CSUN Jeff Marine Bull Ring Competition

Congratulations to our 2025 prize winners:

Grand Prize ($10,000)
CoVolta
Tim Attewell, Laura Attewell, & Vedi Vartani
CoVolta helps electrical utilities maintain a safe and stable power grid by deploying and managing a network of small home batteries in neighborhoods with aging infrastructure and high energy demand.

2nd Place ($5,000)
ChronoFlow
Ashot Gharibyan, Karen Shirvanyan, Robert Paronyan, & Timothy Tracy
ChronoFlow is an AI-powered project management platform that streamlines workflows, tracks progress, and enhances collaboration to help teams work smarter and stay productive with intelligent automation and real-time insights.

3rd Place ($2,500)
Sassy Mouth Straws
Brittany Evans & Shelton Evans
Sassy Mouth Straws is developing a line of stylish, reusable boba and cocktail straws to help eco-conscious consumers and event planners reduce plastic waste with fun, customizable designs and a sustainable alternative to single-use plastics.

Audience Choice Award ($2,500)
CoVolta
Tim Attewell, Laura Attewell, & Vedi Vartani
CoVolta helps electrical utilities maintain a safe and stable power grid by deploying and managing a network of small home batteries in neighborhoods with aging infrastructure and high energy demand.

Social Impact Award ($2,500)
New Earth Regeneration Initiative
Carlos Marin & Luis Lopez
New Earth Regeneration Initiative has developed a method to process organic waste destined to landfills and transform it into a nutrient rich soil that can be used for ecosystem restoration of damaged land.

Best in Technology Award ($2,500) *TIE*
AutoEdit
Devin Huynh, Jason Tran, & Mateo Jimenez
AutoEdit is developing an AI-powered software add-on to help video editors save time by automating repetitive tasks like trimming clips and adding VFX.

Best in Technology Award ($2,500) *TIE*
CINERRA
Ben Gampel & Gene Keli
CINERRA is a services company integrating FPV drone technology into the realms of film, broadcast, and commercial production.

...Read more here!

Daniela Corrente | Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer, Suma Wealth
Named one of Inc. Magazine’s Top Female Founders, Daniela Corrente is a dynamic leader who seamlessly bridges strategy and execution to propel Suma Wealth’s growth. A trailblazer in FinTech, she is redefining financial success, creating innovative pathways for wealth-building, and driving meaningful change. Making history as part of the first all-Latina C-suite team, Daniela continues to lead with bold, forward-thinking strategies that aim to inspire the next generation to build generational wealth.

Ugwunna Ikpeowo | Chief Impact Officer, Kwanza Jones & José E. Feliciano Initiative (KJSI)
At KJSI, Ugwunna is focused on creating lasting impact in four key areas: education, entrepreneurship, equity, and empowerment. Prior to KJSI, Ugwunna spent 21 years at J.P. Morgan where he held various roles across the firm, including spending 10 years in South Africa growing the firm’s Investor Services business throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Molecular Biology from Princeton University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.  

Jason Pratts | CEO, Kumo & BuildYourOrg
While still a student at CSUN, Jason co-founded Appetize, where he led a product team of 40+ and partnered with an engineering team of 200+ to develop a best-in-class product in the mobile ordering space. After navigating a successful exit in 2021, Jason went on to create BuildYourOrg, which provides professional services and software to SMB owners. He also recently acquired Kumo, which leverages technology to redefine how small business acquisitions happen.

Steven Van Alen | CEO, Sleepyhead
After winning the grand prize in the 2016 Bull Ring, Steven has experienced explosive growth with his company Sleepyhead, which has blossomed into the industry leader in college and dorm room mattress toppers, providing tens of thousands of students with exceptional quality, comfort, and superior craftsmanship. With notable investors, innovative marketing, and efficient operations, Sleepyhead has surpassed 8 figures in sales with consistent YOY growth.

Jon Georgio | CEO, Gothic Landscape
Jon is a graduate of CSUN with degrees in Finance and English and has completed the Management Development Program for Entrepreneurs (MDE) at UCLA. He is a current member of the CSUN Advisory Board. As CEO, Jon has ultimate responsibility for leading the company toward its strategic goals. Jon and his family are very active in the Santa Clarita Valley community and support several charitable organizations and local schools. Jon resides in Santa Clarita with his wife, Mardi, and together they have three children.

