Calling all dreamers, thinkers, and doers!
Our mission is to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset in students, regardless of their major, faculty, staff, and the Ventura County community.
The ESBI provides the tools, mentorship, connections, and experiential learning opportunities that inspire creativity, problem-solving, and innovative thinking鈥攙aluable skills in any career path. Whether launching a startup or contributing to established organizations, we aim to empower individuals and teams to approach challenges with an entrepreneurial spirit, driving economic growth and positive social impact both locally and beyond.
Additionally, as founding members of , we actively support our county's emerging social enterprise ecosystem (SEE), which comprises stakeholders committed to using market-based solutions to address societal and environmental challenges.
ESBI remains form-agnostic, encouraging students to pursue both nonprofit and for-profit models based on their venture's mission and goals鈥攂elieving that 鈥form should follow function.鈥 We have successfully launched both for-profit and non-profit student-run ventures.
Calling all CI entrepreneurs!
The largest CSU system-wide competition. Sunstone Startup Launch is happening this year, very close to Ventura County. In 2026, we sent two CI teams for the first time. Learn more at theand come support our Channel Islands teams on May 8th.
Happy Hour with an Entrepreneur series & Startup Day Channel Islands event are back. Please check the "Events' section in the right menu for more information.
We invite you to explore our different areas of activity on the sidebar menu and reach out to get involved. We would love to hear from you.
Connect with Dr. Maria Ballesteros-Sola, our director, online by appointment or by email at maria.ballesteros-sola@csuci.edu.
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