2024 SoCal OASIS™ Pitch Challenge Awards Startups $150,000 in Non-Dilutive Funding
Riverside, CA – [December 4, 2024] – UC Riverside’s Office of Technology Partnerships and the SoCal OASIS™ Initiative (“Opportunities to Advance Sustainability, Social Inclusion, and Innovation”) hosted an inspiring evening of innovation and collaboration at the Riverside Convention Center on December 4, 2024. The 2024 SoCal OASIS™ Challenge Pitch Finals showcased innovative startups from Inland Southern California, drawing over 200 attendees, including industry leaders and entrepreneurs. The event featured a high-stakes pitch competition where five sustainability-focused startups vied for $150,000 in non-dilutive funding—one of the largest cash awards for startups in the region.
Celebrating Innovative Startups
The 2024 finalists represented transformative solutions across agriculture technology, sustainable housing, eco-friendly transportation, and electronic recycling. The winners were:
- 1st Place ($75,000): Super Foam – Recognized for its sustainable, patent-pending foam insulation technology, Super Foam is revolutionizing comfort and impact protection with eco-friendly, high-performance materials. Their advanced foam absorbs twice the impact of traditional polyurea foam and can be used in applications like football helmet linings to reduce head injuries. Committed to innovation, the company develops products using patented polymer technology while prioritizing sustainability and performance.
- 2nd Place ($40,000): Seedorina – Innovators in precision agriculture technology to optimize water usage, Seedorina develops high-precision sowing robots that reduce environmental impact and empower small farmers. Their SeedBots automate seeding, capture precise data, and enable informed decision-making with minimal effort. The company also supported UCR faculty in the NASA Space Challenge, showcasing its potential for sustainable agriculture in extreme environments.
- 3rd Place ($30,000): 4th State Energies – Developers of plasma-created drop-in silicon designed to replace graphite in lithium-ion batteries, 4th State Energies is transforming energy storage with lighter, more efficient, and cost-effective solutions. Their silicon anode technology boosts energy density, extends cycle life, and reduces battery weight and size. By enhancing performance and lowering costs, their innovation offers a scalable, sustainable solution for next-generation energy storage.
- People’s Choice ($5,000): HexHomes – Creators of modular, eco-friendly housing solutions, HexHomes is transforming manufactured housing with hexagonal, customizable, and mass-manufacturable pods. Designed for energy efficiency and off-grid living, these homes address Southern California’s housing challenges while expanding accessibility in the Inland Empire. HexHomes also provides rapid, temporary, and permanent housing relief for disaster-affected individuals, as previously highlighted in this article here.
- Rare Flora, a finalist in the competition, engineers plants to extract rare-earth elements using a soil mining technique called "phytomining." Their sustainable approach addresses the growing demand for neodymium, dysprosium, and praseodymium, essential for renewable energy, electric vehicles, and advanced technology. Using a proprietary seed mix, they also aid environmental remediation by removing contaminants like lithium, chromium, and arsenic from polluted soil.
For a detailed overview of the winners and the event’s broader impact, visit Inside UCR’s coverage: UCR’s Pitch Challenge Supports Promising Startup Companies.
Industry and Startups Unite for Sustainability Innovation
At the SoCal OASIS™ Pitch Challenge, keynote speaker Kathy MacDougall, Vice President of Business Development at Karma Automotive, highlighted how industry pioneers are advancing electrification and sustainability efforts in the region.
The event spotlighted Voltu Motor, a revolutionary clean energy startup led by CEO George Gebhart, transforming EV truck technology with cutting-edge powertrains and showcasing the region's rise as a hub for sustainability and innovation.
Sponsored by The James Irvine Foundation and US Bank, the SoCal OASIS™ Pitch Challenge connected industry leaders, emerging startups, and regional community leaders such as the City of Riverside and the County of Riverside. This initiative fosters a thriving ecosystem for sustainability-focused solutions from local startups in Inland Southern California.
Mentorship and Networking Opportunities
In addition to funding, participants gained valuable mentorship from seasoned experts in business development, capital raising, and startup operations.
They also engaged in networking with industry leaders, community stakeholders, and fellow entrepreneurs. An interactive voting component further enhanced community involvement by allowing attendees to influence the final outcomes.
Driving Economic and Social Impact in Inland Southern California
The SoCal OASIS™ Initiative tackles regional challenges like sustainable growth and economic inclusivity by fostering innovation and empowering entrepreneurs. Through this initiative, startups gain critical support to drive economic development and environmental progress.
“The SoCal OASIS™ Challenge is more than just a competition; it’s a journey that aims to shorten the path to market for promising startups by providing them with non dilutive capital, thanks to the James Irvine Foundation” said Rosibel Ochoa, Associate Vice Chancellor of Technology Partnerships at UCR. The winners will use the funds to secure manufacturing capabilities so they can deliver products to their customers.”
For those who missed the event, the SoCal OASIS™ Initiative continues to offer programs and opportunities to engage with its mission. To learn more about upcoming events, visit the UC Riverside Office of Technology Partnerships website and subscribe to the newsletter to get notifications.
About UC Riverside’s Office of Technology Partnerships
The Office of Technology Partnerships catalyzes the translation of UCR’s world-class research into products and services that benefit society. UCR EPIC SBDC's mentors provide commercialization assistance to startups and emerging businesses, supporting their growth and development. By collaborating with the private sector, supporting entrepreneurial initiatives, and fostering innovation across the campus, the Office is committed to creating a thriving ecosystem that benefits students, faculty, and the community. To learn more about The Office of Tech Partnerships and the EPIC SBDC program, please visit here.
This article was written by Tsubasa Takakida, an MBA student at UC Riverside, focusing on marketing and management.
Contact Information
Aileen Luib
Assistant Director of Special Programs and Outreach
Office of Technology Partnerships, University of California, Riverside
Phone: 951-827-8516
Email: aileenl@ucr.edu