TIE Events
We strongly encourage that all attendees, vaccinated or unvaccinated, wear a mask for in-person events. Unvaccinated individuals should maintain a 6” physical distance from those outside of their household while consuming food or beverage. Any event attendee, vendor or staff member who tests positive for COVID-19 within 48 hours of attending an event, should immediately report their exposure to the university.
To notify the university of a positive case of COVID-19, please call 213-740-6291 or email covid19@usc.edu
After a positive case, all USC employees (staff & faculty) and vendors at the event will be notified of a possible exposure. Those who are notified will be given further instructions as part of their notification.
August 2021
27
August 27, 2021 @ 12:30pm PST
TIE General Info Session (virtual)
The Viterbi Office of Technology Innovation & Entrepreneurship invites you to join us on Friday, August 27 @ 12:30 PM for an information session hosted by Vice Dean Ellis Meng. Come learn about our Competitions, Curricular Programs and Classes, Internship Opportunities, Funding Opportunities and Building Your Team.
View the Zoom Recording and Power Point Slides.
September 2021
08
September 08, 2021 @ 2:00pm PST
Min Family Challenge Info Session (virtual)
The Min Family Challenge was created to empower future generations of engineers to use their acquired knowledge and leverage the power of technology to better the world by serving the least fortunate and their pressing societal needs. The grand prize winner will receive $50K to help launch their startup!
View the Zoom Recording and Power Point Slides.
15
September 15, 2021 @ 7:00pm PST
Min Family Challenge Education Session #1 (virtual)
Join the Min Family Challenge organizers for an education session focused on providing insights about the problems that you can help solve using technology. If you are ready to turn your idea into an innovation for positive social impact, join us!
"Tackling Poverty and Access to Clean Water in Low-income Communities in SoCal." A presentation by organizers and members of Western Service Workers Association
View the Zoom Recording.
16
September 16, 2021 @ 3:00pm PST (POSTPONED)
Min Family Challenge Education Session #2 (virtual)
Join the Min Family Challenge organizers for an education session focused on providing insights about the problems that you can help solve using technology. If you are ready to turn your idea into an innovation for positive social impact, join us!
"It's Never 'Just Water': The effects of water quality and access on communities of color in Los Angeles area" A presentation by Kaela Thomas of Black Women for Wellness
Open to ALL - Free
29
September 29, 2021 @ 12:30pm PST
Viterbi Startup Garage Residency Program Info Session (virtual)
Fall 2021 Recruiting Info Session w/ Arcelia Navarro
USC Viterbi Startup Garage is holding an open call for early-stage technology startup teams for our Fall cohort which kicks-off Mid-October, 2021. Join Arcelia as she hosts the informational session ready to answer any and all questions!
View the video recording and the slide deck.
October 2021
01
October 01, 2021 @ 12:00pm PST
Masseh Entrepreneurship Prize Competition Info Session (virtual)
Come learn how to win cash for your startup! The Maseeh Entrepreneurship Prize Competition (MEPC) includes customer discovery workshops, developing a business model, legal prizes, mentorship from seasoned business executives and access to the local investment community. Your team can win the $50,000 grand prize!
Open to ALL - Free
06
October 06, 2021 @ 3:00pm PST
Min Family Challenge Education Session #2 (virtual)
Join the Min Family Challenge organizers for an education session focused on providing insights about the problems that you can help solve using technology. If you are ready to turn your idea into an innovation for positive social impact, join us!
"It's Never 'Just Water': The effects of water quality and access on communities of color in Los Angeles area" A presentation by Kaela Thomas of Black Women for Wellness
Open to ALL USC students - Free
07
October 7, 2021 @ 12:30pm PST
Technology Start-Up Networking Event (virtual)
The Viterbi School of Engineering and Office of Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship is pleased to host a special mixer, bringing together people from across campus who are passionate about technology-driven start-ups.Every successful startup begins with a diverse team. Whether you are looking for co-founders with different skill sets to help launch your company, looking to join a team or just plain curious - this is the event for you. Come hear what exciting ventures are taking off on campus and mingle with our vibrant community of innovators. Join the wave of USC entrepreneurs making a real impact!
Be sure to join us if…
- You’re looking to complete your MEPC or MFC team
- You’re looking for a CTO or engineer to join your startup (Founders, come prepared with your 1-minute quick pitch!)
- You’re curious about innovation and entrepreneurship at USC
Open to ALL - Free
12
October 12, 2021 @ 12:00pm PST
Intro to Angel Investors with DC Palter (virtual)
Come learn how to pitch your startup to angel and VC investors! DC Palter will describe the various stages of investment and the investors most likely to participate in each stage. He'll also talk about what makes a good pitch deck that will resonate with investors.
