The UCI ANTrepreneur Center has announced an exciting new collaboration with Tech Coast Venture Network (TCVN), a community-based entrepreneurial hub in Orange County that has been supporting founders and their businesses since 1983. This collaboration offers UCI students across the entire campus access to TCVN’s programs, events, workshops, mentorship opportunities, and pitch competitions through a new college membership program. As the first charter member, the ANTrepreneur Center is paving the way for more universities to benefit from this innovative program.

According to Maryam Edah-Tally, Chairwoman and President of TCVN, the collaboration represents an exciting opportunity to support UCI student entrepreneurs and welcome them into the TCVN community:

“TCVN is a nonprofit, so our only purpose is to serve our community. We empower entrepreneurs with knowledge and a network, and I want to offer the same experience I had to ALL students, regardless of age and experience. We are pleased to announce our collaboration with UCI’s ANTrepreneur Center to give UCI students access to all of TCVN’s resources.”

Similarly, proud UCI alum and a long-term board member at TCVN Tony Crisp—who played a significant role in connecting the ANTrepreneur Center and TCVN—said, “The collaboration between the ANTrepreneur Center and the Tech Coast Venture Network is a big win for early stage entrepreneurs who are in the Orange County ecosystem.”

The ANTrepenreur Center and TCVN collaboration promises exciting benefits for UCI student entrepreneurs. For instance, students will be able to attend in-person TCVN events on the second Thursday and fourth Thursday of every month, starting in May 2023. Students will also gain access to the many virtual speakers and workshops that TCVN hosts throughout the year.

 “I have always been a fan of TCVN, and I have been going to their events for close to 10 years,” explains Ryan Foland, Director of the ANTrepreneur Center. “So I know first-hand that attending these events will be a great opportunity for our students to get in front of investors and receive high-value feedback on their pitches. Even for students who don’t yet see themselves as entrepreneurs, our collaboration with TCVN will provide access to amazing speakers and networking events to meet with founders and learn more about the entrepreneurial mindset.”

The collaboration with TCVN comes on the heels of the ANTrepreneur Center’s new collaborations with Tech Coast Angels (TCA) and the OC Startup Council. As the ANTrepreneur Center continues to foster connections with organizations like TCVN, it provides students with unparalleled opportunities for networking, professional development, and exposure to the startup ecosystem. This collaboration and others like it are helping to shape the future of student entrepreneurship in Orange County.

Students should follow the ANTrepreneur Center Instagram and TCVN on Instagram, for details on TCVN events that they now can have access to. 

For more information about the UCI ANTrepreneur Center, including programming, speaker series, Micro-Internships, funding, and more, visit our website. You can also learn more about our valuable collaborations with Blackstone LaunchPad, Tech Coast Angels, Tech Coast Venture Network, OC Startup Council, SoCal Celebrates Entrepreneurship, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and even Threads