Wendy Greuel | Advisor, Board Member, Civic Leader
Wendy Greuel is a dedicated public servant and politician from Los Angeles, known for her extensive career in public service. Wendy is most notably known for being the second woman to be elected to a citywide office in Los Angeles, serving as City Controller from 2009 to 2013, and the first woman to be a runoff candidate for Mayor. Greuel continues to contribute to public service through various boards and commissions, including the LAHSA Commission, the LAUSD Task Force, and as an Executive in Residence at the CSUN Nazarian College.

Prizes

Grand Prize: $10,000
2nd Place: $5,000
3rd Place: $2,500

Additional awards:
Audience Choice: $2,500
Social Impact Award: $2,500
Best Use of Technology: $2,500

$2,500 of free legal services (courtesy of NovusGC) and $2,500 in marketing/branding services (courtesy of IntersectLA) will also be offered to each of the top 3 teams.

Additional funding available over summer!

We would like to honor and formally thank the Marine family for their support and generosity in making this competition a reality. Both born and raised in Los Angeles, Joni and Jeff Marine are deeply passionate about elevating the educational opportunities available to children in the greater L.A. area. The family’s philanthropy has also led to the creation of the Alliance Joni and Jeff Marine High School, which opened in 2017 in Sun Valley. The school brings rigorous college-preparatory instruction and powerful learning experiences through interdisciplinary projects and integration of real-world applications. Jeff and Joni have three daughters, Jenna, Jillian, and Jaslin, all three of whom attended the University of Michigan studying Political Science, Art History, Film, and History.

We would like to recognize and formally thank our amazing mentors for volunteering to support the next generation of CSUN entrepreneurs!

Alan Sugano
Andi Mysza
Asbed Kassis
Avetis Antaplyan
Danny Stein
Darren Elliott
Emily Serebryany
Fran Guzman
Jang Lee
John Ko
Kevin McVearry
Lewis D'Vorkin
Loren West
Michael Letson
Moumita Sen
Nishit Rathod
Paul Mazbanian
Scott Glassberg
Sylvia Martini
Victor Benoun

The Fine Print: Rules & Eligibility

1) The competition is open to ALL current CSUN students.

2) The competition is intended for student-created, -managed, and -owned ventures.

3) Teams must be comprised of at least 2 members.

4) At least 50% of team members must be current CSUN students as of the 2024-2025 academic year (Fall 2024 graduates eligible). The "pitch" must be delivered by a CSUN student.

5) Businesses currently earning >$15K in annual revenue are not eligible.

6) Businesses that have already raised >$50K in funding from outside sources are not eligible.

7) Both for-profit and non-profit business concepts are eligible; however, sources of revenue must be addressed.

8) An individual may only be a member of one team.

9) 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners from past Bull Ring Competitions are not eligible.

Application Details

Applications were due Sunday, March 2nd, 2025 and required:

(1) a 10-25 page slide deck *or*
     5-7 page executive summary, AND

(2) a video not to exceed 2 minutes.

2025 Competition Schedule

Sunday, March 2nd
Application Deadline

Friday, March 7th
20 Semi-Finalist Teams Announced

March 10th onward
Coaching & Mentoring Period

Friday, April 4th
5 Finalist Teams Announced

Thursday, April 24th
Bull Ring Final Event

The 9th annual CSUN Jeff Marine Bull Ring New Venture Competition concluded on April 24th, 2024. Please see below for full competition details:

Download Final Event Program

Read Recap

View Photos

Congratulations to our student teams:

GRAND PRIZE
LS Trust Marketing
Team members: Laci Sanchez & Paris Rayne
LS Trust is a social media production company capitalizing on our existing strengths while expanding our service offerings to meet the evolving needs of our clients in the digital age. With a larger team and an expanded array of services, we aim to become the go-to destination for brands seeking to maximize their online presence and engagement.

2ND PLACE
Rethrifted
Team members: Andrea "Dre" Lopez & Iva Andrade
Rethrifted pioneers affordable clothing with innovative sorting and washing techniques, providing high-quality inventory for online secondhand resellers at uniform prices, regardless of brand or quality.

3RD PLACE
ATLAS
Team members: Evan Jones & William Chavez
ATLAS is developing a mobility solution to help paraplegics and the elderly to access regular non-wheelchair accessible vehicles with a roof mounted wheelchair lift and stowing solution.

