Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Meet Tina Baker, the first person you’ll see when you walk into the Lyles Center! 🌟 Tina has been with us since 2013 and is truly the powerhouse that keeps everything running smoothly. She coordinates everyone and everything with a smile! Outside of work, she loves spending time with her family, granddaughters, and friends, as well as cooking and entertaining. Stop by and say hello to Tina next time you’re here! 👋

🚀 Join us for an inspiring luncheon with the incredible sisters behind Fast Trak Metal Fabrication, Ferol Garcia (CEO) and Blake Casares (CFO)! Discover how they’re transforming their Central Valley family business into a powerhouse of innovation and partnership. 🌟

🗓️ Date: Tuesday, September 10, 2024
🕚 Time: 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
📍 Location: Fresno State, Lynda and Stewart Resnick Student Union

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn from their journey! Register now at the link in bio.

🎉 Meet the Lyles Center’s Executive Director, Emil Milevoj! A proud Fresno State alum with a Doctorate in Business Administration from Henley Business School, Emil is dedicated to supporting students and helping them advance their business ideas. His favorite part of the job? Working with an amazing team and seeing the impact on our students.🐾

🚨 SAVE THE DATE 🚨
We’re kicking off the first Pay It Forward event of the fall semester on Tuesday, September 10, 2024 with an exclusive opportunity to hear from two of the brilliant minds behind Fast Trak Metal Fabrication! 💼✨
We’re excited to feature Ferol Garcia, CEO/Owner, and Blake Casares, CFO/Owner—sisters and leaders who have reshaped their industry through innovation and collaboration.
Don’t miss out on their inspiring stories and insights to jumpstart your semester! 📅
Tap the link in our bio to register and secure your spot.

🎉 Welcome Back, Bulldogs! 🎉

Whether you’re a new face on campus or returning for another exciting year, the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship wishes you an amazing first week of classes! We’re thrilled to have you back and can’t wait to see all the incredible things you’ll achieve this semester.

This fall, we have a lineup of inspiring events, workshops, and opportunities designed to help you unleash your creativity, sharpen your entrepreneurial skills, and connect with fellow innovators. Stay tuned for more details, and remember, the Lyles Center is here to support your journey every step of the way!

Let’s make this semester one to remember! 🚀

🎉 Big congratulations to Janel Haas and her business, Jay’s Specialty Ice Cream, for the recognition in Fresno State Magazine! 🌟 The Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Fresno State is proud to support student entrepreneurs like Janel. With resources like the Student Hatchery, we offer office space, technology, and one-on-one mentoring to help turn ideas into thriving businesses.

If you’re ready to bring your business idea to life, we welcome you to apply and join our community of innovators! 🚀

🎉 The Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship congratulates all the incredible student teams who participated in the final presentations of the 2024 Sweet Potato Project! 🌟 Each team showcased their creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit, making it a tough competition.

👏 Let’s give a round of applause to our amazing teams:
DOUGH BOYZZ
DIP & TATER CO.
Bright Fantasy Bites
Sweet House of Waffles
Big Bite Delight
Sweet Souls

And a special shoutout to the winning team, DIP & TATER CO.! 🏆🥇 Your hard work and dedication truly paid off, and we can’t wait to see where your sweet potato creations will go next!

To all the teams, your efforts and achievements are inspiring, and we at the Lyles Center are incredibly proud of what you’ve accomplished. Keep pushing boundaries and chasing your dreams!

🌟 Congratulations to all the amazing students who participated and completed the 2024 Sweet Potato Project! 🌱🍠

This unique program, a partnership between the West Fresno Family Resource Center and the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Fresno State, empowers youth at risk of school dropout, substance use, and gang involvement. Through the Sweet Potato Project, these students have learned the ins and outs of growing, harvesting, and marketing sweet potatoes in the food service industry.

Throughout July, students visited Fresno State to receive invaluable lessons in entrepreneurship, helping them craft their own marketable sweet potato products. From April to December, this three-phase program not only builds agricultural knowledge but also equips these young minds with entrepreneurial skills they can carry beyond the classroom.

A huge shoutout to everyone involved in making this summer a success! 🎉 We can’t wait to see where your newfound skills and knowledge take you next. 🌱✨

For the last 3 weeks, students from Fresno Unified have attended the 2024 Summer Accelerator at the Lyles Center on the Fresno State campus. 🌟 This immersive experience allowed them to explore business interests, develop ideas, and gain essential entrepreneurial skills.

Throughout the program, participants worked in teams, preparing for the final pitch competition. They presented their innovative business models to a panel of judges, competing for these prizes:
🥇 1st place: $2,500
🥈 2nd place: $1,500
🥉 3rd place: $1,000

We congratulate all the students for their hard work and dedication, and special congratulations to our winners! A huge thank you to everyone who made this an unforgettable experience. 🎉📚

Our Summer Accelerator program in action!💡🚀

Exciting news! Check out these DATA ANALYTICS WORKSHOPS with Dr. Yertai Tanai! 🚀

Part I is on April 19 and Part II on April 26, from 8:30 AM–1 PM (with a half-hour break). Join us either in-person at Fresno State University Business Center or via Zoom. These interactive sessions are perfect for anyone looking to tackle real-world problems across various industries, from agriculture to healthcare and beyond. Don't miss this opportunity to level up your skills!

🍇 You can still sign up to explore the future of winery waste! Led by Dr. Kristy Sun, this Johanson Fellows workshop delves into turning byproducts into treasures. Discover how innovation is reshaping sustainability in the wine industry.

