Optimize Their Professional Networking to Supercharge Their Business
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-key-elements-of-professional-networking-for-entrepreneurs-tickets-1830069149089?aff=oddtdtcreator
As an entrepreneur, your success depends not just on what you know—but who you know.
Christopher K. Lee, author of the new book The Five Elements of Professional Networking, will share a practical framework for building meaningful, strategic relationships that help you grow your business. From investors to partners to mentors, Chris will show you how to network intentionally and authentically—without wasting time on superficial connections.
Chris sources early-stage startups for GoAhead Ventures and lectures at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. He’s also been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Harvard Business Review, and Forbes for his insights on career development and leadership.
December 3 – Justin Sanders: Patent Filing Considerations and Preparing Your Own Provisional Application
Topic: How Entrepreneurs Should Protect Their Intellectual Property
Got a great idea? Make sure it’s protected.
Justin Sanders, intellectual property attorney and Managing Partner at Master Key IP, returns to the CSUF Startup Incubator Speaker Series to walk entrepreneurs through the fundamentals of patent filing and IP protection. He’ll cover what makes an invention patentable, what to include in a provisional application, and how to avoid mistakes that could jeopardize your rights.
Justin has spent nearly two decades helping startups and small businesses identify, protect, and monetize their innovations in the U.S. and abroad. His down-to-earth approach makes complex legal topics understandable and immediately actionable for founders and inventors alike.
Join the CSUF Startup Incubator Speaker Series
Each of these sessions is free and open to the public. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, student, or professional looking to sharpen your edge, the CSUF Startup Incubator is here to help you grow.
Learn more about our programs at business.fullerton.edu/engagement/entrepreneurship/incubator