The first annual Irvine Tech Day, on May 8, 2026, was an overwhelming success, packing Irvine City Hall for a series of talks and panels, welcoming over 30 tech companies at Pop-Up Irvine, watching pitches from 16 cutting-edge startups at Pitch Irvine, and hosting more than 1,200 runners for the Irvine Dream Run on May 9, 2026 at the Great Park.
Produced by Sunstone Investment Group with American Lending Center, the City of Irvine’s Councilmember William Go (District 2), the UC Irvine ANTrepreneur Center, and more, the Tech Day main event on May 8 attracted 1,200 registrants.
“Irvine Tech Day and the Irvine Dream Run showcased the best of our city with innovation, entrepreneurship, health, and community all coming together in one incredible weekend,” said Councilmember Go. “From founders and investors collaborating at City Hall to families and runners gathering at the Great Park, these events reflected the energy, creativity, and spirit that continue to make Irvine a leading City of Innovation. It was inspiring to see our community unite to support entrepreneurship, wellness, and the next generation of ideas shaping our future.”
An Entrepreneurs Reception at the Beckman Center kicked off Irvine Tech Day with a fan favorite dancing robot, an iconic rap to get the energy going, and a Tech Day theme song.
Adding a touch of fun, a wandering unicorn made appearances throughout Irvine Tech Day and the Irvine Dream Run, symbolizing both the spirit of innovation behind startup “unicorns” and the community energy that has become a hallmark of the Irvine Dream Run.
Professor Imran Currim, Faculty Director of the UC Irvine Beall Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Distinguished Professor, opened the Tech Day main event with a fireside chat with Ricianne “Chi” Rey, Program Lead at the UC Irvine ANTrepreneur Center.
“We had a vision to bring innovation and entrepreneurship to the community, the nation, the world,” Professor Currim said about the creation of the UC Irvine Beall Center. “The world thinks of California as the center of innovation and entrepreneurship, but the University of California system had no I&E programs at the time… Now we have a master’s program at UC Irvine specifically in innovation and entrepreneurship.”
The large audience in Irvine City Council chambers then welcomed Dr. Percy Lee, vice chair of clinical research in the Department of Radiation Oncology, medical director of Orange County and Coastal Region Radiation Oncology, and professor of radiation oncology at City of Hope. In his keynote speech, Dr. Lee talked about how Irvine is a world leader in innovation for the healthcare industry and explained how the TrueBeam system has revolutionized radiation therapy with pinpoint treatments attacking tumors without damaging surrounding tissue.
“Our community is investing in world-class care,” Dr. Lee said. “We are delivering extraordinary hope to us all.”
The first panel of the day—Innovation in Irvine moderated by Sunstone’s Jasmine Jiang—opened with industry veterans Los Angeles Venture Association Executive Director Darren Eng, Alliance for SoCal Innovation CEO/Executive Director Dave de Csepel, TiE Los Angeles President Venkatesh Sankaran, and Shopline Co-President Chris Yang.
Simultaneously on the City Hall piazza, 30+ companies showcased their innovative ideas—everything from humanoid robots to all-natural nutrition plans were represented at the expo, with a steady stream of visitors making connections.
A second panel explored the connection between Economic Development and Entrepreneurship. Moderated by UC Irvine ANTrepreneur Center Director Ryan Foland, the panel included Councilmember Go, Greater Irvine Chamber President & CEO Dave Coffaro, Small Business Development Corporation of Orange County President Jim Ely, and Sunstone CEO John Keisler.
“We’re working as a city to provide the infrastructure (for entrepreneurship),” Councilmember Go said. “We’re in the process of creating the Irvine Innovation Center… We’re building on the synergy between the city and UC Irvine. We are very fortunate to have that center of learning to build on.”
Following a Mentor Mixer where founders could practice their pitches one-on-one with industry experts, the afternoon was devoted to Pitch Irvine, a community-wide pitch competition hosted in collaboration with the UC Irvine ANTrepreneur Center.
