INNOVAR Entrepreneur Training Course
Do you have an innovative idea that can help shape the Inland Empire, or even better - change the world? Bring your solutions to life with INNOVAR!
INNOVAR is no-cost program designed to help you shape entrepreneurial ideas across various tech industries such as sustainable farming, transportation, medical devices, robotics, & much more. Learn to innovate solutions that can create positive change in the world & have the revenue potential for marketplace commercialization.
This 7-week program introduces the Lean Launchpad methodology and focuses on identifying and understanding the “customer” and their needs. Direct, face-to-face customer interviews provide insightful data to confirm product-market fit. In simple terms, customer interviews confirm that the entrepreneur is building something that somebody in the market wants, which significantly increases their chances of success. The program is focused on the market (customer's needs) and not the technology. It also introduces business concepts such as competition, market size, go-to-market, intellectual property protection and funding.
Your INNOVAR Liaison
What You'll Earn
- Dedicated Mentorship
- Transferable Business Skills
- Expanded Network of Professional Assistance
- Potential Funding Opportunities
- Access to Riverside ExCITE Tech Incubator
- Access to UCR's state-of-the-art Life Sciences Incubator
Program Commitment: Participation requires approximately 8 hours/week of effort by team members including class time, customer interviewing, mentor meetings and assignment completion
INNOVAR Success Stories
Edge Sound Research – From Idea to $2.4 Million in Funding
Edge Sound Research, founded by UCR alumni Ethan Castro and Valtteri Salomaki, is revolutionizing the live event experience with their cutting-edge ResonX technology. By attaching their proprietary transducer to premium seating at sporting venues, Edge Sound Research allows fans to not just hear sound, but feel it—transforming live events into immersive experiences. Their technology is already in use by two NBA teams, the Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers.
But their journey began long before they secured over $2.4 million in venture capital funding. In fact, the concept for Edge Sound Research first took root during UC Riverside's Spring 2020 INNOVAR program, where they applied the Lean Launchpad methodology to validate their initial idea. Through customer interviews and market research, they discovered how to align their technology with real-world demand, solidifying the foundation for future commercialization. The support, mentorship, and real-world market validation they received through INNOVAR set them on the path to success, helping to refine their innovation and business strategy.
Today, after going through the NSF I-Corps, Techstars Accelerator, and receiving over 32 investor introductions through EPIC SBDC, Edge Sound Research is a prime example of how the INNOVAR program can help transform ideas into industry-leading companies.
StarNav Becomes a Critical Partner for the Department of Defense
StarNav, a trailblazing company in advanced navigation technology, is now working closely with the Department of Defense (DoD) to provide innovative Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) solutions. StarNav’s cutting-edge technology, designed to operate independently of traditional GPS, plays a critical role in defense operations, especially in environments where GPS signals are unreliable or compromised.
The foundation of StarNav’s success can be traced back to their participation in the Fall 2020 INNOVAR program. During the program, CEO Dr. Joshua Morales honed the company’s core technology and market strategy through INNOVAR’s Lean Launchpad methodology. The customer validation process allowed StarNav to identify key market gaps and tailor its technology to meet the needs of sectors like defense.
After completing INNOVAR, StarNav continued its rapid growth, benefiting from mentorship and resources provided by EPIC SBDC and the ExCITE incubator. This positioned StarNav to secure key partnerships, including their recent work with the DoD. Their proprietary Xona PULSAR™ receiver is now helping to ensure secure navigation for defense applications, ranging from unmanned aerial systems to satellite orbit determination.
StarNav’s journey exemplifies how INNOVAR empowers entrepreneurs to transform innovative ideas into real-world solutions that meet critical industry needs.
Ready to launch your idea and make an impact? Subscribe to our newsletter to get notified when our next upcoming INNOVAR cohort is open for registration.