SAN JOSE, CA, (May 15, 2023) Electrical and Computer Engineering student Sokiyna Naser was among those who received top honors at the recent Sunstone CSU Startup Launch competition, the premiere platform for showcasing the entrepreneurial potential within the CSU system.
Held on May 5 at the Diaz Compean Student Union at San Jose State University (SJSU), the event exhibited the innovative spirit and entrepreneurial acumen of students from across the California State University (CSU) system. Each campus was limited to two participating startups across five tracks. Each track featured 7-8 startups, with the top three winners in each track awarded $25,000, $10,000, and $5,000 respectively.
AirGlu, clinched the second place in the Product Track 1 category. This innovative startup idea, co-founded by Sokiyna Naser and business student Connor Saal, represented a novel breathalyzer-style glucose monitor. The non-invasive device, a departure from traditional finger-prick glucose monitors, was developed in collaboration with Professor Sudhir Shrestha at the SSU Intelligent Systems Lab.
"Winning the award made me feel accomplished after the hard work I have done in the product's business and engineering side. It also evokes a sense of validation of my idea and motivates me to work harder and achieve my goals. I Feel really good, special, and proud of myself", said Sokiynar Naser.
Both teams worked closely with Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the School of Business and Economics (SBE) of SSU, Christopher Stewart, co-founder of Pocket Radar, and Kirsten Ely, faculty lead of SSU SBE Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program, to develop their business models and pitches.
"As we reflect on the success of the second Sunstone CSU Startup Launch competition, the first time that SSU has sent teams, the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship within the CSU system continues to shine. Engineering department is immensely proud of its team and eagerly anticipates the opportunity to demonstrate the innovation and creativity of its students in future competitions", noted Professor Sudhir Shrestha.