From early-stage to later stage, college to high school, 16 semi-finalists were invited to make their case in front of a live panel of judges in one of four tracks – Applied AI, Healthcare Innovation, Energy & Mobility, and DTC & Commerce.
A standing-room only crowd watched the pitches on the Sunstone Stage at Sunstone headquarters. Selected finalists moved to City Hall for the Grand Finale and were welcomed with remarks from former Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan.
The top startup in each track won a $1,000 cash prize. There also was a People’s Choice Award for another $1,000.
The first place winners were: Ritual Ads (Applied AI), Open Sonic AI Medical (Healthcare Innovation), Reverse Energy Solutions (Energy & Mobility), and SafeSpec (DTC & Commerce). In a live vote from the audience, Lidavex was voted the winner of the People’s Choice Award.
“The value of bringing entrepreneurs, investors, students, and community members together through Irvine Tech Day was massive, and the dividends will continue to accrue long after the event itself,” said Ryan Foland, Director of the UC Irvine ANTrepreneur Center. “Creating opportunities for people across the entire entrepreneurial ecosystem to meet in person, build relationships, exchange ideas, and strengthen connections is truly priceless. Events like this help transform a collection of individuals and organizations into a more connected, collaborative, and innovative community.”
Early Saturday morning, Tech Day capped off with the third annual charitable Irvine Dream Run at the Great Park, with proceeds benefiting the Sunstone Community Fund, a not-for-profit donor-advised fund supporting startups and entrepreneurs. More than 1,200 runners signed up to run (or walk) the 5K and/or 3K events.
“I’m thrilled with the participation and energy we saw in both Irvine Tech Day and the Irvine Dream Run,” said John Shen, founder of both Sunstone and American Lending Center. “It is an affirmation of how this community is a true hub of innovation and entrepreneurship. We’re honored to have had a part in it and look forward to an even bigger and better event next year.”
“Thank you to our incredible sponsors, community partners, speakers, mentors, judges, volunteers, and team for helping bring this vision to life,” said organizer Jennifer Huang from Sunstone. “What started as an idea to celebrate innovation, entrepreneurship, and community became a true reflection of what makes Irvine special: people coming together to build, support, and uplift one another to continue moving Irvine innovation forward.”
This event would not have been possible without the continued support of our community: Vice Mayor James Mai, Councilmember Go, Councilmember Melinda Liu (District 1), Councilmember Betty Martinez Franco (District 5), Councilmember Mike Carroll (District 4), UC Irvine ANTrepreneur Center, UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business, Sunstone Investment, American Lending Center, City of Hope Orange County, City of Hope Walk for Hope, Greater Irvine Chamber, Asian American Museum at Great Park, Alliance for SoCal Innovation, OC Startup Council, TCVN, TiE Los Angeles, Orange County Business Journal, the LA Venture Association, TCA Venture Group Orange County, SBDC-OC, and many more.
About Sunstone
Sunstone Investment Group, headquartered in southern California, is the holding company for the Sunstone family of entities, including: Sunstone Investment Management Services, responsible for administrative services; Sunstone Advisors, an SEC-registered investment adviser, which oversees Sunstone Venture Partners LLC, a private capital fund manager; Sunstone Cities, a government economic development consulting firm; and Sunstone Community Fund, a charitable organization that supports entrepreneurship. Sunstone is dedicated to enriching lives through investment, entrepreneurship, and community. Email us at contact@sunstoneinvestment.com.
About American Lending Center Holdings Inc.
American Lending Center Holdings Inc. (ALC) is a mission-driven, private, non-bank lender committed to expanding access to capital, creating jobs, and driving sustainable economic growth across the United States. As a federally designated EB-5 regional center, ALC partners with investors to revitalize communities, create jobs, and finance sustainable projects that strengthen local economies—especially in underserved areas.
ALC is dedicated to advancing innovation and sustainability by supporting startups and projects in sectors including renewable energy, agriculture, and rural healthcare. At ALC, we believe in building stronger communities by fostering entrepreneurship, leveraging global investment, and creating opportunities that empower future generations.
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