AUDIENCE CHOICE
ATLAS
Team members: Evan Jones & William Chavez
ATLAS is developing a mobility solution to help paraplegics and the elderly to access regular non-wheelchair accessible vehicles with a roof mounted wheelchair lift and stowing solution.

SOCIAL IMPACT AWARD
THEELEVENSHOP
Team members: Diamond Evans & Cheyenne Cobb
Theelevenshop is a candle company dedicated to supporting foster youth by providing them with resources and opportunities for a brighter future.

BEST IN TECHNOLOGY AWARD
ReCreate
Team members: Victoria Miteva & Luis Olmos
ReCreate is a social media skill sharing platform designed for anyone seeking creative and productive online engagement. It transforms mindless scrolling into active learning by prioritizing creative content and fostering a safe community for all.

ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT AWARD
Practice & Potential
Team members: Aileen Tang & Nashif Iqbal
Practice & Potential is building a distributed learning platform where scholars can learn math and computer science from highly technical, deeply empathetic instructors in a rigorous, yet compassionate environment.

Thank you to our mentors:

The Bull Ring has been designed to include a 6 week "incubation period" mid-March to late-April for the 20 teams selected as semi-finalists. During this period, each student team is paired with a dedicated mentor to help refine the value proposition, set goals and priorities, and generally, push the venture forward. We would like to thank our distinguished mentors for their support of the competition and the entrepreneurial community at CSUN.

Adel Villalobos
Alan Sugano
Andi Mysza
Avetis Antaplyan
Bandhana Katoch
Cesar Montoya
Danny Stein
Emily Serebryany
Hector Garcia
John Ko
Kevin McVearry
Lewis Dvorkin
Loren West
Michael Letson
Nishit Rathod
Paul Mazbanian
Scott Glassberg
Steven Sarfati
Sylvia Martini

Distinguished Judges:

Catherine Grooms | Director, SBDC at College of the Canyons
Catherine is the Director of the SBDC (Small Business Development Center) at College of the Canyons, which is a no-cost resource for entrepreneurs and small business owners to help them start new businesses and grow existing businesses. She leads a team of 20 professional business consultants and training professionals with a focus on improving the local economy through business starts, job creation and retention, sales growth, and capital infusion.

Zack Schuler | Executive Chairman of the Board, NINJIO
Zack is the Founder, Former CEO, and now Executive Chairman of the Board of NINJIO, a leader in the Cybersecurity Awareness Training space, recognized by Gartner Peer Insights as the highest rated in the industry. With over a 1,000,000 viewers a month, NINJIO AWARE empowers employees at some of the world's largest organizations how to protect themselves against cyber threats and cyber scams.

Neeti Dewan | CEO, Platinum AdvantEdge
Neeti is an entrepreneur, angel investor, author and motivational speaker who is passionate about helping executives and leaders lower their stress while enhancing productivity in the workplace. She is a Global Tax and Finance Executive who’s had leadership roles in Fortune 500 companies as well as the Big 4 CPA firms. Her books explore holistic ways of achieving success and are ideal for executives and leaders battling stress or healing from burnout.

Zohar Ziv | Entrepreneur and Advisor
Zohar has over 25 years of executive management experience across a diverse set of business environments, including large to small size and public and private companies, rapid growth, M&A and traditional businesses. His background includes serving as a COO of a $1.8 billion footwear company, CFO of public and private companies, co-founder and general partner of an early stage consumer goods venture fund, and angel investor.

Keynote Speaker:

Sachin Nayyar | Founder and CEO of Saviynt
Sachin is a recognized visionary in the identity and cybersecurity space, where he remains one of the few individuals to have founded several successful companies in these markets. Prior to returning as CEO at Saviynt, Sachin was the Founder and CEO of Securonix, a leading SIEM company that he successfully scaled and brought a $1 billion+ growth investment led by Vista Equity Partners in 2022. Before Securonix, Sachin was the Founder and CEO of identity management company Vaau, where he built the company from conception to a successful acquisition by Sun Microsystems.

About CSUN's Center for Social and Technology Entrepreneurship

The Center for Social and Technology Entrepreneurship (C-STE) promotes and fosters entrepreneurship and innovation, with a unique specialization in both technology and social entrepreneurship, within the DNCBE, CSUN, and the greater Los Angeles community by leveraging strengths in networks, research, interdisciplinary initiatives, curricular and co-curricular programming, and community/industry engagement.