DC Palter has built two successful startups producing IT products. He is also a long-time angel investor with Tech Coast Angels and Chemical Angels, and a startup mentor with many accelerators and startup programs including Viterbi's MEPC. His background is in energy engineering with an MBA in technology marketing and an MFA in creative writing. A top writer on Medium for startups and venture capital, his blog on startup advice is at pitchingangels.com, and his mystery novel, To Kill a Unicorn, about a Silicon Valley startup up to no good, will be released early next year by Pandamoon Publishing.
Office Hours with Mr. Palter is also available. Please sign up using this link.
View the slide deck.
19
October 19, 2021 @ 12:00pm PST
Into to Cap Tables and Financing Term Sheets (virtual)
Rick Friedman, CEO of NovusGC, will host a webinar for first time founders and will discuss the development of a cap table from the initial issuance of shares to the founders to the startup's first priced Preferred Stock round. Come learn about the key financial and business terms of convertible notes, SAFEs and Preferred Stock financing through the lens of a term sheet.
NovusGC is a boutique law firm that provides general counsel services for early stage technology and life sciences companies, guiding startups through formation, angel and venture financing, licensing and other transactions. Rick has served in senior roles at large law firms in Palo Alto and Los Angeles, led the tech transfer licensing teams at USC Stevens and UT Austin, served in general counsel roles with public and venture-backed technology companies, and currently teaches Technology Transactions at the USC Gould School of Law as an Adjunct Professor. Rick has a JD from the University of Chicago and an MBA from UT Austin.
Open to ALL - Free
November 2021
03
November 03, 2021 @ 5:00pm PST
DC Palter TCA office hours
Only a limited number of slots are available. Please sign up using this link.
DC Palter has built two successful startups producing IT products. He is also a long-time angel investor with Tech Coast Angels and Chemical Angels, and a startup mentor with many accelerators and startup programs including Viterbi's MEPC. His background is in energy engineering with an MBA in technology marketing and an MFA in creative writing. A top writer on Medium for startups and venture capital, his blog on startup advice is at pitchingangels.com, and his mystery novel, To Kill a Unicorn, about a Silicon Valley startup up to no good, will be released early next year by Pandamoon Publishing.
Open to ALL - Free
09
November 09, 2021 @ 12:00pm PST
Tech Startup Legal Clinic
Jef Pearlman directs the USC Gould Intellectual Property & Technology Law Clinic. Register below and join us to learn about a range of intellectual property related services provided by the Clinic including:
- Copyrighting and fair use legal issues
- Registering trademarks
- Drafting basic work-for-hire agreements
- Contribution agreements
- License agreements
- Other contracts relating to intellectual property ownership
Open to ALL - Free
December 2021
01
December 01, 2021 @ 12:30pm - 1:30pm PST
USC Viterbi Startup Garage Presents: AWS Workshop
Hosted by Jenny Wong, Business Development Manager at Amazon Web Services, and Harold Kim, Solutions Architect at Amazon Web Services.
This session will discuss base-level best practices for getting started on AWS and address some of the most common questions founders have when launching on AWS.
Email Arcelia Navarro for questions about the event, vsg@usc.edu
Open to ALL - Free
08
December 08, 2021 @ 12:30pm - 1:30pm PST
Viterbi Startup Garage: Oceanside Chat: CalSeed And CalTest Bed
Clean tech early-stage startups, don’t miss the golden opportunity of getting non-diluted seed funding and technical support from the California Energy Commission’s Energy Research Funding and Support Initiatives. In this chat, we will discuss the CalSeed and CalTest bed programs. Entrepreneurs will learn how these initiatives accelerate their startups to the next level.
Hosted by Mr. Porter Wong who is a mentor of CleanTech Open, Plug and Play Technology Center, Alley / Verizon Ventures, U.S. National Lab Entrepreneurship Academy, and UC Entrepreneurship Academy. He is an associate of James Gollub Associates LLC. He is a consultant of the US Department of Commerce MBDA (Minority Business Development Agency) San Jose Business Center and California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development's Small Business Technical Assistance Expansion Program
Email Arcelia Navarro for questions about the event, vsg@usc.edu
RVSP - Open to ALL - Free
15
December 15, 2021 @ 12:30pm - 1:30pm PST
Viterbi Startup Garage: Legal Clinic - Employee/Independent Contractor IP Assignment Contracts
Failing to include the appropriate language in employment contracts regarding IP ownership, or improperly distinguishing between employees and independent contractors, can present significant legal challenges. In this session, we will discuss the factors that determine whether an individual is an employee or an independent contractor, the requirements for copyrighted works (such as software code) to be considered “works made for hire,” and important assignment and ownership clauses to include in contracts for employees and independent contractors to ensure that all IP rights are owned by the company.