Date: Friday, April 5, 2024
Time: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Location: Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Room 208

All are welcome, so secure your spot now and be part of the solution! 🌱

Register here: bit.ly/JohansonFellowsApril5

📢 Call for Volunteers! 🌟 Join us for Innovation Day, our highly anticipated annual event bringing together 3rd-6th grade students from Fresno Unified schools! 🚀 Help make a difference in young minds as they tackle exciting engineering challenges at the Save Mart Center. Be a part of the action as students showcase their creativity and innovation in solving agricultural-themed design challenges. 🌱 Sign up now to be a part of this inspiring day!

Sign up here: https://bit.ly/InnovationDayVolunteer

Eager to showcase your entrepreneurial flair? Get ready to dive into the excitement of our semester's Pitch Competition happening on Tuesday, April 9th!

Register Here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdP_UcLh3_CWHnnQLjYOZlZ-Rv66j4pBswsNnVttWH_GbiDrw/viewform

Let's work our magic together!

Event Details:
🗓 Date: Tuesday, April 9th
⏰ Time: 10:00am-12:00pm
📍 Location: RSU Room 206

Save the date and be part of the buzz!

Save the Date! Join us for an inspiring journey at our upcoming Pay It Forward session: 'Finding My Path One Step at a Time' featuring Nancy Ervin, Partner at Harrison Co. and business advisor. 🚀 Mark your calendars for Wednesday, April 10, 2024, from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Student Union.

Happy Thanksgiving from the team at the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship 🦃✨

This is your friendly reminder to join us next Thursday for our Pay It Forward Luncheon Series featuring Nishan Majarian! Secure your lunch by registering at bit.ly/PayItForwardNovember.

An inspiring event you won't want to miss!

Save the date🗓️! Join us on November 16 for our Pay it Forward Luncheon Series featuring Nishan Majarian. Gain invaluable insights at "From Start-Up to Exit: Lessons Learned in my 25 Years of Starting and Selling Companies." An amazing opportunity for students, staff, and the community to connect with a seasoned entrepreneur.

Don't miss out - secure your spot now!

Register at: bit.ly/PayItForwardNovember

Or at the link in our bio!

On behalf of the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, we'd like to express our sincere gratitude to our featured speaker for the Pay it Forward Luncheon series, Ty Allan Jackson ( ). Thank you for sharing your inspiring story, valuable knowledge, and wisdom with our students, staff, and members of the community. Your insights have left a lasting impact, and we are truly thankful for your contribution to our mission of fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. Your presence and words have been a source of inspiration for all.🚀

Have an inspiring business idea brewing? Eager to master the art of pitching? Come be a part of our Pitching for Newbies event designed especially for students like you. Let's fine-tune your pitching skills together on Tuesday, October 24th, from 1-3 PM at the Resnick Student Union Conference Room 206! Access the event through our QR code or here:
https://bit.ly/PitchingforNewbies

The Craig School of Business, Fresno State is offering the Artificial Intelligence Workshop with Dr. Stephen Choi (Oct 27 & Nov 3, 2023) which can be attended in-person at Craig School of Business OR virtually via Zoom.
Please find the details below and attached to register. Seating is limited, so please register soon.

Topic: Artificial Intelligence Workshop with Dr. Stephen Choi

Date & Time:
Friday, October 27, 2023 and Friday, November 3rd, 2023
from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. with a 30-min break

Register here : https://forms.gle/TnTZmYUD8iW96EBA6

Workshop Fee*: $300* for Part I & II, OR $150 for Part I and $200 for Part II
*$50 off for Fresno State students, alumni, faculty, and staff

Just one more week until our Pay It Forward Luncheon Series with the accomplished author and motivational speaker, Ty Allan Jackson! Get ready for an inspiring experience you won't want to miss.

Secure your spot by registering here:

https://bit.ly/PayItForwardRegistration

Don't miss out! Register for the Pay It Forward luncheon with author and motivational speaker Ty Allan Jackson. 🎤
Register now:
https://bit.ly/PayItForwardRegistration

The Craig School of Business, Fresno State is offering the Artificial Intelligence Workshop with Dr. Stephen Choi (Oct 27 & Nov 3, 2023) which can be attended in-person at Craig School of Business OR virtually via Zoom.
Please find the details below and attached to register. Seating is limited, so please register soon.

Topic: Artificial Intelligence Workshop with Dr. Stephen Choi

Date & Time:
Friday, October 27, 2023 and Friday, November 3rd, 2023
from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. with a 30-min break

Registration: Please click here to register at your earliest convenience (Seating is Limited).
Workshop Fee*: $300* for Part I & II, OR $150 for Part I and $200 for Part II
*$50 off for Fresno State students, alumni, faculty, and staff

Mark your calendars for the upcoming Pay It Forward luncheon, where we'll be starting off the fall semester with the incredible Author and Motivational Speaker, Ty Allan Jackson, as our first presenter. Get set for an inspiring and empowering event!
Register now:
https://bit.ly/PayItForwardRegistration

🗓Save The Dates!
Join us for the upcoming Pay It Forward luncheon series where the connection between students and community member comes alive!
Wednesday, October 11th & Thursday, November 16th
Stay tuner because registration for the upcoming event will be opening soon! Let's come together, share a meal, and share knowledge.

Unlocking Opportunities Together: A Remarkable Collaboration Between Venture Valley and the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Empowering Students from Patino High School and Fresno State to shine and Secure Impressive Cash Prizes! 🚀🌟🤝