Hosted by Dustin Szakalski who is a partner in Lewis Roca's intellectual property practice group. Dustin specializes in patent application preparation and prosecution at the U.S. Patent Office, trademark clearance and preparation, IP licenses, NDAs, and IP enforcement. He holds a degree in Aerospace Engineering from USC Viterbi School of Engineering. Before attending law school, Dustin worked as a structural design engineer for Northrop Grumman and then as a flight test engineer for Boeing. Dustin has experience with a wide variety of technological areas, including SaaS, AI robotics (computer vision, artificial neural networks, machine learning), medical devices, automotive technologies, consumer electronics, and industrial equipment. Genevieve is a recent transplant to Southern California from the Pacific Northwest. She has an MBA from University of Washington and an undergraduate degree from Washington State University.
Email Arcelia Navarro for questions about the event, vsg@usc.edu
RVSP - Open to ALL - Free
February 2022
04
February 4, 2022 @ 1:00pm PST (Virtual)
ABC Innovation Prize Competition Info Session
The Viterbi School of Engineering offers USC undergraduate students an opportunity to use innovation to develop solutions in three areas: Atoms, Bits, and Cells (ABC). The Atoms category refer to engineering hardware products such as mechanical devices. The Bits category involves digital projects such as mobile and web apps. The Cells category could have biomedical or bioengineering projects.
Through this competition, teams will attend workshops during the Spring 2022 semester to learn about the basics (i.e., ABCs) of engineering entrepreneurship.
All team members must be undergraduate students at USC.
RSVP and learn more about joining the ABC competition.
08
February 8, 2022 @ 12:30pm PST (Virtual)
Summer Smasher 2022 Info Session
Are you looking for a unique experience this summer?
USC Viterbi’s unique tech startup incubator (VITERBI STARTUP GARAGE), is gearing up for its annual Summer Smasher (hybrid program).
What is the Summer Smasher? It is a summer program that will give you a crash course in entrepreneurship! It offers a strong experiential component where you join our community of fully operational tech startup companies as an ENTREPRENEUR-IN-TRAINING.
Come learn about the program and network with like-minded students!
Open to all USC students. RSVP HERE
09
February 9, 2022 @ 12:30pm PST (Virtual)
Viterbi Startup Garage Oceanside Chat: Intro To B2B Sales For Startup Founders
This is a crash course for early-stage startup Founders who do not have a sales background, especially technical founders. This will help you get up to speed very quickly on all the basics of B2B sales as a startup Founder. You'll learn everything you need to know about B2B sales to get your first customers and become a confident founder who can sell.
Hosted by Joe Benjamin, Founder of Profs
Open to all, Register For Link
13
February 13, 2022 @ 11:59pm PST
Global Engineering Design Studio Application
The Global Engineering Design Studio is an international collaboration of seven leading universities across five countries with global reputations in engineering design education. The 8-week co-curricular program provides 140 students the opportunity to address complex engineering challenges with a global perspective and to align the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and modern priorities. The overall theme of this year's program is Sustainable Cities and Communities.
The application deadline has been extended to Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. PST
Apply NOW!!
The application is open to all Viterbi undergraduate students but priority will be given to Viterbi juniors and seniors.
22
February 22, 2022 @ 11:59pm PST
ABC Innovation Prize Competition Application
The Office of Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (TIE) is hosting its annual ABC Innovation Prize competition and would love for you to participate. Teams will learn the basics (i.e., ABCs) of engineering entrepreneurship to turn an idea into a business.
The top three winning teams will each receive $1,000!
The ABC Innovation Prize competition offers USC undergraduate students an opportunity to use innovation to develop solutions in three areas: Atoms, Bits, and Cells.
23
February 23, 2022 @ 12:30pm PST (Virtual)
Viterbi Startup Garage Oceanside Chat: The Shifting Seed Fund Landscape
Seed funding is changing. With the rise of crypto investing, rolling funds, influencer-led syndicates, and later-stage funds going earlier, sources of capital are more available than ever for fundraising entrepreneurs. Join Dalton Wright, Partner at Kickstart Fund and an expert in early-stage investing, as he discusses his perspective as a Mountain West seed investor and how this changing landscape impacts entrepreneurs and investors.
Hosted by Dalton Wright, Partner at Kickstart Fund
Open to all, Register for Zoom link
28
February 28, 2022 @ 12:30pm PST (Virtual)
Summer Smasher 2022 Info Session
Are you looking for a unique experience this summer?
USC Viterbi’s unique tech startup incubator (VITERBI STARTUP GARAGE), is gearing up for its annual Summer Smasher (hybrid program).
What is the Summer Smasher? It is a summer program that will give you a crash course in entrepreneurship! It offers a strong experiential component where you join our community of fully operational tech startup companies as an ENTREPRENEUR-IN-TRAINING.
Come learn about the program and network with like-minded students!
Open to all USC students. RSVP HERE
March 2022
23
March 23, 2022 @ 12:30pm PST (Virtual)
Summer Smasher 2022 Info Session
Are you looking for a unique experience this summer?
USC Viterbi’s unique tech startup incubator (VITERBI STARTUP GARAGE), is gearing up for its annual Summer Smasher (hybrid program).
What is the Summer Smasher? It is a summer program that will give you a crash course in entrepreneurship! It offers a strong experiential component where you join our community of fully operational tech startup companies as an ENTREPRENEUR-IN-TRAINING.
Come learn about the program and network with like-minded students!
Open to all USC students. RSVP HERE
April 2022
13
April 13, 2022 @ 12:30pm PST (Virtual)
Viterbi Startup Garage Oceanside Chat: How to Design an Investor Pitch Deck w/ Liana Karapetyan
The investor pitch deck is often the key to a longer investment conversation with a VC. Liana Karapetyan, Director of Hero House Angels, an angel investor network in California initiated by SmartGateVC, will talk about how to design an investor pitch deck and what are the essentials that need to be there. From personal experience and references to world standards, she will guide you through the investors’ perspective of reviewing pitch decks and help avoid the noise. The session will cover both the art and science of designing an investor pitch deck.
SmartGateVC is a California and Armenia-based pre-seed and seed VC fund with key focus areas in AI infrastructure, AI-enabled SaaS, IoT, and Biotech.
Open to all, RSVP HERE
15
April 15, 2022 @ 11:59pm PST
NSF I-Corps IN-LA Node: The Viterbi Undergraduate Startup Hackathon
The Viterbi Undergraduate Startup Hackathon is an immersive workshop designed to teach you how to build and scale a technology based startup! Students will be matched into teams and work together to solve problem sets based on the Sustainable Development Goals identified by the United Nations.
If you're an aspiring entrepreneur and you've been wondering what it takes to build a startup, join us for an experiential two-session hackathon where we will:
-Identify specific problems to solve using technology
-Provide an overview of a strategic business model for your solution
-Teach customer discovery best practices
-Help you develop product ideation skills
-Show you how to qualify for a $50K NSF grant (free money!) to help develop your business model further
Who: all undergraduate students
When: April 22 from 1:00 to 6:00pm + April 29 from 12:00 to 6:00pm (food and drinks will be provided!)
Where: UPC Campus
Apply: https://forms.gle/XMNiZBW2DQFUFn5i6
DEADLINE: APril 15, 2022 @ 11:59pm PST
Questions? Contact losangelesnode@gmail.com
18
April 18, 2022 @ 7:00pm PST (In-Person)
A Special In-Person Screening of: LIVES NOT GRADES
About USC Earth Week: From Monday, April 18 to Friday, April 22, 2022, USC will celebrate Earth Week. Join fellow Trojans as we take part in sustainability activities and events. Expand your sustainability knowledge, make connections, take action, and learn what USC is doing to achieve its sustainability goals.
About the Screener:
At its heart, Lives Not Grades is a dramatic, thrilling, and inspirational story embedded in geopolitical events. It is an honest look at the innovation process, the importance of learning from failure, and the role of education itself in a time when educational models are being challenged.
When: 7:00 P.M. on Monday, April 18th, 2022
Where: The Albert & Dana Broccoli Theatre, SCA 112
George Lucas Building, School of Cinematic Arts Complex
900 W. 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90007
FREE ADMISSION. OPEN TO ALL USC STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF, ALUMNI, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
30
April 30, 2022 @ 11:59pm PST
Innovation in Engineering and Design for Global Challenges
We’re looking for the next generation of global problem solvers. No experience is necessary – except a skill that needs to be honed and an insatiable desire to make a positive impact in the world. Our toolkit: engineering innovation, design, social entrepreneurship, systems thinking, ethics, and storytelling. Our challenge: the largest humanitarian crisis in Europe since WW2. Our motto: LIVES NOT GRADES.
Apply by April 30 to join the next cohort